The Psychology Lens: Exploring Stress and Resilience Across Academic Fields

Abstract

This research study aimed to explore how and whether the knowledge of psychology and its concepts affect people’s Perceived Stress and Resilience. Using a comparative, cross-sectional research design, 100 undergraduate and postgraduate students (50 psychology, 50 non-psychology) participated in the study. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS- 10) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) were used to assess perceived stress and resilience levels respectively. Statistical analyses, including independent samples t-tests and Pearson’s correlation, were conducted. Results indicated a significant negative correlation between perceived stress and resilience , suggesting that higher resilience is associated with lower stress levels. However, no significant differences were found in perceived stress or resilience  between psychology and non-psychology students, challenging the assumption that psychology students exhibit better coping mechanisms due to their academic exposure. Gender-based comparisons revealed that female students reported significantly higher perceived stress  than male students, although no significant differences were found in resilience levels. These findings highlight the complex nature of stress and resilience in college students. The lack of significant differences between academic groups suggests that exposure to psychological concepts alone may not translate into lower stress or higher resilience. Additionally, the ability of female students to maintain resilience despite higher stress levels emphasizes the role of adaptive coping strategies. The study underscores the need for structured mental health programs in academic settings to enhance stress management and resilience- building interventions as well as the potential need to study compassion fatigue and emotional burden in psychology students.