TY - JOUR
T1 - Students' perceived stress and perception of barriers to effective study
T2 - Impact on academic performance in examinations
AU - Turner, J.
AU - Bartlett, D.
AU - Andiappan, M.
AU - Cabot, L.
PY - 2015/11/13
Y1 - 2015/11/13
N2 - Aims To identify students' perceptions of barriers to effective study and the relationship between these and demographic characteristics, levels of perceived stress and examination performance.Materials and Methods A questionnaire was distributed to first (BDS1) and final year (BDS5) King's College London dental undergraduates, during Spring 2013. Data were collected on students' social and working environment using a Likert scale from zero to four. Levels of perceived stress and end-of-year examination results were collected. Statistical analyses were undertaken using SPSS ® and Stata ® software.Results A response rate of 83.0% (BDS1) and 82.9% (BDS5) was achieved. Social distractions were perceived to hinder study, with median scores of two and three for females and males respectively. The mean perceived stress score differed significantly (p = 0.001) between males and females. Difficulties with journey was a significant predictor of perceived stress (p = 0.03) as were family responsibilities (p = 0.02). Social distractions were significantly related to examination performance (p = 0.001).Conclusions Social distractions were the barrier most highly rated as hindering effective study. Levels of perceived stress were high and were significantly associated with gender, a difficult journey to university and family responsibilities. Social distractions were significantly related to examination performance; students rating social distractions highly, performed less well.
AB - Aims To identify students' perceptions of barriers to effective study and the relationship between these and demographic characteristics, levels of perceived stress and examination performance.Materials and Methods A questionnaire was distributed to first (BDS1) and final year (BDS5) King's College London dental undergraduates, during Spring 2013. Data were collected on students' social and working environment using a Likert scale from zero to four. Levels of perceived stress and end-of-year examination results were collected. Statistical analyses were undertaken using SPSS ® and Stata ® software.Results A response rate of 83.0% (BDS1) and 82.9% (BDS5) was achieved. Social distractions were perceived to hinder study, with median scores of two and three for females and males respectively. The mean perceived stress score differed significantly (p = 0.001) between males and females. Difficulties with journey was a significant predictor of perceived stress (p = 0.03) as were family responsibilities (p = 0.02). Social distractions were significantly related to examination performance (p = 0.001).Conclusions Social distractions were the barrier most highly rated as hindering effective study. Levels of perceived stress were high and were significantly associated with gender, a difficult journey to university and family responsibilities. Social distractions were significantly related to examination performance; students rating social distractions highly, performed less well.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84947249278&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/sj.bdj.2015.850
DO - 10.1038/sj.bdj.2015.850
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84947249278
SN - 0007-0610
VL - 219
SP - 453
EP - 458
JO - British Dental Journal
JF - British Dental Journal
IS - 9
ER -