Perceived Stress of High School Students

Abstract

This study evaluates the prevalence and severity of perceived stress amongst 638 students ranging from grade nine to twelve in Phuntshothang School under Punakha district, Bhutan. The quantitative method was used with the perceived stress scale (PSS) as a research tool to understand the level of stress in students. A questionnaire with a 5-Point Likert scale was instituted to understand the symptoms of stress and the factors causing stress. The Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to be 0.90 and 0.83 for symptoms and factors, respectively, which were greater than 0.7 and in conformity with the reliability test. Findings showed low to severe levels of stress amongst students, with minimum students experiencing low and severe stress, and a majority of them experiencing moderate stress. Symptoms like fatigue, difficulty falling asleep, boredom, depression, diarrhea, cramps, gastritis, constipation, restlessness, and itching were experienced less frequently, while the majority of the students experienced headache, tense muscles, sore neck and back, anxiety, worries, phobias, irritability, anger and eating disorder more frequently. Among the five factors, physical factors, family factors, academic factors, relationship factors, and social factors, the study found social factors to be the greatest cause of stress, followed by academic factors. Family factors and relationship factors contributed least to stress after physical factors. The Significant gender difference was observed, with more male students suffering from stress than female students. The school management, counsellors, and teachers are recommended to organize stress management programs and design recreational activities to engage students and keep them stress-free.