Prevalence of Academic Stress and Coping Strategies Among Undergraduate Students at the University of Lagos, South West Nigeria

Academic stress is a pervasive concern among university students globally, and its prevalence and management in Nigerian higher education contexts warrant systematic investigation. This study examines the prevalence of academic stress and the coping strategies adopted by undergraduate students at the University of Lagos, South West Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design is applied to 320 students selected through stratified random sampling across six faculties. The Perceived Stress Scale and the Brief COPE Inventory are administered alongside a demographic questionnaire capturing academic year, gender, socioeconomic status, and accommodation type. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and one-way ANOVA are employed using SPSS version 26. Available literature from South West Nigerian universities indicates that examination pressure, financial constraints, and poor time management are the dominant academic stressors, with avoidant coping strategies more prevalent among first-year students. The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping by Lazarus and Folkman provides the theoretical framework. Findings are expected to reveal significant associations between academic year, socioeconomic status, and stress severity, with emotion-focused coping more common among female students. Results will inform the design of evidence-based counselling interventions and student support programmes at the university. Keywords: academic stress, coping strategies, undergraduate students, University of Lagos, South West Nigeria.