WILBERFORCE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (WJSS)
ISSN: 2504 – 9232
Volume 8, No. 2, September, 2023
Pages 1-21
DOI: 10.36108/wjss/3202.80.0210
Perceived Stressors and Coping Strategies among University Undergraduate Students Of
the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State
Undutimi J. Dudafa
Abstract
This study investigated the perceived stressors and coping strategies among university undergraduate students at the Niger Delta University. The Cognitive Appraisal Theory by Richard Lazarus served as the theoretical framework for this study. The cross-sectional survey design was used to sample 300 undergraduate students at the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State through a random sampling technique. Data for this study was collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire. Data collected for this study was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at p<0.05. Findings from the study revealed that the average age of the respondents was 23.03±2.77, while about half of the respondents were male (50.7%). The study also revealed that a significant number of the respondents (71.0%) affirmed that they were stressed at the time of the study. Perceived stressors of undergraduate students include; academic workload, depression, finance, etc. It is recommended that the University should organize programs on stress management that will teach students how to deal with stressful events and develop good coping mechanisms.
Keywords: Stress, Coping strategies, Undergraduate students, Workload, Cognitive Appraisal Theory