ORCID Identifier(s)

ORCID 0009-0005-1072-7291

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

As college students pursue higher education as a pathway to success, they face pressures that threaten their well-being and academic success. Balancing academic, financial, and social demands has led to a mental health crisis on campuses, with emotional stress cited as the leading cause of students discontinuing their education (Gallup, 2023). This study investigates the relationship between academic stress, perceived stress, and academic performance in college students. It also examines the Yerkes-Dodson law of a curvilinear relationship between stress and performance and the role of hopelessness as a mediator. A sample of 321 participants completed surveys assessing academic stress, perceived stress, and hopelessness with GPA and engagement serving as performance indicators. Pearson correlations and regression analyses revealed that higher academic and perceived stress predicted lower engagement scores (p < .001). Greater perceived stress predicted more hopelessness, which in turn predicted lower academic engagement, supporting the role of hopelessness as a mediator. (p < .001). Contrary to expectations, academic and perceived stress did not significantly predict GPA. Interestingly, stress and performance exhibited a linear relationship, contrary to the Yerkes-Dodson law. These results highlight the need for interventions that address stress management and emotional well-being to enhance academic success among students.

Disciplines

Cognition and Perception | Health Psychology | Mental and Social Health

Publication Date

12-1-2024

Language

English

Faculty Mentor of Honors Project

Angela Liegey-Dougall

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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