Title: Undergraduates' perception on causes, coping and outcomes of academic stress: its foresight implications to university administration

Authors: Wai-Ching Poon; Christina Kwai-Choi Lee; Tee-Pei Ong

Addresses: School of Business, Monash University Sunway Campus, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 46150 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia ' School of Business, Monash University Sunway Campus, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 46150 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia ' The Nielsen Company (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd., 20th Floor, Menara MBPJ Jalan Tengah 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: This study aims to identify the causes, outcomes, and coping strategies of academic stress among undergraduates. Using a sample of 480 business students from eight universities in Klang Valley, results reveal that the major causes of academic stress are due to conflicts and pressures that ultimately cause a detrimental effect on health and performance. While undergraduates most often tend to use avoidant-focused coping strategies to reduce stress, problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies are the preferred choice to alleviate stress. Results provide university administrators with some proactive insights into student services and curriculum design to address excessive levels of academic stress among students.

Keywords: academic stress; undergraduate perceptions; stress causes; coping strategies; stress outcomes; university administration; universities; higher education; business students; Klang Valley; Malaysia; conflicts; pressures; detrimental effects; health; student performance; avoidant-focused strategies; problem-focused strategies; emotion-focused strategies; stress alleviation; administrators; proactive insights; student services; curriculum design; stress levels; sustainability; sustainable education; foresight; forecasting; innovation policies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFIP.2012.049809

International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy, 2012 Vol.8 No.4, pp.379 - 403

Published online: 21 Nov 2014 *

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