CONNECTION BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND ACADEMIC INSPIRATION AMONG STUDENTS OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), GUSAU, ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the relationship between psychological stress and academic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education (T), Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria. The study employed correlational design and was guided by eight (8) research questions and eight (8) hypotheses. The population of the study consisted of 11,489 female students. A sample size of 370 was randomly selected proportionately through stratified sampling technique and used for the study. Two (2) instruments namely: Psychological Stress Scale and Academic Motivation Scale were used for the study. Percentage, mean, standard deviation (SD) were used in answering the research questions and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r) was used to test the hypotheses of the study. Findings revealed thatsignificant relationship was found between academic stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau r = 0.717, significant relationshipwas found between academic stress and extrinsic motivation r = 0.697, significant relationship was found between interpersonal stress and intrinsic motivation r = 0.614, significant relationship was found between interpersonal stress and extrinsic motivation r = 0.710, significant relationship existed between work stress and intrinsic motivation r = 0.744, significant relationship existed between work stress and extrinsic motivation r = 0.691,  significant relationship existed between cognitive stress and intrinsic motivation r = 0.801 and significant relationship existed between cognitive stress and extrinsic motivation r = 0.731. On the basis of these findings, the following recommendations were made: Counselors and Psychologists should sensitize Teachers and Parents on psychological stress as powerful predictor of academic performance and Ministry of Education should organize seminars, workshops and conferences for all stakeholders in education sector on the relationship between psychological stress and academic motivation among tertiary institution students in Nigeria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Stress is more than just a feeling of strain but serious disorder that could make students find it difficult to function everyday where they are expected to function and participate in activities that are meaningful and enjoyable including educational activities.

 

Stress can be seen as the perception of discrepancy between environmental demand

(stressors) and individual‘s capacities to fulfill these demands (Vermunt&Steensman, 2005 & Topper, 2007). Campbell (2006), defines stress as the adverse reaction people have due to excessive pressure or other types of demands placed on them. Stress occurs when an individual is confronted by a situation that he/she perceives as overwhelming and cannot cope with.

 

Students may experience different types of stress ranging from physical, psychological, mental, perceptual, academic and psycho- spiritual. Physical stress is caused by intense physical work, nutritional deficiencies, illness, environmental pollution, substance abuse, psychological stresses consist of emotional disturbances such as fear, anger, grief, sadness, frustration, mental stresses, such as worry, the need for perfectionism, jealously, anxiety, a sense of a loss of control, and perceptual stresses caused by reliefs, attitudes and world views. Psychological stresses are caused by relationship issues with family and friends, lack of social support and isolation, psycho- spiritual stresses occur when one has crisis of purpose, meaning or values including the value for the course of study (Reuben,

2014).

 

Motivation is one of the three key determinants of performance as described by Ivancevitch, Konopaske and Matteson (2005), with the other two determinants being capacity to perform and opportunity to perform. They asserted that motivation is made up of three distinct components which are direction, intensity and persistence. They described direction as relating to what an individual chooses to do when presented with a number of alternatives, intensity as the strength of the response once the choice is made and persistence as to how long the response is maintained. Student who is under stress display several differences compared with those who are not stressed, and several factors were significantly correlated with stress levels. The path analysis model revealed that motivation, grades and stress may be sequentially associated with one another, forming a feedback loop. These factors may also be associated with depression and personality.

One of the implications of the path analysis model may be associated with motivations, and motivation may have an indirect association with stress through academic performance. A motivation is defined as the absence of intent or drive (Jangho, 2012). Therefore, students with higher motivation score may find it more difficult to maintain strong academic performance, especially in a higher competitive environment. This may also result in higher level of stress. However, school grades may influence both factors and consequently increase stress levels.

 

Many studies deal with students‘ motivation regarding their learning aspirations and their psychological processes of learning Murton. (2008, Paulsen & Feldman, (2005); Valle

(2003), Salili.(2001), Bures.(2000). Nevertheless, learning  motivation is not to be confused with academic motivation for the latter focuses  exclusively on reasons why individuals decide for and continue with university studies.

 

1.2       Statement of the Problem

College is a social institution where learning takes place. However, the transition of individual students from different secondary schools, to tertiary institution may come with a lot of anxiety, stress and difficulties. Secondary schools and Colleges of Education face challenges in terms of academic motivation and expectation from teachers, personal academic interaction with new colleagues in pursuance of knowledge facing a new dimension or method of teaching, new academic institution, security challenges and many others that can create excessive pressure which may in turn have effect on student academic motivation.

 

Evidence have shown that NCE Students of College of Education Gusau were found to have stress which may be partly attributed to too much academic demands and expectation from students and limited time allocation, resulting to worries about future, career, financial problems, issues of school fees, poor school environment, poor time management, poor family and home background and many more, (Student affairs Division FCETGusau, 2016)

 

It is on the basis of this that the researcher investigated the Relationship between Psychological Stress and Academic Motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education (Tech),Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria.

             

1.3        Objectives of the Study

For the purpose of this study, the following objectives are stated; to determine

1. The relationship between academic stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
2. The relationship between academic stressand extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau
3. The relationship between interpersonal stress and intrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.

4. The relationship between interpersonal stress and extrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.

5. The relationship between work stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
6. The relationship between work stress and extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
7. The relationship between cognitive stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
8. The relationship between cognitive stress and extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.

 

 

 

 

 

1.4        Research Questions

For the purpose of this study, the following research questions are raised:

1. Is there any relationship between academic stress and intrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?

2. Is there any relationship between academic stress and extrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?

3. Is there any relationship between interpersonal stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?
4. Is there any relationship between interpersonal stress and extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?
5. Is there any relationship between work stress and extrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?

6. Is there any relationship between work stress and extrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?

7. Is there any relationship between cognitive stress and intrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?

8. Is there any relationship between cognitive stress and extrinsic motivation among

NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau?

 

1.5        Hypotheses

The following hypotheses guided the study:

1. There is no significant relationship between academic stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
2. There is no significant relationship between academic stress and extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
3. There is no significant relationship between interpersonal stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
4. There is no significant relationship between interpersonal stress and extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
5. There is no significant relationship between work stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
6. There is no significant relationship between work stress and extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
7. There is no significant relationship betweencognitive stress and intrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.
8. There is no significant relationship between cognitive stress and extrinsic motivation among NCE students of Federal College of Education, Gusau.

 

1.6        Basic Assumption

This study was based on the following assumptions:

1. That academic stress may have relationship with intrinsic motivation among NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.
2. That academic stress may have relationship with extrinsic motivation among NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.
3. That interpersonal stress may have relationship with intrinsic motivation among

NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.

4. That interpersonal stress may have relationship with extrinsic motivation among

NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.

5. That work stress may have relationship with intrinsic motivation among NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.
6. That work stress may have relationship with extrinsic motivation among NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.
7. That cognitive stress may have relationship with intrinsic motivation among NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.
8. That cognitive stress may have relationship with extrinsic motivation among NCE students in Federal College of Education, Gusau.

 

1.7         Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will go along with theory building in Stress management and Academic motivation. This study will go a long way in enhancing and improving quality of education in tertiary institution. Specifically, the study will be of great significance to policy makers, school administrators, teachers, school Psychologists, Counselors, parents, students and all stakeholders of tertiary education as they strive to raise the standard of education in the country.

 

The study will be of significant to government in making educational decisions. The study will therefore provide government with evidence based data which will help in making appropriate educational decisions that will ensure reduction of psychological stress for students at all levels of education particularly at tertiary institution level.

Undoubtedly, school administrators will find this study of great importance in planning school activities regulating the academic activities to help students of tertiary institutions to cope with the various stresses they encounter in tertiary institutions.

 

The findings of this study will expose teachers to understand how stress particularly academic and psychological can hamper the efforts of students to achieve at the tertiary institution level. As such, the study will help teachers pay special attention to the sources of such stressors can be able to regulate learning environment for better academic performance.

 

Counselors and psychologists will find this work very important because it will serve as key players in stress management in schools. This study will help Counselors psychologists to assist students with appropriate intervention strategies in managing their stress as they work toward achieving success in school.

 

The study will be useful to parents who are concerned with their children‘s education. It will help parents understand what they should do to minimize stress among their children in school.

 

Specifically, the students of tertiary institutions will find this study very important as it will give them an insight on how to cope with stress in school, so as to strengthen their academic performance.

 

The study will be of important to the general public who on daily basis face lots of life challenges. This could be achieved if finding and recommendations of the research is disseminated to the public via media (print and non- print) conferences, workshops, seminars. This study will also serve as a missing link to future researchers who want to investigate on Psychological Stress and Academic Motivation. This study will also serve as a missing link to future research who want to investigate on psychological stress (such as Academic work and cognitive stress and academic motivation (such as intrinsic and extrinsic).

 

1.8        Scope and Delimitation of the study

The research focused on the following variables: psychological stress and academic motivation, of student. This scope of the study covered all the NCE II students of Federal College of Education, Gusau involving all the four schools across the college. The

Schools are School of Business Education, School of Languages Education, School of Technical Education and School of Sciences Education. The psychological stress include academic stress, interpersonal stress, work stress and cognitive stress.

CONNECTION BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND ACADEMIC INSPIRATION AMONG STUDENTS OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), GUSAU, ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA

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