Sources of Stress among for African American College Students

Dr. Robert Lindsey, Ms. Saeedah Reed, Dr. Robert Lyons, Dr. Denisha Hendricks, Dr. Indhu Gopal, Dr. Antonia Mead, and Dr. Karen ButlerHealth and Human Performance DepartmentJohnson C Smith University

AAHPERD PresentationApril, 2009Tampa, Florida

Statement of Problem

Stress may result from being separated from home for the first time, the transition from a personal to impersonal academic environment, or the very structure of the academic experience at the college level (Shields, 2001).

The pressures of maintaining a balance between interpersonal relationships, academic demands, one’s own expectations and maintaining personal relationships can be an extremely daunting task.

Examples of the myriad of difficulties that college students face are: academic load, being away from home, family obligations, work, maintaining personal relationships, time management, financial obligations, and becoming acclimated to a new environment (Negga, Applewhite, & Livingston, 2007).

Purpose of Study/Research Hypotheses

Purpose of Study The purpose of this study

was to examine sources of stress among African American college students at a private historically black college and university (HBCU).

Research Hypotheses1) There is no significant

difference between the gender of the student and their sources of stress.

2) There is no significant difference between the classification of the student and and their sources of stress.

Delimitations

1) The subjects were undergraduate university students.

2) The subject pool were selected from a single small southeastern university.

3) The data was collected by the investigators during the Spring and Summer Semesters of the year 2008.

Limitations of the Study

1) This study was limited to the examination of the Sources of Stress at this institution.

2) This study was limited to the Sources of Stress on the survey instrument.

3) This study’s findings were limited to the students at this institution, who stated their responses to stress.

Assumptions

1) The subjects surveyed were representative of the university’s undergraduate student population. It was assumed that a cross-section of students with a wide variety of academic majors and ethnic backgrounds were represented.

2) It was assumed that the subjects in the study were honest in reporting their sources of stress.

3) It was assumed that the Inventory of College Students’ Recent Life Experiences Survey was reliable and valid.

Methodology & Data Analysis

Subjects were from a convenience sample of 95 students from Johnson C Smith in Spring and Summer Semesters of 2008.

Inventory of College Students’ Recent Life Experiences (De Jong, Timmermann, and Emmelkamp, 1996)

Reliability and Validity has already been established Independent t-test and analysis of variance were

utilized to to determine the differences between demographics and stress level.

Demographics

Class (N) % of total

Freshman 37 38.95

Sophomore 33 34.74

Junior 16 16.84

Senior 9 9.47

Gender (N) % of total

Male 46 48.42

Female 49 51.58

Ethnicity (N) % of total

White 1 1.05

American Indian/Alaskan Native

1 1.05

Asian/Pacific Islander

1 1.05

Black 88 92.63

Other 4 4.21

Results

Question Content of Question % Response of distinctly part/very much part of my life

5 Too many things to do at once

72.64

7 Peers respect what you have to say

77

16 A lot of responsibilities 70

21 Important decisions about your future career

64.21

22 Financial burdens 67.37

24 Important decisions about your Education

78

29 Not enough time for sleep 63.16

Research Hypothesis #1: Gender and Sources of Stress

Question 5 Too many things to do at once   Gender N Mean t p____  Male 46 2.91 5.23 .0244* Female 49 3.37 _______________________________________ ** p<.01 * p<.05

Research Hypothesis #1: Gender and Sources of Stress

Question 10 Separation from people you care about   Gender N Mean t p_ Male 46 2.30 7.91 .0060** Female 49 2.89 _______________________________________ ** p<.01 * p<.05

Research Hypothesis #1: Gender and Sources of Stress

Question 22 Financial burdens   Gender N Mean t p_____ Male 46 2.63 6.71 .0112** Female 49 3.16 _______________________________________ ** p<.01 * p<.05

Research Hypothesis #1: Gender and Sources of Stress

Question 24 Important decisions about your education

 Gender N Mean t p_____ Male 46 3.13 6.16 .0148* Female 49 3.55 _______________________________________ ** p<.01 * p<.05

Research Hypothesis #2: Classification and Sources of

Stress

Question 41 Difficulties with transportation  Classification N Mean F p__ Freshman 37 2.59 3.06 .03* Sophomore 33 1.96 Junior 16 1.93 Senior 9 2.78 _______________________________________ ** p<.01 * p<.05

Research Hypothesis #2: Classification and Sources of

Stress Question 45 Interruptions of your school work Classification N Mean F p__ Freshman 37 2.00 3.12 .02* Sophomore 33 2.21 Junior 16 1.50 Senior 9 2.66 _______________________________________ ** p<.01 * p<.05

Research Hypothesis #2: Classification and Sources of

Stress

Question 52 Failing to get expected job  Classification N Mean F p__ Freshman 37 1.83 3.01 .03* Sophomore 33 1.66 Junior 16 1.37 Senior 9 2.55 _______________________________________ ** p<.01 * p<.05

Conclusion

Based on results collected through the use of the Inventory of College Students’ Recent Life Experiences , we conclude that

There is a significant difference between gender of the student and their sources of stress

There is a significant difference between the classification of the student and and their sources of stress.

Recommendations

Strengthen this study with random sampling techniques.

Repeat this study using other colleges and/or universities to further examine sources of stress levels of college students.

Repeat this study utilizing qualitative (Interview) questions.

Compare the results of this study to other institutions such as historically black colleges/universities.

Increase sample size