The Types and Incidence of Stressors Among Students in the University of Ghana-Legon

Abstract

This study examined the types of stressors and their incidence among the students in the University of Ghana. One hundred students were randomly chosen to participate in the study. They were from the five traditional halls and five private hostels of residence on Legon Campus. A stratified random sampling technique was used in which ten students were selected from a block in each of the halls and hostels of residence. The University Student Stress Questionnaire adapted from Burge (2009), was used to collect the data. ANOVA and Independent t tests were used to analyze the data. The main findings were that all students encounter equal numbers of stressors irrespective of their gender, level of education, and residential status. It was also found out that married students encounter more stressors than unmarried students and they encounter equal numbers of stressors throughout the semester. Finally, academic stressors were the most encountered stressor encountered by the students in the sample. It is recommended that programs should be organized by the counseling and placement center on stress management for all students especially freshmen’s orientation.