Stres i sposoby radzenia sobie u młodzieży studiującej z perspektywy zmiany społecznej

Abstract

A great political transformation gave us a unique opportunity to get a better knowledge of the environmental stressing context and the role it plays in helping young adults deal with everyday problems. These particular extemal conditions led to a two-stage comparative research projcct to address stress-related problems and coping strategies among university students. The goal of the study conducted in 1992 and 2002 was to determine whether the social change subsequent to the establishment of a democratic system of govcmment, manifested in strict requirements that must be fulfilled in the course of study and challengcs of the labour market policy in a market economy affects the students’ stress-related problems and coping strategies. The study focused on the lower-classmen of the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy and the Pedagogical Academy in Kraków aged 18-20. Two hundred students (12S women and 75 men) took part in the flrst stage of the research, and 187 students of the same universities (115 women and 72 men) participated in the other one. The questionnaire prepared by the 1RTAC intemational research team consisted of 8 open questions conceming: (a) worries and perceptible pressures; (b) coping strategies (real, optimal and supplemental) to handle a problem or to feel better, and (c) a system of social support. The findings show that the first years of university studies are considered a tuming point in young peop!e’s lives - regardless of gender, background and context of time. The dominant stressors are the problems associated with shaping one’s own identity and, secondarily, problems with education, family life or financial situation. Over the period of 10 years, the frequency of seeking professional psychological assistance has increased, however, the actual needs seem to exceed the actual availability of such care. The practical implications of the study results with regard to the higher education system are as follows: (1) there is an urgent need to appoint an academic advisor who would counsel the students on their academic progress and ensure that they develop the necessary skills. The first year students experience a feeling of not belonging to the new university environment, and the lack of subjective relations with academic teachers makes their adaptation to the university reąuirements much morę difficult; (2) encouraging meaningful participation in helping each other should be one of the most crucial educational aims of the university program me as it is most frcquently students themselves who support their peers. Developing interpersonal skills is particularly important in the case of students of a pedagogical academy because of their futurę professional careers in the role of a teacher and a tutor.