The Main Classroom Stressors of College Students

Indianapolis, IN

This study used focus groups to identify common classroom stressors among college students. During the focus groups participants were asked to answer open-ended questions about their experiences in college classes. The student responses were evaluated to identify the most common stressors. The stressors the students identified included: intimidating professor personality, ineffective syllabi, monotone lectures, scantrons, group work, and nontraditional grading scales. When asked how these classroom stressors affect them they answered that they either get sick, or sleep. When asked how classes could be improved the participants answered that the professors could offer students more choices. The results from this study should provide information beneficial to professors to reduce classroom stress.