Introduction

Stress is a general term applied to various psychologic (mental)

and physiologic (bodily) pressures experienced or felt by people
throughout their lives. Stress is necessary and unavoidable conomitant
of daily living is necessary because without some stress we would be
listless and apathetic creatures, and unavoidable because it relates to
any external event, be it pleasurable or anxiety producing. A persons
response towards stress depends on whether an event is appraised as a
challenge or a threat (Lazarus & Folkman) challenging stimulus can lead
to positive outcomes such as motivation and improved task performance
while threatening ones or distress can result in anxiety, depression,
social disfunction and even suicidal intention.

Academic stress among students have long been researched on,

the researchers have identified stressors as too many assignments,
competitions with other students, failures and poor relationship with
other students or lectures. The stressors affecting students can be
categorized as academic, financial, time or health related.

Academic stressors include students perception of the extensive

knowledge base required and the perception of an inadequate time to
develop it. College students, especially student-teachers have many
obstacles to overcome in order to achieve their optimal academic
performance.

Sources of Stress
Bernstein et al.(2008) define the sources of stress as every
circumstance or event that threatens to disrupt peoples daily
functioning and causes them to make adjustments. These sources of
stress are called stressors.

Stressors are demands made by the internal or external

environment that upset balance, thus affecting physical and
psychological well-being and requiring action to restore balance
(Lazarus & Cohen, 1977). However, they differ from the degree of
severity and duration of stress, what is stressful for an individual may
not be stressor for another.

For example, missing some lectures may be stressful for the first
year undergraduate students but may not be stressful for another
student depending on his or her degree of expectations.

Effects of Stress
It has been argued that an individual can have possibly anxious
thoughts, difficulty to concentrate or remember because of being
stressed. Stress can lead also to change in peoples behaviours, such as
nail biting, heavy breathing, teeth clenching, and hand wringing. When
people are stressed they may feel cold hands and feet, butterflies in
stomach, and sometimes increased heart-rate which all are regarded as
common physiological effects of stress, which can be connected to
emotion of anxiety (Auerbach & Gramling, 1998).

Physical and physiological responses to stress generally occur

together, principally when stressors become more intense. However
one category of stress responses can influence other responses. For
instance, mild chest pain may lead to psychological stress response of
worrying about getting a heart attack.
 Academic Stress
The definition of academic stress is the anxiety and stress that
comes from schooling and education. There is often a lot of pressures
that comes along with pursuing a degree and ones education. There is
studying, assignments, tests, labs, reading, quizzes, internships etc.
There is a stress doing all of the works balancing the time and finding
time for extra-curricular activities. Academic Stress is especially hard
on college students who are often living away from home for the first
time.

Academic Stress among students have long been researched on,

and researchers have identified stressors as too many assignments,
competitions with other students, failures and poor relationship with
other students or lectures (Fairbrother & Warn, 2003). Academic
stressors include the students perception of the extensive knowledge
base required and the perception of an inadequate time to develop it
(Carveth et al. 1996).

Review of Related Studies

Marwan Zaid Balainch (2013): Academic stress among
undergraduate students; the case of education locally at King Saud
University. This study investigated the academic stressors
experienced by the students at university. A total sample of 232
subjects participated in the study. It was found that fear of failure is
the major source of stress among undergraduate students.

Rajasekhar (2013): Impact of academic stress among the

management students of AMET University. The study takes into
account various criteria like physical, psychological, individual,
demographical, and environmental factors of stress among the
management students. The sample comprises of 100 students of AMET
Business School, AMET University, Chennai. Data was collected through
structural questionnaire by using convenient sampling method.

Need and Significance of the

Study
In todays highly competitive world, students face various
academic problems including exam stress, disinterest in attending
classes and inability to understand subjects. Academic stress is the
feeling of anxiety or apprehension over ones performance in the
academic activities. It can lead to students being unable to perform to
the best of their activities.

At B.Ed level, there is a range of academic pressure feel, derived

from a need of perfection, worry over grades, parental pressure,
competitions, sports or a tough work load. The nervous breakdowns,
panic attacks, burnouts, and depression are also apparent in many
student-teachers. The same situation is not stressful for all people,
and all people do not undergo the same feelings or off-putting thoughts
when stressed.

Student-teachers were considered to be the future pillars who

take the responsibilities to take our country to the next phase they
should be in better way. To know this, the investigator decided to
analyze the academic stress among student-teachers.
 Statement of the Problem
The problem undertaken is A STUDY ON ACADEMIC STRESS
AMONG STUDENT-TEACHERS .

Objectives of the Study

1. To find out the level of academic stress experienced by student-
teachers
2. To know the assessment related factors of academic stress
3. To find out remedial measures to realize academic stress

Hypothesis of the study

Generally, most of the hypothesis are developed based on the
commonly held notions. This study also begins by assuming the
following hypothesis. The assumptions are follows ;

1. Different components of academic work results in stress

among student-teachers
2. Some issues of instruction and behavior of teachers from the
basis of stress among student-teachers
3. Some issues of curriculum form stress or the basis of stress
among student-teachers
4. The assessment system is one of the causes of stress among
student-teachers
 Sample
Due to the limitations of human power and time, the sample was
limited to 20 student-teachers of Sree Narayana College of
Education, Muvattupuzha

Measure
An academic stress inventory scale for student-teachers was
created for the psychology test on academic stress among student-
teachers.

Description of Academic
Stress Scale
The questionnaire was given in English. There were 7 positive
statements and 27 negative statements in the questionnaire. Students
were asked to put a tick mark on any of the three columns based on
their level.

So the scoring to the response given by the students should be

like the following;

Positive Statements Negative Statements

Responses Scoring
Always 1
Sometimes 2
Never 3
Responses Scoring
Always 3
Sometimes 1
2
Never
Stress level Score
Highly Stressed Above 70
Average level of stress 58 70
Low stress level Below 70

Mark List
Students Marks
1st student 77
2nd Student 72
3rd Student 57
4th Student 56
5th Student 65
6th Student 59
7th Student 59
8th Student 67
9th Student 61
10th Student 52
11th Student 56
12th Student 64
13th Student 63
14th Student 53
15th Student 64
16th Student 68
17th Student 69
18th Student 62
19th Student 65
20th Student 59
 Analysis and Interpretation
Among 20 sample of student teachers, most of
them have an average level of stress. Few of them
are highly stressed following table shows the level
of stress among 20 sample of student teachers of
Sree Narayana College of Education.
Sl.No: Level of Stress Number Percent
age
1 Highly stressed 2 10
2 Medium level of 13 65
stress
3 Low level of stress 5 25
Total 20 100

Statistical Analysis
Measures of Central Tendency

Raw Data

77 72 57 56

65 59 59 67

61 52 56 64

59 53 64 68

69 62 65 63
Frequency Table
Class Tally Mark Frequency
0-10 0
10-20 0
20-30 0
30-40 0
40-50 0
50-60 IIII III 8
60-70 IIII IIII 10
70-80 II 2
20

Measures of Central Tendency

1. Arithmetic Mean
Class Frequency Mid value Fx
(F) (x)
0-10 0 5 0
10-20 0 15 0
20-30 0 25 0
30-40 0 35 0
40-50 0 45 0
 50-60 8 55 440
60-70 10 65 650
70-80 2 75 150
N=20 fx =
1240

X=
FX
N

1240

20

=62

2. Median

Class F CF
0-10 0 0
10-20 0 0
20-30 0 0
30-40 0 0
40-50 0 0
50-60 8 8
60-70 10 18
70-80 2 20
20
th
N
MedianClass= ( ) item
2
 th
20
( ) item
2

= 10th Item = 18
Median class = 60-70

N
l1+ CF
2
Median= C
F

60+ 108
10=62
10

Mode = 3 median 2 mean

= 3 x 62 2 x 62
= 186 124 = 62
Measures of Disperison
Standard Deviation
Class F X Dl fdl Dl2 Fdl2
0-10 0 5 -3 0 9 0
10-20 0 15 -2 0 4 0
20-30 0 25 -1 0 1 0
30-40 0 35 0 0 0 0
40-50 0 45 1 0 1 0
50-60 8 55 2 16 4 256
60-70 10 65 3 30 9 900
70-80 2 75 4 8 16 64
20 Fdl = Fdl2 =
54 54
 Fd Fd
2
l2
l

standard ( S .D ) C
N N

615.4 5

= 7.45 x 5
= 37.28

GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION
Findings
1. Most of the student-teachers goes to medium level stress
2. Among 20 only 2 student-teachers are highly stressed
3. Among 20 five student-teachers has low level of stress
4. Different components of academic works like curriculum and
instructions, assessment system, non-scientific attitude of
instructors and neglecting behavior of friends and teachers
are responsible for academic stress among student-teachers

Suggestions
There are some easy ways to beat stress effectively. Here are
some that I have encountered as a student teacher

a) A varied and healthy diet

b) Exercise
c) Meditation
d) Take breaks regularly
e) Get a pet
f) Sleep
g) Try to see the positive side
h) Listen to music
i) Laughing
 Conclusion
Stress is difficult to define because individuals react to it very
differently, a situation that is stressful to one person may not be
stressful for another person. In the psychology test, 13 students
among 20 samples are facing an average or medium level of stress.
Stress is a necessary and unavoidable conomitant of daily living
because without stress we would be listless and apathetic creatures,
but it will be harmful after a certain level. Teachers can help
students to develop effective mechanisms through stress
inculcation.

References
Management of Stress through Indian Psychological Techniques
Ratna, Randhir Singh
www.fatfree kitchen.com >Stress
www.dictionary.com > Browse > Stress

Appendix