Abstract
Background:
Perceived stress levels are highly prevalent in today’s society, especially among students. Coping strategies, either negative or positive, are developed to manage the level of stress. Chiropractic students have a high workload during their studies which may lead to stress and the need for coping strategies.
Aim:
This study explores the relationship between perceived stress levels and coping strategies among chiropractic students at a South African university. The Objectives were to examine the connection between the perception of stress and coping, and how these vary by academic year, age, and sex.
Methodology:
This quantitative cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire to survey chiropractic students in the BHSc and MHSc programs at a South African university. Participants provided demographic data and completed adapted PPS and B-COPE surveys. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 29.1 for descriptive, frequency, and correlational statistics.
Results:
Out of 255 possible participants, 130 responded, with an average age of 22.7, and 80.77% being female. Perceived stress was split into negative (mean 2.59) and positive stress (mean 1.92). The most common coping strategies were action-orientated (mean 1.92) and problem-focused (mean 1.85), while the least used were substance use (mean 0.52) and avoidant coping (mean 0.59). Negative stress correlated with self-blame and avoidant coping, while positive perception aligned with problem-focused and action-oriented coping. The year of study was linked to substance use and negative stress, but no significant relationship was found between stress and age, although substance use increased with age.
Conclusion:
Participants experienced moderate stress with pre-clinical students reporting higher levels due to more stressors. The most common coping strategies were action-orientated and problem-focused, both effective for mental health and reflecting readiness for a demanding course. Stress was linked to avoidant coping and self-blame, while positive perception of stress aligned with problem-focused coping and action-orientated coping. Stress was higher in pre-clinical years, with substance use increasing over time. Older participants used substance use more frequently.