COPING STRATEGIES AND ACADEMIC STRESS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING, UNIVERSITY OF
UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA
By
Hanson Manuabuchi Ukaegbu
&
Uduak Okokon Ekpenyong
Department of Guidance and Counselling
University of Uyo, Nigeria
Abstract
The study investigated the relationship between coping strategies and academic stress of Undergraduate Students of Guidance and Counselling, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three corresponding null hypotheses guided the study. A correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of 684 undergraduate regular students of Guidance and Counselling Department, University of Uyo, Uyo. A sample of 200 undergraduate students of Guidance and Counselling was selected for the study via stratified random sampling technique. Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) and Academic Stress Questionnaire for Undergraduate Students (ASQUS) were used for data collection. The instruments were face validated while the reliability coefficients of 0.72 and 0.71 were obtained for CSQ and ASQUS respectively. Pearson Product Moment Correlation statistics was used for data analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The results were that; there is a negative and no significant relationship between problem-focused coping strategy and academic stress of students; there is a significant positive relationship between emotion-focused coping strategy and academic stress of students; there is a significant negative relationship between social support-seeking coping strategy and academic stress of undergraduate students of guidance and counselling. Based on the findings of the study, conclusions were drawn and recommendations made among which is that universities and academic institutions in Nigeria should offer regular workshops and training sessions on time management, study skills, and effective problem-solving strategies to empower students in dealing with academic challenges.
