Stress and the sophomore slump: a phenomenological study at a mid-size public university in rural pennsylvania

Stress and the sophomore slump: a phenomenological study at a mid-size public university in rural pennsylvania. (2019). Stress and the sophomore slump: a phenomenological study at a mid-size public university in rural pennsylvania.

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Title	Stress and the sophomore slump: a phenomenological study at a mid-size public university in rural pennsylvania
Abstract	Sophomore year tends to pose many concerns for college students academically, personally, and socially. College sophomores are making monumental career and personal decisions, which can lead to undue stress, anxiety, and depression coupled with developmental challenges. In recent years, universities across the United States have started to pay closer attention to college sophomore student concerns; however, the empirical literature is lacking in this area. Through the lens of Cognitive Appraisal Theory, this qualitative study analyzed the lived experiences of 18 junior college students who reflected on the tribulations of their sophomore year. A Husserlian descriptive phenomenological approach, with the assistance of NVivo software, was used to analyze the data. Participants report high stress ranging from seven to ten on a 10-point scale. Participants were academically, personally, and socially stressed. The findings indicate that most participants used positive coping techniques to handle their stress. The findings also show that faculty and campus resources played a role in helping the participants with successfully working through their difficult experiences.
Date	2019

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Title: Stress and the sophomore slump: a phenomenological study at a mid-size public university in rural pennsylvania
Personal Name(s): Burick, Natalie
Machado, Crystal
Corporate Name(s): Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Education.
Note: Publisher info.: Dissertation/Thesis.
Advisors: Machado, Crystal Committee members: Julie Ankrum; DeAnna Laverick.
Topical Subject(s): Higher Education Administration
Educational psychology