Trajectories of Perceived Stress among Students in Transition to College: Mindset Antecedents and Adjustment Outcomes

Abstract

There is growing evidence of a clear association between students’ perceived stress and their adjustment to life at college. However, the predictors and implications of distinct changing patterns of perceived stress during the transition to college life are less clear. To address these research gaps, the current study aims to identify distinct patterns of perceived stress trajectories among 582 Chinese first-year college students ( M age = 18.11, SD age = 0.65; 69.40% female) across the first 6 months upon enrollment. Three distinct profiles of perceived stress trajectories, i.e., low-stable (15.63%), middle-decreasing (69.07%), and high-decreasing (15.29%), were identified. Moreover, individuals who followed the low-stable trajectory showed better distal outcomes (specifically, higher levels of well-being and academic adjustment) 8 months after enrollment than those who followed the other two trajectories. Furthermore, two types of positive mindset (a growth mindset of intelligence and a stress-is-enhancing mindset) contributed to differences in perceived stress trajectory, either independently or jointly. These findings highlight the significance of identifying different patterns of perceived stress among students during the transition to college, as well as the protective roles of both a stress mindset and a mindset of intelligence.

The Relationship between Stress and Academic Self-Efficacy among Students at Elite Colleges: A Longitudinal Analysis

“…First, descriptive statistics showed that there was a slight decrease in stress from the junior year to the senior year, which supported hypothesis 1. Previous research has shown that students' stress is not stable during the four years of college [9,10]. The development of stress among college students followed different paths, and the stress of most students showed a decreasing trend from junior to senior years, which is consistent with the results of this study [11].…”

“…In addition, the stress of college students is not stable and fluctuates during four years of college. For instance, among 582 first-year college students, 69.07% experienced middle-decreasing stress and 15.29% experienced high-decreasing stress eight months after enrollment [9]. First-year students and senior-year students are more stressed than junior-year students [10].…”

Examining the longitudinal associations between individual differences and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood: Results from a UK birth cohort study

“…While generally perceived as a positive trait regarding trustworthiness, non-confrontation, and emotional sensitivity towards others, in the present study agreeableness was weakly associated with worse mental health. Overall, studies have suggested little correlation between agreeableness and mental health 16 , but perhaps the increased emotional sensitivity associated with agreeableness might negatively impact mental health particularly in adolescence and early adulthood, but less so in later adulthood, due to the stressors of education and the transition to adulthood 51 . Although often found to be negatively associated with mental health issues 16 , here conscientiousness had little association with depression and anxiety at age 24, but a slightly stronger negative association at age 17.…”