Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Feb 3, 2021
Date Accepted: Jul 12, 2021
Cross-Canada Release of the Post-Secondary Student Stressors Index (PSSI): A Study Protocol
ABSTRACT
Background:
The prevalence of mental health related problems including stress, psychological distress, and symptoms of mental illnesses continue to increase among Canadian post-secondary student populations. Excessive stress in this population has been linked to a number of negative academic and health outcomes. Despite attempts to improve mental health at post-secondary institutions, a persistent gap exists in the evaluation of the specific sources of stress for students within the post-secondary setting.
Objective:
A cross-Canada, multi-site launch of the Post-Secondary Student Stressors Index (PSSI), engaging post-secondary institutions across the country as partners, will facilitate improved measurement of the sources of student stress in addition to contributing towards improved tailoring of upstream mental health services and supports.
Methods:
Created in collaboration with students, the PSSI is a validated 46-item tool assessing stressors across five domains: academics, learning environment, campus culture, interpersonal, and personal. The tool was designed to be applicable to students at all years, levels, and areas of study. At each participating institution, students are recruited to participate in an online survey including questions concerning sociodemographic characteristics, stress, mental health, and resiliency. Data is collected longitudinally at multiple time points over the course of each academic year. Analyses, including appropriate data visualization, will be conducted to determine the impact of specific stressors on mental health, linking responses over time to allow for the observation of changes in trends over time.
Results:
A total of n = 4950 students from 15 post-secondary institutions across Canada participated in this survey. Results demonstrated some similarities in the stressors experienced by students in different regions of the country (i.e., those related to academics), while environmental differences were observed related to size of institution and campus cultural factors. Stressors specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic were also evaluated, and are likely to have impacted the patterns of stress observed.
Conclusions:
The PSSI is an intuitive and evidence-informed tool that can aid post-secondary institutions in evaluating the sources of student stress on their campus. This multi-year project will make a significant contribution to the current literature regarding post-secondary student stress, and allow institutions across the country to improve the tailoring of upstream mental health services to directly support the unique needs of their student body. Opportunities for knowledge translation and exchange are discussed. Clinical Trial: N/A
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