COPING FOR STRESS IN YOUNG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Keywords:
coping, university students, stressAbstract
It is worrying how stress has been affecting university students, and that not everyone knows how to cope. Objective: This study analyzed the theoretical and methodological characteristics of empirical studies on the adverse effects of stress on the physical and mental health of university students and their coping strategies, also identifying studies containing intervention for the management of stress in this population. Methodology: A systematic literature review was carried out with the guiding question: "What are the stressors and coping strategies that young people present in the university context according to studies published in Portuguese and English in the last five years?". The search was carried out in the electronic databases of the PERIODICS / CAPES, EBSCO Information Services and the Scientific Library Eletronic Online (SciELO), with the descriptors in Portuguese and English: “coping strategies”, “university students” and “stress”, processed in the software Rayyan. 224 studies returned. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 26 articles directly related to the themes: coping, stress, resilience, anxiety and depression were read in full. Results: The publications occurred more between 2017 and 2019, by American and Chinese researchers. The predominant design was quantitative (n = 13), with samples of 100-200 participants from different courses and 57.69% directly addressed stress, indicating academic stress, poverty, prejudice, discrimination and the language barriers found as the most frequent stressors by exchange students. Gender and sex differences and the association between maladaptive coping and anxiety or depression reinforce the importance of the topic and bring relevant data to studies with intervention. Two studies presented intervention projects with students, aiming to promote coping through stress management and identification of negative feelings and thoughts. Conclusion: Stress affects a large part of the university population, making intervention proposals indispensable to promote more adaptive coping strategies.
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References
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JORM, A. F. Mental health literacy: Empowering the community to take action for better mental health. American Psychologist, 2012, 67(3), 231-243. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025957
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*MAHMOOD, Z.; IRSHAD, S.; SALEEM, S. Coping strategies of university students: A validation study. Unit of Clinical Psychology, 2015, 12(1), 8. Disponível em: http://www.jpps.com.pk/article/copingstrategiesofuniversitystudentsavalidationstudy_2453.html
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MANCINI, M. C., & SAMPAIO, R. F. Estudos de revisão sistemática: um guia para síntese criteriosa da evidência científica. Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, 2007, 11(1), 83-89. Dis-ponível em: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-35552007000100013
MODECKI, K. L. et al. Emotion regulation, coping, and decision making: three linked skills for preventing externalizing problems in adolescence. Child Development, 2017 88(2), 417-426. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12734
*NIEGOCKI, K. L.; ÆGISDÓTTIR, S. College students' coping and psychological help-seeking attitudes and intentions. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 2019, 4(2), 144-157. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.41.2.04
OUZZANI, M. et al. Rayyan - a web and mobile app for systematic reviews. Systematic Re-views, 2016, 5, 210. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-016-0384-4
PANZINI, R.; BANDEIRA, D. R. Coping (enfrentamento) religioso/espiritual. Archives of Clinical Psychiatry, 2007, 34(1), 126-135. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-60832007000700016
*PIÑA-WATSON, B. et al. Bicultural stress, coping, and psychological functioning among Mexican-descent and white college students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2019, 75, 1249-1266. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22767
PINTO-FOLTZ, M. D.; LOGSDON, M. C.; MYERS, J. A. Feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a knowledge-contact program to reduce mental illness stigma and improve mental health literacy in adolescents. Social Science & Medicine, 2011 72(12), 2011-2019. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.04.006
RICKWOOD, D. et al. Young people’s help-seeking for mental health problems. Australian E-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, 2005 4(3), 218-251. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.5172/jamh.4.3.218
*SAJID, M. B. et al. Stress and coping mechanisms among college students. Journal of Paki-stan Psychiatric Society, 2017, 14(3), 31-35. Disponível em: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/922e/dbe2e1ad06aab3910b24b30b4c29b6f29373.pdf
*SHAKTHIVEL, N. et al. Level of perceived stress and coping strategies prevailing among 1st year medical undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study from south India. Interna-tional Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 2017, 7(2), 110-114. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.5530/ijmedph.2017.2.22
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SKINNER, E. A.; ZIMMER-GEMBECK, M. J. The development of coping. Annual Review of Psychology, 2007, 58(1), 119-144. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085705.
*STRAUD, C.; MCNAUGHTON-CASSILL, M. Self-blame and stress in undergraduate col-lege students: The mediating role of proactive coping. Journal of American College Health, 2018, 13(5), 1-7. Disponível em:https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1484360
*TANG, W.; DAI, Q. Depressive symptoms among first-year Chinese undergraduates: The roles of socio-demographics, coping style, and social support. Psychiatry Research, 2018, 27(4), 89-96. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.09.027
TORQUATO, J. A., et al. Avaliação do estresse em estudantes universitários. Inter Science Place, 2010, 14(3), 140-154.
VOGEL, D. L., et al. Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling: The me-diating roles of self-stigma and attitudes toward counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychol-ogy, 2007 54(1), 40-50. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.54.1.40
*WATSON, J.; WATSON, A. Coping Self‐Efficacy and Academic Stress Among Hispanic First‐Year College Students: The Moderating Role of Emotional Intelligence. Journal of Col-lege Counseling, 2016, 19(3), 218-230. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/jocc.12045
WRIGHT, A. et al. What’s in a name? Is accurate recognition and labelling of mental disor-ders by young people associated with better help-seeking and treatment preferences? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 2007 42(3), 244-250. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0156-x
*YUN, K.; KIM, S.; AWASU, C. Stress and impact of spirituality as a mediator of coping methods among social work college students. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social En-vironment, 2019, 29(1), 125-136. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2018.1491918
*ZHAO, F. et al. The study of perceived stress, coping strategy and self-efficacy of Chinese undergraduate nursing students in clinical practice. International Journal of Nursing Prac-tice, 2014, 21(4), 401-409. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12273
ZIMMER-GEMBECK, M. J.; SKINNER, E. A. Adolescents coping with stress: Develop-ment and diversity. The Prevention Researcher, 2008 15(4), 3-7. Disponível em: https://go.gale.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA191015331
*ZVAUYA, R. et al. A comparison of stress levels, coping styles and psychological morbidity between graduate-entry and traditional undergraduate medical students during the first 2 years at a UK medical school. BMC Research Notes, 2017, 10(1), 93. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-2395-1
ALDWIN, C. M. Stress, coping, and development: An integrative perspective. New York: The Guilford Press, 2009.
*AREBA, E.M. et al. Religious coping, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and well-being among somali college students. Journal Religious Health, 2018, 57(1), 94-109. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0359-3
*BARROS, M. S. P.; WILHELM, F. A. Estratégias de enfrentamento do estresse utilizadas por jovens universitários no extremo norte do país. Revista Brasileira de Iniciação Científica, 2019, 7(1), 100-117. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-55022006000300005
*BHOWMIK, M. K.; CHEUNG, R.; HUE, M. T. Acculturative stress and coping strategies among Mainland Chinese university students in Hong Kong: A qualitative inquiry. The Amer-ican journal of Orthopsychiatry, 2018, 88(5), 550-562. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000338
*COIRO, M. J.; BETTIS, A. H.; COMPAS, B. E. College students coping with interpersonal stress: Examining a control-based model of coping. Journal of American College Health, 2016, 65(3), 177-186. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2016.1266641
COMPAS, B. E. et al. Coping with stress during childhood and adolescence: Problems, pro-gress, and potential in theory and research. Psychological Bulletin, 2001, 127(1), 87-127. Dis-ponível em: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.127.1.87
*DWIVEDI, A.; RASTOGI, R. Patterns of relationship between self-construal and coping style in college students. Indian Journal Of Health And Wellbeing, 2016, 7(1), 150-152.
*EISENBARTH, C. A. Coping with stress: Gender differences among college students. Col-lege Student Journal, 2019, 53(2), 151. Disponível em: https://go.gale.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA594832698
*FOKAS, K.; SOYSA, C.K. Negative Emotion-focused coping mediates the relationships between neuroticism and psychological outcomes in college students. Psi Chi Journal of Psy-chological Research, 2017, 22(4), 258-269. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.24839/2325-7342.JN22.4.258
*FRANKLIN, A. S. Religiousness, religious coping methods, and cognitive test anxiety among African-American college students. Journal of Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 2017, 19(9), 1000-1012. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2017.1306501
*GNILKA, P. B. et al. Comparison of Coping, stress, and life satisfaction between Taiwanese and U.S. college students. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 2015 37(3), 234-249. Dis-ponível em: https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.37.3.04
*HENG, T. T. Coping strategies of international Chinese undergraduates in response to aca-demic challenges in U.S. colleges. Teachers College Record, 2018, 120(2), 1-42. Disponível em: https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/20529/1/TCR-120-2-1.pdf
*HOUSTON, J. B. Randomized controlled trial of the resilience and coping intervention (RCI) with undergraduate university students. Journal of American College Health, 2016, 65(1), 1-9. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2016.1227826
JORM, A. F. Mental health literacy: Empowering the community to take action for better mental health. American Psychologist, 2012, 67(3), 231-243. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025957
JUSTO, A. P.; ENUMO, S. R. F. Problemas emocionais e de comportamento em adolescen-tes: O papel do estresse. Boletim - Academia Paulista de Psicologia, 2015 35(89), 350-370. Disponível em: http://pepsic.bvsalud.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-711X2015000200007&lng=pt&tlng=pt
LIBERATI, A. et al. (2009). The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: Explanation and elaboration. PLoS Medicine, 2009, 6(7), e1000100. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.100010
*LIHUA, Z. et al. Self-compassion and Confucian coping as a predictor of depression and anxiety in impoverished Chinese undergraduates. Psychological Reports, 2017, 120(4), 627-638. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294117700857
*MAHMOOD, Z.; IRSHAD, S.; SALEEM, S. Coping strategies of university students: A validation study. Unit of Clinical Psychology, 2015, 12(1), 8. Disponível em: http://www.jpps.com.pk/article/copingstrategiesofuniversitystudentsavalidationstudy_2453.html
*MAHMOUD, J. S. et al. The relationships of coping, negative thinking, life satisfaction, so-cial support, and selected demographics with anxiety of young adult college students. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Nursing, 2015, 28(2); 97-108. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/jcap.12109
MANCINI, M. C., & SAMPAIO, R. F. Estudos de revisão sistemática: um guia para síntese criteriosa da evidência científica. Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, 2007, 11(1), 83-89. Dis-ponível em: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-35552007000100013
MODECKI, K. L. et al. Emotion regulation, coping, and decision making: three linked skills for preventing externalizing problems in adolescence. Child Development, 2017 88(2), 417-426. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12734
*NIEGOCKI, K. L.; ÆGISDÓTTIR, S. College students' coping and psychological help-seeking attitudes and intentions. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 2019, 4(2), 144-157. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.41.2.04
OUZZANI, M. et al. Rayyan - a web and mobile app for systematic reviews. Systematic Re-views, 2016, 5, 210. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-016-0384-4
PANZINI, R.; BANDEIRA, D. R. Coping (enfrentamento) religioso/espiritual. Archives of Clinical Psychiatry, 2007, 34(1), 126-135. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-60832007000700016
*PIÑA-WATSON, B. et al. Bicultural stress, coping, and psychological functioning among Mexican-descent and white college students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2019, 75, 1249-1266. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22767
PINTO-FOLTZ, M. D.; LOGSDON, M. C.; MYERS, J. A. Feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a knowledge-contact program to reduce mental illness stigma and improve mental health literacy in adolescents. Social Science & Medicine, 2011 72(12), 2011-2019. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.04.006
RICKWOOD, D. et al. Young people’s help-seeking for mental health problems. Australian E-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, 2005 4(3), 218-251. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.5172/jamh.4.3.218
*SAJID, M. B. et al. Stress and coping mechanisms among college students. Journal of Paki-stan Psychiatric Society, 2017, 14(3), 31-35. Disponível em: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/922e/dbe2e1ad06aab3910b24b30b4c29b6f29373.pdf
*SHAKTHIVEL, N. et al. Level of perceived stress and coping strategies prevailing among 1st year medical undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study from south India. Interna-tional Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 2017, 7(2), 110-114. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.5530/ijmedph.2017.2.22
*SHANKAR, P. R. et al. Stress and coping strategies among undergraduate nursing and med-ical students at American International Medical University, St Lucia. Education in Medicine Journal, 2019, 10(4), 23-30. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.21315/eimj2018.10.4.3
*SINGH, R. Coping strategies among undergraduate students of Darbhanga, Bihar. Journal of Psychosocial Research, 2019, 14(1), 157-162. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.32381/JPR.2019.14.01.17
SKINNER, E. A.; ZIMMER-GEMBECK, M. J. The development of coping. Annual Review of Psychology, 2007, 58(1), 119-144. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085705.
*STRAUD, C.; MCNAUGHTON-CASSILL, M. Self-blame and stress in undergraduate col-lege students: The mediating role of proactive coping. Journal of American College Health, 2018, 13(5), 1-7. Disponível em:https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1484360
*TANG, W.; DAI, Q. Depressive symptoms among first-year Chinese undergraduates: The roles of socio-demographics, coping style, and social support. Psychiatry Research, 2018, 27(4), 89-96. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.09.027
TORQUATO, J. A., et al. Avaliação do estresse em estudantes universitários. Inter Science Place, 2010, 14(3), 140-154.
VOGEL, D. L., et al. Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling: The me-diating roles of self-stigma and attitudes toward counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychol-ogy, 2007 54(1), 40-50. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.54.1.40
*WATSON, J.; WATSON, A. Coping Self‐Efficacy and Academic Stress Among Hispanic First‐Year College Students: The Moderating Role of Emotional Intelligence. Journal of Col-lege Counseling, 2016, 19(3), 218-230. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/jocc.12045
WRIGHT, A. et al. What’s in a name? Is accurate recognition and labelling of mental disor-ders by young people associated with better help-seeking and treatment preferences? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 2007 42(3), 244-250. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0156-x
*YUN, K.; KIM, S.; AWASU, C. Stress and impact of spirituality as a mediator of coping methods among social work college students. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social En-vironment, 2019, 29(1), 125-136. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2018.1491918
*ZHAO, F. et al. The study of perceived stress, coping strategy and self-efficacy of Chinese undergraduate nursing students in clinical practice. International Journal of Nursing Prac-tice, 2014, 21(4), 401-409. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12273
ZIMMER-GEMBECK, M. J.; SKINNER, E. A. Adolescents coping with stress: Develop-ment and diversity. The Prevention Researcher, 2008 15(4), 3-7. Disponível em: https://go.gale.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA191015331
*ZVAUYA, R. et al. A comparison of stress levels, coping styles and psychological morbidity between graduate-entry and traditional undergraduate medical students during the first 2 years at a UK medical school. BMC Research Notes, 2017, 10(1), 93. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-2395-1
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2023-10-31
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STIPO SFORCINI, Arantxa; FERNANDES DE ARAUJO, Murilo; SUBY, Eugenia Andrea; CHIMINAZZO VICENTINI, Eliana Cristina; FIORIM ENUMO, Sônia Regina. COPING FOR STRESS IN YOUNG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF LITERATURE. Pretextos - Revista da Graduação em Psicologia da PUC Minas, Belo Horizonte, v. 7, n. 14, p. 202–218, 2023. Disponível em: https://periodicos.pucminas.br/pretextos/article/view/26068. Acesso em: 5 sep. 2025.
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