Should I Stay or should I Go?: The Effects of Student Individual Differences on Stress and Estimated Gains from the University Experience

摘要

The aim of this thesis was to identify factors at the commencement of universityudstudy that may enable prediction of both estimate of gains and experience ofudstresses. This was done in order to provide information that may enable earlyudidentification of risk factors in respect to student attrition. To this end, the thesisudexamined individual differences amongst students that relate to perception ofudboth estimated gains and stress early in the university experience. Initially, theudindividual differences studied were those relating to student demographics ofudage, gender, whether the student performed additional part-time work and theudnumber of hours of work performed and the influence of finances. This firstudround of testing was performed by distributing questionnaires examining theudaforementioned via student welcome packs at commencement of universityudstudy. The results of this first round of testing suggested particular importanceudof intrinsic values on estimated gains. In addition to some influence of finances,udgender and hours of work. From open questions present in this first round ofudtesting, focus group questions were formulated in order to further develop theudquestionnaire. From the findings of study two, this was then expanded toudinclude the influence of perceived demands, control and support and locus ofudcontrol on estimated gains and subjective perceived stress. This was againudperformed by distributing a questionnaire at inception, albeit personally to helpudresponse rate and answer any queries. This third round of testing, as impliedudby the focus group responses, found an additional influence of locus of controludand the perception of demands, control and support on estimated gains andudstress. Finally, the fourth round of testing included biological indicators ofudstress, namely salivary cortisol levels through the use of analysis of levels of salivary cortisol, collected using a salivette. This final study suggested auddifference in the effects of perceived demands, control and support on bothudperceived and biological responses to stress The study in all found that there isuda definite prediction of estimate of gains from the university environment by theudwork values studied. Although it was found that gains were primarily influencedudby intrinsic values (achievement, advancement, autonomy, personaluddevelopment), an influence of extrinsic values (economics, prestige, socialudinteraction) was also evident. In addition to work values, demographics ofudgender, age and hours of work were also found to influence differences inudestimated gains and stress. None of the values studied were found to predictudperceived stress, however the distinction between perceived and objectiveudbiological measures of stress was highlighted. In particular, with regard to theudperception of demands, control and support from the university environment.udThe results of the study also suggested that the extent to which studentsudperceive demands, control and support from the university environment mayudalso have an impact on the student experience of stress, particularly biologicaludstress, which can result in potential harm to physical well-being.