Academic Stress, Emotional Intelligence, and Coping Styles of University Students

Abstract

Academic stress among university students is a pervasive issue characterized by emotional, physical, and psychological strain stemming from academic demands. This stress can manifest in various forms, impacting mental and physical health, academic performance, and overall wellbeing. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between academic stress, coping styles, and emotional intelligence. Further, it also attempted to find out the role of coping styles and emotional intelligence on academic stress among university students and explored potential gender differences across these variables. A total of 200 willing university students aged 18–26 from various universities in Bathinda district, Punjab, were selected using a multistage random sampling technique. The results showed no significant gender difference in the study variables. However, a significant impact of emotional intelligence on the academic stress of the student was observed, suggesting that higher emotional intelligence may serve as a protective factor against academic stress.