Impact of Perceived Academic Stress Upon Academic Performance of Physiotherapy Students - A Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Stress is prevalent among Healthcare students worldwide. Studies have shown that these students are more likely to suffer from mental health issues and have lower levels of life satisfaction. This research aimed to examine physical therapy students' experiences with academic stress and how it relates to and affects their academic performances. Methods: The study was done among the physical therapy students of AIHMS New Delhi. Using Yamane's formula, the sample size of 260 participants was calculated. The study sample was 272, and participants were asked to fill out a Perceived Mean Stress Score (PMSS) questionnaire using convenient sampling. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 25. The mean and standard deviation for each response were calculated as a part of descriptive statistics, whereas the Student t-test and ANOVA were applied for inferential statistics to assess the impact of academic stress on their performance. Results: 272 students participated in the study, of which 173 and 99 respondents were females and males, respectively. The respondents were tested for differences in Perceived Mean Stress Score for 13 dimensions. Mean stress scores were significantly higher in students with lower GPA scores and less in students with high GPA scores. Personal finances and Accommodation were found to impact stress ratings significantly (P=0.036*,0.018*). The stress scores were significantly higher in the final years compared to the initial years in Physiotherapy school(P<0.05*). Conclusions: High mean scores for stress and anxiety necessitate early identification, especially in the initial years of Physiotherapy school, and integration of preventive mental health services in routine clinical services for Physiotherapy students.