Student stress

Description

Stresses experienced by college students at different educational levels are considered, along with ways that colleges can help reduce destructive forms of stress. After discussing how stress and coping are related, problems in defining stress and coping are considered, and models are proposed for understanding stress. Following an overview on the way that stress and coping relate to the role of student, descriptions are provided of environmental settings, sources of stress are given, and solutions are presented for undergraduate students, graduate students, law students, medical students, and medical residents. Solutions suggested for reducing distress in students include: stress inoculation (e.g., informing students in advance of what difficulties they might face); improving campus mental health services; organizing peer counseling and self-help groups; improved orientation for new graduate students; greater flexibility in core requirements; expanding the role of faculty advisors; giving earlier and more frequent exams for law students; deemphasizing grades in law school; basing appointment to the law review on writing skills rather than class rank; improving orientation for first-year medical students and residents; and better counseling and support groups for medical students and residents.

Subjects

Series Statement

• ASHE-ERIC higher education research report,