Academic Stress and Performance in University Students
Abstract
Academic stress can have a negative impact on the performance of university students. This exploratory qualitative study investigated the causes and consequences of academic stress from the students' own experiences. Three semi-structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with ninth-semester students of the Bachelor of International Business program, adapting the SISCO Inventory of Academic Stress by Barraza-Macías and examining stress-inducing stimuli, physical reactions, psychological reactions, and behavioral reactions to assess the level of academic stress. The results obtained through content analysis of the interviews and the focus group using ATLAS.ti 23 software indicate that the main sources of stress are excessive workloads and interactions with professors. Academic stress leads to concentration problems and anxiety among students, negatively impacting their performance. Further studies are needed to gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon in the university context. These findings suggest the need to implement stress management programs in higher education institutions. Such programs could include time management workshops, relaxation techniques, and psychological support to improve student well-being and academic performance
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References
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