Stress in Undergraduate Students Studying Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract

Today's college students are stressed ( Liu, Stevens, Wong, Yasui, & Chen, 2018 ), and stress may impact students' physical ( Doom & Haeffel, 2013 ) and mental health ( Baddeley, 2012 ; Liu et al., 2018 ). Purpose This mixed-methods study used a convergent parallel design to examine the stress experienced by undergraduate students who study communication sciences and disorders (CSD) at a private, Mid-Atlantic university. Method Eighty-seven students participated in the quantitative phase involving a survey (50.5% response rate), and 23 students participated in the qualitative phase involving focus groups (13% response rate). Research questions inquired about students' perceived stress levels, factors related to their stress, how they manage their stress, and students' knowledge and use of campus resources for support. Results Results suggest that CSD students are stressed, and primary factors related to stress include academic demands, graduate school admission, and financial concerns. Students manage their stress in various ways, including exercise, working hard to finish assignments, calling home, and relying on friends. However, CSD friendships are complicated by the intense competition for graduate seats, leaving students with reduced social support. Conclusion Given the complicated nature of CSD friendships, students report the need for increased community and support from CSD faculty.