Vulnerability to Stress and Coping Strategies among Undergraduate Students in Baghdad City

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to determine the level of vulnerability to stress perceived by students and the sources of stress, identify strategies do students frequently use to relieve their stress, and find out the association between study variables and vulnerability to stress.

Methodology: Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive design was applied on present study. Participants: A purposive "non-probability" sample of 335 undergraduate students who were recruited of six colleges at Bab Al-Mu'aadham region which are college of Arts, Languages, Fine Arts, Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing college.

Results: The mean age of the participants in the study was 21.92 years (SD = 3.7), ranging between 17 to 34 years. Female and male students accounted for 68.7% and 31.3% of the study sample, respectively. The results describe that about three quarter of study participants has serious vulnerability to stress, the most stressful items were (I take quiet time for myself during the day, I attend regularly the social activities, I give and receive affection regularly, and I have at least 1 relative within different areas on whom I can rely) relative sufficiency (0.76, 0.76, 0.73) respectively. The result demonstrates that the most used coping strategies were (Develop new hobbies or recreations, Take your mind off unpleasant thoughts, Try other solutions to your problems if your first solutions don't work, Do something positive for yourself when you are feeling discouraged, and Keep in feeling sad) relative sufficiency (0.80, 0.77, 0.77, 0.76, 0.75) respectively. There were highly significant association between rank among brothers and sister, sex, and coping strategies and vulnerability to stress (p-value=.002), (p-value=.004) (p-value=.019) respectively.

Conclusion: Stress disorders are very widespread among university students. In the process of preparing students for their future professions, a great deal is needed than absolute professional skills and necessary knowledge.

Recommendations: The researcher recommends the following: Initiating university-based psychological counseling services that teach students trying other solutions to problems that students experience and enable them to regulate their times during the day which in turn help students in performing academic tasks and requirements, besides their activities of daily life and provide them the chance to attend regularly the social activities. Emphasizing the role of religion and non-governmental organizations in allying levels of stress and cope with it.