Running head: CAUSES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY 1

EVALUATION OF THE CAUSES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY AMONG CIVIL

ENGINEERING STUDENTS
ARIEL G. BARGAT

KIM MARTIN B. AÑORA

BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY – MAIN CAMPUS

CAUSES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY 2

Abstract

Engineering is one of the major courses offered in Bohol Island State University – Main

Campus. Civil Engineering which is one of its specialized areas tops as the most taken and

enrolled by freshmen for its popularity. In fact Bohol Island State University – Main Campus

places third in top performing schools in the whole Philippines these years during board exam

results. This has resulted in popularity among engineering courses offered in the university.

Nowadays, a large number of engineers from Bohol Island State University – Main Campus have

left remarkable impact on the world internationally. To attain these positive outcomes, students

have to face many problems and challenges during undergraduate engineering courses. The main

focus of this paper is to evaluate the problems that lead to stress and anxiety among students who

takes up civil engineering in Bohol Island State University – Main Campus. This paper also

includes studies gender differences in stress and anxiety among undergraduate civil engineering

students. The participants of this study included a total of undergraduate civil engineering

students studying in Bohol Island State University – Main Campus.

CAUSES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY 3

EVALUATION OF THE CAUSES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY AMONG CIVIL

ENGINEERING STUDENTS
Engineering is considered as one of the most esteemed profession globally. When a child

is asked what they want to be when they grow up – the response that immediately comes in their

mind is to be an engineer. A majority of students whether decided or undecided male and female

take up the course for different reason without realizing what will be they facing as they enter

engineering in college. Moreover, some students already knew the difficulties they will be facing

in college yet they still take engineering courses for the sake of their dreams even it is more

stressful than they could imagine.

Stress and anxiety are common amongst college students, particularly engineering

students. Undergraduate Civil Engineering is not excluded in these dilemma. Students report lack

of sleep, grades, competition, change in lifestyle and other significant stressors throughout their

years in college. Although stress and anxiety are part of the engineering culture, it is a problem

to be fixed since it may lead to depression and other serious psychological repercussion. Mental

health disorders have been rising in prevalence and severity for college students and are a major

concern in higher education.

Stress and anxiety associated with engineering or attributed as being part of a culture may

discourage students from seeking coping support to alleviate stress and anxiety. Students who

feel that the levels of stress and anxiety are unmanageable may assume coping strategies in order

to get out from it. A lot of possible causes like family pressure, peer pressure, upcoming exams,

terror instructors and etc. may result to stress and anxiety to civil engineering students. The

determination of the major causes of stress and anxiety is a challenge to the school since there

are a lot of causes and they cannot evaluate which causes they will be focusing on.
CAUSES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY 4

METHOD

A. Participants

The study was conducted at Bohol Island State University. The sample consisted of 447

undergraduate Civil Engineering students. These students are studying Civil Engineering in

Bohol Island State University – Main Campus. The age of the students ranges between 18-25

years. These students belong to different socio-economical background. The details of the

sample are presented in table.

NUMBER OF STUDENTS
YEAR LEVEL SECTION A SECTION B SECTION C
1ST YEAR 49 53 -
2ND YEAR 45 46 46
3RD YEAR 14 - -
4TH YEAR 65 45 -
5TH YEAR 45 39 -

B. Measures

This study uses questionnaires as a medium to evaluate the causes of stress and anxiety

among them. The respondents are given a list of predetermined responses from which to choose

their answer.

QUESTIONNAIRE
Research-Made Questionnaire on Evaluation of the Causes of Stress and Anxiety among
Engineering Students at Bohol Island State University – Main Campus A.Y. 2019-2020.
CAUSES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY 5

NAME: __________________________
(optional)

I. Causes of Stress and Anxiety to Civil Engineering Students

Direction: Please check ( ✔ ) and rate yourself honestly based on what you actually
experience that may cause you to be stressed and have anxiety.
5 – always 4 – often 3 – sometimes 2 – rarely 1- never

I. Causes 5 4 3 2 1
1. Homesickness
2. Family Problems
3. Family Pressure
4. Peer Pressure
5. Terror Instructors
6. Upcoming Exams
7. Unpreparedness During Exams
8. Self-Doubt
9. Failed Exams
10. Lot of Projects
11. Failed Expectations
12. Poor Time Management
13.Financial Problems
14. Social Media
15. Parental Issues
17. Bullying
18. Difficulties with Personal Relationships
19. Difficulty in Managing Works
20. Poor Outside School Environment
21. Poor Eating Habits
22.Poor Sleeping Habits
23.Identity Crisis
24. Poor School Environment
25. Pressure Intelligence Levels of other Student’s
Intelligence.

REFERENCES

Elamurugan, B. A. (2013). “Study on Stress Level among Engineering College Students in

Villupuram District,Tamilnadu.” Abhinav National Monthly Refereed Journal of Research In
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Commerce & Management. Retrieved from https://docplayer.net/34862690-Abhinav-national-

monthly-refereed-journal-of-research-in-commerce-management.html

Dr. Jenefer Husman, 2015 Understanding Engineering Students Stress and Emotions during an
Introductory Engineering course. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=study%20of
%20engineering%20studets%20experiences%20srtess&ie=UTF-8

Kumaraswamy, N. (2013). “Academic Stress, Anxiety and Depression among College Students-
A Brief Review.” International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities. Retrieved from
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/90540047/academic-stress-anxiety-depression-among-
college-students-brief-review

Dr. Deepti Bhargava1# & Hemant Trivedi2 (2018). A Study of Causes of Stress and Stress
Management among Youth. Retrieved from:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a47d/1ee3ebf6bf36184a12247dc2d7b17dd80371.pdf