University students and their concerns: prevalence and degree of severity

Abstract

It is undoubted that being at university can be a 'time of growth', but can also involve 'unbearable stresses. This is true since undergraduates are in a transitional period, i.e. moving from adolescence to young adulthood, which makes them face many changes in their lives. Therefore. it is argued that support needs to be provided for them in order to help them move through the transitional period and achieve 'growth'. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and degree of severity of students' concerns during their university career. The investigation into students concerns was conducted by using self-administered questionnaire. A total of 1,279 university students from two private universities in Indonesia volunteered to participate in the study. Results showed that academic-related problems were the most widely experienced and the most serious concerns for students, compared to other areas. With regard to the prevalence of concerns, problems related to Academic, Self, Depression and Mood Change, Romantic Relationships, Welfare, Other Relationships, Anxiety, Loss, and Transitions, were experienced by more than 50% of students participating in the study. Detailed findings, implications of results, and the recommendation for improving the quality of university students life will be further discussed.