Factors Influencing Perceived Stress among Professional and Non - Professional Undergraduate Students in Udupi District, Karnataka

Rintu Thomas

Abstract: Background: Some amount of stress is essential for the survival of an individual. Perceived stress is a type of stress in which the individual felt in a particular situation. Objectives: To determine the factors influencing perceived stress among professional and non - professional undergraduate students. Materials and methods: Four hundred undergraduate students were included in the study. In that 200 students were from professional colleges and 200 were from non - professional colleges. The study done in the students between the age group of 18 and 20 years using a self administered questionnaire. Results: Analysis is done using descriptive statistics and ranking had done based on the result.144 (72%) of professional students had stress due to overload of studies but in case of non professional students it was 51%. Then, 51.5% of professional students had stress due to less vacation/ leave but for non - professionals it was only 34.5%.128 (64%) of professional and non - professional students had stress due to examinations. Conclusion: Students had more stress due to academic factors compared with other factors for both the group. Also, stress due to academic factors are more for professional students than non - professionals. Stress due to environmental factors is less for both groups.

Keywords: Perceived stress, professional and non - professional colleges, undergraduate students