The Stress Experience: The Role of Attribution and Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Stress levels of students in premier engineering institutes in India is now prominent. Harming oneself, owing to the inability to deal with academic stress, is in the news frequently. The objective of the study was to understand the impact of attribution and self-efficacy on stress of undergraduate engineering students in India. Attribution and self-efficacy are two important areas of research in psychology with far reaching roots. Responses from 604 students across undergraduate years were compared to get an insight into the factors affecting their stress levels. Academic self-efficacy was found to be important for the older students. A developmental perspective emerged as an overarching theme.