Sources of stress among university students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg : differences between level of study and race.

Abstract

The study explored the links between 31 sources of stress, as per the Student Stress Scale, and gender, level of study, race and social class, as well as the relationship between stress and health. Two-hundred–and-five (205) undergraduate and post-graduate students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus, participated in the study. The results showed that there were five significant differences in sources of stress between male and female students, six significant differences between undergraduate and post-graduate students, nine significant differences between black students and students of other races and three significant differences between students of different socio-economic statuses. Furthermore, there were no significant relationships found between stress and overall health and anxiety; however, significant relationships were found between stress and depression, bodily pain and flu/cold.