Effects of Academic Stress on Students Performance at University Level

The major purpose of this research study was to explore the perceptions of university students about the effects of academic stress on students’ performance and to recommend control measures. The objectives of the study were to explore the manifestations of academic stress in students, to find out the degree to which academic performance is affected by academic stress, and to determine how academic stress can be controlled to improve students’ performance. It was quantitative research. The data was collected through a questionnaire from 40 students. Of the 40 students, 20 were from the University of Malakand and 20 were from the University of Peshawar. For data analysis, SPSS version 20 was used for percentage, mean score, standard deviation, and T-test. The result of the study shows that most university students’ performance is affected by stress during their studies. In addition, the students' stress level could be increased due to teacher behavior, while family circumstances rarely matter to students’ stress. The current study recommends that teachers' behavior with university students should be very elastic to keep them free of stress, while universities should arrange seminars and workshops to relieve students’ stress.