ACADEMIC STRESS

Academic performance of students in universities has been associated with underlying problems, one of which is that of students’ stress. This study therefore aims to determine the influence of stress on the academic performance of undergraduates in University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. In order to carry out the task, four research questions were raised and one hypothesis formulated which was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study comprised 6576 undergraduates. The data was collected using simple random technique and a sample size of 380 undergraduate students from the eight (8) departments in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin city, was used for the study. The research instrument used for the study was a self-structured questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was subjected to scrutiny and the test-retest reliability technique was used to ascertain its reliability. The correlation coefficient computed was 0.82 indicating that the instrument was reliable. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages and means, while chi-square statistics was used to test the hypothesis. Results revealed that undergraduate students of University of Benin were having stressed times in certain areas of their academic life such as: overall study habits, organizing time, listening and taking notes, writing test/examinations, financial concerns/hardships, campus environment, and course requirements. Majority (66.6%) of the respondents reported to have high stress levels while, the stress level for 18.9% of the respondents is moderate and for 14.5% of the respondents, it is low. The chi-square test carried out confirmed that there is a significant relationship between students’ stress levels and their academic performance in the University of Benin. In conclusion, students have to set priorities in light of their resources to avoid stressful situations. Recommendations were made that stress intervention programs be designed to address stress of University students. Coping strategies that deals with one's own thoughts and feelings can be facilitated by accessible professional and peer counselling, student support groups, and adequate course advising. Also, students themselves must develop effective study habits by giving appropriate time that must fulfil the demand of their course.

This study examined the factors contributing to academic stress among first-year students in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin. The study focused on four major stress indicators which include academic workload, course demands, challenges in adaptation, and pressure to achieve high academic performance. A descriptive survey research design was
adopted, and data were collected from 140 randomly selected first-year students using a structured questionnaire with verified reliability. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was employed to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that academic workload had a significant positive relationship with academic stress (r = 0.319, p < 0.01), indicating that heavy coursework, numerous assignments, and difficulty keeping up with academic tasks contribute to students’
stress. Course demands also showed a significant positive relationship with academic stress (r= 0.366, p < 0.01), suggesting that high expectations, complex course content, and frequent assessments heighten students’ anxiety. Adaptation challenges were found to significantly increase stress levels (r = 0.482, p < 0.01), especially in relation to adjusting to new learning
styles, large classes, and academic independence. The strongest contributor to academic stress was the pressure to achieve high academic performance (r = 0.737, p < 0.01), driven by fear of failure, family expectations, and the desire to maintain a high CGPA. The study concludes that academic stress among first-year students is multidimensional, arising from
both academic requirements and personal expectations. It highlights the need for improved academic guidance, supportive learning environments, and strengthened counselling services ix to help students adjust effectively to university life. The study recommends a review of academic workload, improved teaching strategies, structured mentorship programmes, and
increased psychological support to enhance students’ wellbeing and academic success