Academic Stress and Coping Strategies among Students with Disabilities in Addis Ababa University

Abstract

This study examined the level of academic stress among university students with disabilities and the nature of coping strategies they used to deal with stress. It also examined if there existed significant differences in stress and coping strategies among students with different disabilities and between students with and without disabilities. Data were collected from 117 students with disabilities and 103 students without disabilities by using four individually-administered scales. Results showed that students with and without disabilities experienced moderate level of academic stress and predominantly used problem-focused coping strategies. Students with visual disabilities experienced higher level of stress than students with other disabilities and without disabilities.

Keywords: Disability-Specific Academic Stress, Emotion-Focused Coping Strategy, General Academic Stress, Problem-Focused Coping Strategy, Specific Academic Stress