UPPLEVD STRESS OCH MÖJLIGHET TILL ÅTERHÄMTNING I UNIVERSITETSSTUDENTERS VARDAG : En kvantitativ studie om universitetsstudenters upplevda stress, upplevda möjlighet till återhämtning och sambandet mellan dessa faktorer

Sammanfattning

Background: Stress and psychological distress are common in the daily life of university students, as it can involve high demands and difficulties in creating a balance between studies, leisure and recovery. Prolonged stress in combination with limited recovery can negatively affect health and wellbeing. Recovery can be seen as a protective factor against stress-related ill health. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of perceived stress and perceived opportunities for recovery in everyday life among university students, and to analyze the relationship between stress and recovery. Method: This study was conducted using a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of a convenience sample where 120 university students completed a physical questionnaire. The data material was analyzed through descriptive analyses, combined variables, dichotomization and Spearman’s rank correlation. Results: The results showed that perceived stress occurred among university students, where about half often or always experienced different forms of stress in everyday life. The results also showed that opportunities for recovery were present, while fewer respondents often or always felt rested. Almost a quarter showed both high perceived stress and low recovery. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between perceived stress and perceived opportunity for recovery. Conclusion: The study showed that both perceived stress and perceived opportunity for recovery occurred among university students. At the same time, almost one quarter of the respondents showed both high perceived stress and low recovery. Higher levels of stress correlated to a relatively large extent with lower levels of recovery, showing that recovery is important to consider in relation to university students’ health. Keywords: University students, perceived stress, opportunity for recovery, everyday demands, psychological distress, public health.