Academic stress and strain among muslim students : the moderating effect of religious orientation

Abstract

The study analyzes academic stress and strain among the undergraduate students of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUMM). It aims at investigating the effect of religious orientation on level of stress and experience of strain among those students. The sample consists of 218 bachelor's students studying in different departments of this university. The sample was cornposed of around 75% of Malay students and 25% of non-Malay. In terms of gender, it was 55% female and 45% male. Data were collected from the stressful situations questionnaire (SSQ) and role strain measures. Frequency analysis was used to examine the level of stress. strain, and religious orientation in the students. The results indicated that all the students in general experienced stress and strain and they also used religious orientation as coping mechanism, but they differed in degree of stress, strain, and religious experience. A series of analyses were done to examine the relationship between criterion and predictor variables, such as gender and nationality. With regard to gender differences, the results indicated that there was a significant difference in the perception of male and female toward stress and religious orientation, but they are not different in their level of strain. Female students reported more stress and they tended to use more religious orientation than do male students. Moreover, there appeared no significant main difference in the perception of Malay and non-Malay students toward stress, but it did appear Strain and religious orientation. Malay students were found to experience more strain and they made more frequent use of religious orientation than did non-Malay students. This analysis also indicated that religious orientation has nothing to do with stress and strain level. That is whether the students were religious or they did experience stress and strain.