An Exploration of Stress and Satisfaction in College Students

Abstract

Although higher education institutions are striving to foster quality educational environments for their students, a number of college students are known to experience high levels of stress rather than satisfaction during their school years. This study explores the nature of college students' stress and tests its impact on student satisfaction with their college lives. The study adopts a structural equation modeling approach, which examines the effects caused by three stressors (academic, interpersonal, and social) on overall stress and student satisfaction with their educational experiences at college. Managerial implications of the research findings are discussed.