Prevalence and Factors Associated with Stress Among Undergraduate Students at a University in Northern Thailand During the Post-COVID-19 Era

Abstract

This study aimed to describe stress levels and examine factors associated with stress among undergraduate students during the post-COVID-19 era. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 413 undergraduate students at a university in Northern Thailand using multistage random sampling. Data were collected between July and August 2023 through an online questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, teaching and learning, learning environment, interpersonal relationships, and the SPST-20 stress scale. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were applied for data analysis. Results showed that 53.3% of the participants reported high stress levels. Significant factors associated with stress included gender (p < 0.05), faculty (p < 0.001), academic year (p < 0.001), cumulative GPA (p < 0.05), teaching and learning (p < 0.001), learning environment (p < 0.001), peer relationships (p < 0.001), and family relationships (p < 0.001). In conclusion, more than half of the students experienced high levels of stress, influenced by both personal and modifiable contextual factors. These findings highlight the need for universities to enhance instructional practices, strengthen supportive learning environments, and develop social support systems to reduce student stress sustainably in the post-pandemic era.