Perceived Stress Scores among Saudi Students Entering Universities: A Prospective Study during the First Year of University Life

Abstract

In this prospective study we wanted to determine whether perceived stress over time among students in the Preparatory Year of King Saud University (KSU) predisposes them to cardiometabolic abnormalities. A total of 110 apparently healthy Saudi students (35 men and 75 women enrolled during the 2010−2011 academic year) were included. Perceived stress was determined at baseline and 1 year later. Anthropometrics were obtained and morning fasting serum glucose, lipid profile and cortisol were measured at both times. Perceived stress was noted among 48.2% of subjects at baseline and was not significantly different after follow-up, with 45.4% scoring high. In men, the prevalence of perceived stress was 48.6% at baseline (13 out of 35) and 37.1% at follow-up (13 out of 35), while in women it was 48% at baseline and 49.3% at follow-up. Interestingly, significant improvements in the blood pressure and lipid profiles, with the exception of HDL-cholesterol, were observed in both men and women, while fasting glucose also improved in women. Serum cortisol was inversely associated to fasting glucose, and total- and LDL-cholesterol (p-values 0.007, 0.04 and 0.04, respectively). These data are opposite to findings in students entering Western universities, in whom increasing stress and a deteriorating cardiometabolic profile have been repeatedly noted. Perceived stress and morning cortisol levels among students of the Preparatory Year in KSU remained constant for both genders over time, yet an improved cardiometabolic profile was observed, suggesting good adaptation among our pre-college students in their first year of university life.

Perception of academic stress among Health Science Preparatory Program students in two Saudi universities

“…In a similar study conducted at KSU preparatory year deanship, Al-Daghri 11 found that perceived stress was high at baseline among preparatory year students, which supports our findings. However, perceived stress and cortisol levels remained constant in both genders.…”

Predicting First-Year College Student Retention: Validation of the College Persistence Questionnaire in a Spanish Sample

“…More traditional studies analyze the predictive capacity of students' pre-university variables on academic success, concluding that High School GPA (HSGPA) results on standardized achievement tests (SAT-ACT) and socioeconomic status are significant predictors of first year students' (FYS) achievement and permanence until graduation [8]. Another broad set of studies analyze the predictive capacity of students' socio-personal characteristics (e.g., personality, learning styles and strategies), contextual influences (e.g., family support, financial difficulties), FYS experience variables (e.g., academic and social integration), and the effectiveness of actions taken by universities to foment students' learning and involvement [9][10][11]. Recent meta-analytical studies highlight the incremental validity of these variables on precedents predicting both academic achievement and permanence [12][13][14].…”

Stress, cortisol levels and the adaptation of Dental students to the academic environment

“…However, besides these scales, this research used biological markers that may identify the intensity of physiological stress via saliva cortisol. This methodology has been widely applied in recent studies 14,22,26 . The correlation between cortisol levels and QVA-r domains reveals the influence of the students' adaptation with their levels of stress.…”