Coping Mechanisms and College Students' Stress: An Investigation, Poster 9

College life is associated with an increase in stressors related to significant academic, social, and health changes. Current research has addressed the functionality of coping mechanisms to manage these changes in students’... [ view full abstract ]

College life is associated with an increase in stressors related to significant academic, social, and health changes. Current research has addressed the functionality of coping mechanisms to manage these changes in students’ lives. In light of previously demonstrated associations between coping mechanisms and differential stress perception in college students, the present study aimed to explore the degree to which physical activity, mindfulness attributes, and other coping mechanisms impact college students’ perceived stress levels. Three specific hypotheses were tested: (1) students' choice of coping mechanism will impact perceived stress levels, (2) students who engage in more frequent physical activity will report lower levels of perceived stress, and (3) students who score higher on awareness and non-judgment (mindfulness attributes) will report decreased perceived stress. Participants (N=707) were undergraduates from a small, elite liberal arts college in New England. Data was collected using a Qualtrics survey distributed via school-wide email. Results indicated that maladaptive coping mechanisms were strongly associated with high levels of perceived stress, whereas adaptive strategies were weakly correlated with perceived stress. Additionally, students who engaged more frequently in exercise and mindfulness practices reported lower levels of perceived stress. Future research options are explored, including opportunities for colleges to implement stress reduction programs that aim to relieve stress by promoting exercise and the use of adaptive coping strategies.