Personal, health, academic, and environmental predictors of stress for residence hall students

J Am Coll Health. 2005 Jul-Aug;54(1):15-24. doi: 10.3200/JACH.54.1.15-24.

Abstract

The authors studied contributors to stress among undergraduate residence hall students at a midwestern, land grant university using a 76-item survey consisting of personal, health, academic, and environmental questions and 1 qualitative question asking what thing stressed them the most. Of 964 students selected at random, 462 (48%) responded to the survey. The authors weighted data to reflect the overall university-wide undergraduate population (55% men, 12% minority or international, and 25% freshmen). Women and US citizens experienced greater stress than did men and non-US citizens, respectively. Frequency of experiencing chronic illness, depression, anxiety disorder, seasonal affective disorder, mononucleosis, and sleep difficulties were significant stress predictors. Although alcohol use was a positive predictor, drug use was a negative predictor of stress. Both a conflict and a satisfactory relationship with a roommate, as well as a conflict with a faculty or staff member, were also significant predictors of stress.

MeSH terms

  • Ethnicity
  • Female
  • Health Behavior
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Residence Characteristics*
  • Risk Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology*
  • Students / psychology*
  • Universities*