"A Comparison of Involved and Uninvolved College Students' Stress and " by Abbie Alsene

Graduation Term

Spring 2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department of Educational Administration and Foundations: Educational Administration

Committee Chair

Gavin Weiser

Committee Member

Ryan Smith

Committee Member

Diann Renn

Abstract

In this study, I compare the stress and coping of involved students and uninvolved students at liberal arts colleges during COVID-19. The study seeks to understand if there are differences between the two student populations. Three research questions guide the study. First, how has COVID-19 affected the stress levels of involved students compared to uninvolved students at liberal arts colleges? Second, how do involved students cope with their stress related to COVID-19 compared to uninvolved students at liberal arts colleges? And lastly, what is the relationship between how involved college students view COVID-19 and their levels of stress in comparison to uninvolved students at liberal arts colleges?

I use a descriptive mixed methods research design that includes close-ended questions from the adapted Fear of COVID-19 Scale and open questions in the same survey. The data is collected using a pragmatic epistemology lens.

The results show both student populations experienced stress from COVID-19. Involved students connect COVID-19 to hindering their college experience and also have more physical stress symptoms. The themes of importance of involvement, stress, coping, and resilience are identified from the study.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

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