Advances in Health Sciences Research, volume 30

International Conference of Health Development. Covid-19 and the Role of

Healthcare Workers in the Industrial Era (ICHD 2020)

Factors Related to Academic Stress During the

Covid-19 Pandemic in Nursing Students of
UPN Veteran Jakarta
Mareta Dea Rosaline1*, Diah Tika Anggraeni2
1
Nursing Study Program, Faculy of Health Science, UPN Veteran Jakarta, Indonesia
2
Nursing Study Program, Faculy of Health Science, UPN Veteran Jakarta, Indonesia
*
Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Background: Academic stress is one of the biggest health problems that have an impact on academic
performance. Students become a group that is vulnerable to the stress that comes from academic life.
Academic stress that is usually experienced by students is due to academic responsibility. The online
learning system that has changed during the Covid-19 pandemic requires students to get more assignments
and a busy lecture schedule. Method: This study used a cross-sectional study design. The respondents
were 175 students using the accidental sampling technique. The instrument used was a questionnaire
consisting of demographic data and a statement regarding the level of academic stress with the modified
Depression Anxiey and Stress Scale 42. Result: From the results of statistical tests, it was found that most
of the respondents had a moderate stress level (34.3%), the variable age value p-value = 0.001, college
load p-value = 0.045, achievement index p-value = 0.302, and residence status p-value =
0.166. Conclusion: So that there is a relationship between age and study load with academic stress on
students. Students who cannot adapt to environmental changes will result in impaired ability to adapt to
stressors received from the academic process.
Keywords: academic stress, age, college load, nursing students

1. INTRODUCTION decision of the Minister of Education of the Republic

online learning media are that they can increase learning
The COVID-19 pandemic has made many parties
interactions, facilitate learning interactions anywhere and
try to overcome the spread of both the government and all
anytime, have a wider reach, and facilitate the
society (Setiawan, 2020). One of the efforts made by
improvement and storage of learning materials [3].
issuing an online learning policy to prevent the spread of
COVID-19 through the Minister of Education and Culture Currently, universities in Indonesia apply strict
Circular No 36962 / MPK.A / HK / 2020 [1].This condition rules to maintain the quality of graduates related to student
requires lecturers to do the process online or online. study time limits; these rules are used based on of
Online learning is a technology-based learning model Indonesia Number 44 of 2015 part 4 of article 16,
through distance learning by using internet network paragraph 1 letter , regarding the period and college load
facilities to interact online. Some of the advantages of the educational program for a maximum of seven academic

Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press B.V.

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 Advances in Health Sciences Research, volume 30

years for undergraduate programs with a student study and decreased appetite, besides that some were afraid of
load of at least 144 Semester Credit Units (SKS). the achievement index fell. 25%, 15% less cohesive group
Students who cannot complete their studies within the friends, 10% experiencing personal problems, and 20%
stipulated time will receive a sanction, namely dropping being far from family. This study aimed to determine the
out [2]. Students must complete lecture assignments from factors related to the level of academic stress in nursing
lecturers, field assignments/field practice, midterm, and students of UPN Veteran Jakarta.
final semester exams and write final projects to achieve
this. Apart from academic problems, students also have
2. METHODS
issues studying, time management, and even lack of The type of research used is an analytic observational
family support or being away from family. Family with a cross-sectional study design, an epidemiological study
support is when experiencing pain, someone will seek that studies the relationship of the independent variables,
permission from people around them to help and revive namely age, course load, and residence status, with the
enthusiasm and self-confidence in the face of difficulties dependent variable, namely the level of academic stress
that are being experienced [3]. students during the same period [12]. This research was
conducted at the Faculty of Health Sciences at UPN Veteran
The responsibilities and demands of academic
Jakarta in July 2020. The population in this study were all
life and the many problems faced by students can be part students of the Undergraduate Nursing Study Program in
of the stress commonly experienced by students. The 2019 and 2018, with a total sample of 175 students. The
number of students experiencing academic stress sampling method uses the accidental sampling technique.
increases each semester. The stress most commonly Data collection was carried out for 3 weeks using an online
experienced by students is academic stress. Academic questionnaire via a
stress is mental stress related to frustration with academic google form. Collecting data on the sample in the form of
failure, fear of failure, and even awareness of loss [4]. age, study load, and residence status used demographic data
Students experiencing academic stress can have a positive while on the level of academic stress, students used a
or negative impact. Stress loads that are considered too modified DASS 42 instrument. Further data were analyzed
heavy can lead to memory problems, concentration, by univariate and bivariate using the chi-square test α = 0.05.
decreased problem-solving abilities, and academic
3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
abilities [3]. Stress that is deemed heavy can also trigger
health problems such as depression and excessive anxiety Table. 1
[5].
Respondent Characteristics
Stress has become a part of student academic life
due to various internal and external factors that burden
Characteristics Frequency %
students. Students are particularly prone to academic Gender
stress problems when transitions occur on an individual
and social level. Therefore, it becomes essential to Male 20 11.4
understand the sources and impacts of academic stress to
Female 155 88.6
develop an adequate and efficient intervention strategy
[6]. Previous research conducted by Karaman et al. [7] Age (years)
found that motivation support, life satisfaction, and place
to live were significant predictors of academic stress in 15-20 79 45.1
college students. Another study conducted on regular 21-25 96 54.9
students of the DIII Nursing Cirebon study program, the
Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health, >25 -
Tasikmalaya with a sample size of 74 respondents,
College Load
showed a significant relationship between age and the
level of academic stress in students [8].Based on a Severe 100 57.1
preliminary study conducted on 15 nursing students, it
was found that students complained of stress due to 30% Moderate 60 34.3
piling up on college assignments so that students did not
Mild 15 8.6
have enough time to rest, often experienced headaches,

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pandemic. 19. The gender characteristics of the

Residence Status
respondents indicated that the majority of respondents
Boarding House 25 14.3 were female (88.6%). The female respondents' dominant
number is because the ratio between male and female
Live with Parents 150 85.7 students is more than a female. Female students also have
to participate in various organizational activities or
Live with family - -
student activity units due to the limited number of male
(husband/wife) students. According to Karaman [7], explaining that if
there is a dual role conflict between students that cannot
Academic Stress Levels be resolved with adaptive coping, then this can cause
stress to students. The characteristics of the course load
Normal 15 8.6
indicate that the highest percentage of respondents who
Mild 25 14.3 experience stress due to massive academic factors
(57.1%). Students are required to have the ability to adapt
Moderate 60 34.3 the usual academic process in class to the online learning
process, requiring students to get a lot of coursework from
Severe 45 25.7
each lecturer per course, such as weekly quizzes,
Very Severe 30 17.1 independent assignments, and group assignments.
Completing assignments that require a short time so that
Based on table 1 above, it is found that the students lack rest and harmony among members for group
majority of respondents are female as many as 155 people assignments can trigger stress in students.
(88.6%), Respondents who have severe college load are The characteristics of student residence status
100 people (57.1%), the distribution of residence status indicate that most respondents live with their parents
of the majority of respondents with parents is 150 people (85.7%). Based on the regulations issued regarding the
(85.7%), and the majority of respondents experience prevention of the spread of Covid-19, the entire academic
moderate stress, namely 60 people (14.3%). Most process is carried out online. So that many students return
respondents were aged 15-20 years (54.9%). The age to their hometowns, even though the majority live with
group of respondents in this study entered the late parents of students, they are still required to adapt to the
adolescence, namely 15-20 years. According to Jain & online learning process with the assigned workload. They
Singhai [4] explains that in late adolescence, there is must share roles in the family environment. The
rapid mental development. Mental development in late characteristics showed that the academic stress level of
adolescence also increases adolescents' ability to nursing students UPN Veteran Jakarta mostly
hypothesize anything related to their life and experienced moderate stress levels (34.3%). The level of
environment. student academic stress needs attention because students
As students who have demands and obligations in as of late teens have a high level of stress. High-stress
the educational process, students must make adjustments conditions will result in students tend to get angry quickly
or make adaptations used to cope with the changes that and not focus on the learning process, and can trigger a
have occurred and are accepted during normal lectures in person to behave negatively, such as smoking, consuming
class or online system lectures during the COVID- alcohol, fighting, free sex, and even drug use [6].

Table 2.
Analysis of the Relationship between Age and Student Academic Stress Levels during the COVID-19
Pandemic

Students Academic Stress Levels

Age Total
Normal Mild Moderate Severe Very Severe P value
(Tahun)

n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) N

15-20
9(9.3) 14(14.5) 33(50) 24(31.7) 16(25.3) 96

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21-25 6(7.29) 11(10.4) 27(21) 21(21) 14(10.41) 79

>25 0,001

Table 2 shows the results of the analysis of the relationship with a sample size of 93 students, found a difference in
between age and the level of academic stress in students. The the proportion of the incidence of academic stress levels
results showed that most respondents experienced moderate against age (p = 0.030) [9].the age level of students, the
academic stress as many as 33 people (50%) at 15-20 years. lower the academic stress level tends to be. This happens
The level of stress decreases as age increases. The results of when someone is often exposed to the same stressor with
statistical tests using the chi-square test obtained p-value = the same pattern, so someone will get used to it and
0.001 <0.05. This shows a relationship between age and the perceive the stressor as usual. With the same stressor,
level of academic stress in students during the COVID-19 students can make acceptable adaptations so that as they
pandemic. Nursing Science, the University of Indonesia, age, they can control the level of academic stress.

Table 3.

Analysis of the Relationship between College Load and Student Academic Stress Levels during the
COVID-19 Pandemic

Students Academic Stress Levels

College Total
Normal Mild Moderate Severe Very Severe P value
Load

n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) N

Severe
6(6) 12(12) 37(37) 25(25) 20(20) 100

Moderate 9(15) 11(18.3) 16(27) 15(25) 8(15) 60

Mild 0 2(13.3) 9(53.3) 4(26.7) 2(6.7) 15 0,045

Table 3 shows the results of the analysis of the relationship Students with a severe college load can affect the level
between the course load and the level of student academic of student academic stress. This is because when data
stress. The results of the study show that the highest collection took place, learning was carried out online as
percentage of respondents who experience stress due to an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19 so that more
severe academic factors with severe stress levels are 37 student assignments for each lecturer per subject such as
people (37 %%) and respondents who experience stress quizzes, independent assignments, and group
due to moderate academic factors with moderate stress assignments.
levels are 16 people (27%). The results of statistical tests Piling up college assignments and a busy class
using the chi- square test obtained p-value = 0.045 <0.05 schedule resulted in students having less time to rest so
indicates a relationship between college load and the level that it was easier to feel dizzy and often angry. In line with
of academic stress in nursing students at UPN Veteran Smeltzer and Bare's theory in Karaman [7], if the body
Jakarta.Another study conducted on nursing students of cannot adapt to changes in the environment, it can cause
STIKes Muhammadiyah Surakarta with a sample size of a disturbance in the body's balance so that it is easier to
63 students, found that the lecture schedule related to the experience stress.
lecture load affects the stress level of students (p = 0.041)
[10].

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Table 4.

Analysis of the Relationship Between Residence Status and Student Academic Stress Levels
During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Students Academic Stress Levels

Total
Residenec Status Normal Mild Moderate Severe Very Severe P value

n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) N

Boarding house
5(20) 1(4) 10(40) 5(20) 4(16) 25

Live with Parents 10(6.7) 24(16) 50(33.3) 40(26.7) 26(17.3) 150

Live with
family(husband/wife) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0,166

Table 4 shows the results of the analysis of the 4. CONCLUSION

relationship between residence status and student
Based on the results of the study regarding the factors
academic stress levels. The results showed that most related to the level of academic stress in nursing students
respondents lived with parents, namely 150 people of UPN Veteran Jakarta, it can be concluded that there
(85.7%), and among these respondents, most of them is a relationship between age (p = 0.001) and study load
experienced moderate academic stress levels as many as (p = 0.045) with the level of academic stress in nursing
50 people (33.3%). Of the 25 respondents who live in a students of UPN Veteran Jakarta. There is no relationship
boarding house or contract, ten people (40%) experience between residence status (p = 0.166) with academic stress
moderate stress. It can be seen in the table that although in nursing students of UPN Veteran Jakarta. It is hoped
most students live with their parents, there are still many that further researchers will develop research related to
visits to health services and financial conditions with
students who experience moderate academic stress. The
student stress levels.
results of statistical tests using the chi-square test
obtained p-value = 0.166> 0.05 indicate no relationship
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