For this assignment, you will submit an edited version of the research proposal that was the final project for PSY 510. Editing and incorporating feedback are two of the key skills that researchers

Students may have varying workloads depending on the subjects they study at the Universities. The university culture may also psychologically impact learners in higher learning institutions. Researchers have also delved into the correlation between workloads in different subjects and stress levels among students (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020). In their study, Jääskeläinen et al. hypothesized that students' stress experiences are strongly correlated with the workload in the core subject (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020). The more the workload the students had in their main subject, the higher the probability of experiencing stress. This research is similar to Kreig (2013), in which students' expectations also impacted stress levels, with students having higher expectations being at higher stress risks than others. (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020) adopted a mixed research design. Specifically, the researchers used a sequential exploratory research design that first incorporated a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative stage.

Participant sampling for the study was random. The study's setting was in Finland and the United Kingdom, with participating students selected from seven universities in both countries. The researcher sent prospective participants emails that included information on the research objective and nature of the study. Participation in the study was voluntary and through informed consent. One hundred and fifty-five students completed the questionnaire that was sent through email, while twenty-nine of the students completed interviews. For the first quantitative phase, the researchers collected data using the Workload, Stress and Coping (WSC) questionnaire and performed data analysis using the Bayesian approach. In the qualitative phase of the research, participants responded to open-ended interview questions derived from the WSC questionnaire. The researchers accomplished data analysis at this phase using Atlas.ti software (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020). The results indicated that stress varied with the gender, with female students more vulnerable to stress than their male peers. Also, increased workload and study level (postgraduate, undergraduate, doctoral) impacted stress among students. More workload increases stress risks (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020). As noted by Krieg (2013), student funding also significantly affected stress levels among students. Those with partial or no funding were more predisposed to stress than those with full funding (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020). Lastly, students with prior knowledge of the main subject had low-stress risk.

Further studies reveal that financial challenges for students enrolled in institutions of higher learning amplify stress levels. (McCloud & Bann, 2019) systematically reviewed seven articles to identify the relationship between financial issues and stress levels. The need to study the related financial issues and stress is informed by the fact that most students in higher institutions take up loans to finance their learning. The researchers perused 1272 studies and selected nine of them. The peer review found that some articles had established a correlation between financial crisis and stress among students in higher learning institutions. The mental health deterioration among students increased financial challenges, which amplified stress levels. Part of the findings from this peer review is consistent with those (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020; Kreig, 2013). Financial woes can increase stress.

Researchers have also explored the concept of student-perceived employability and stress. As earlier noted, one of the motivations for enrolling in college studies is to get decent jobs. Perceived employability is the extent to which students see themselves getting or being suitable for a job. This perception can impact students' academic achievement, positively or negatively. Further, perceived employability can influence stress levels among students in different programs. (Ma & Bennett, 2021) explored the relationship between perceived employability among students in higher education, academic engagement, and stress. The study's setting was China. The researchers accomplished data collection through the use of an online survey. A Likert scale measured nine variables: academic engagement, social capital, stress, and perceived employability. The researchers used a stratified sampling method to select research participants for the study (Ma & Bennett, 2021). The questionnaire was sent through online platforms, and participants were required to respond voluntarily. A total of 1555 students completed the questionnaire (Ma & Bennett, 2021). The researchers analyzed the data using structural model assessment. The SPSS data analysis instrument was used.

The results revealed vital information. First, the researchers discovered that students who felt more employable had higher academic engagement ratings. The higher the students felt that the chance of getting a job was higher after their studies, the more they showed effort in their studies. Higher employability feelings were associated with lower stress (Ma & Bennett, 2021). When students felt that they could easily get a job, they experienced less stress in their studies than their peers who felt less employable (Ma & Bennett, 2021). These findings reveal that job availability may be a mediating factor against stress for students who are enrolled in higher learning institutions.

Higher education ushers in a new era of adult life, which is complicated with new challenges. (Bryce & Kathryn, 2015) researched the perceived stress, feeling of loneliness, and burnout that comes with enrolling in higher education. They developed two research questions that guided their work. The research questions focused on academic coping as a stress mediating factor and loneliness and burnout as triggers of stress perception. The researchers hypothesized that loneliness and burnout augment stress levels and that academic coping can help students cope with the demands that arise from pursuing higher education (Bryce & Kathryn, 2015). The study's setting was in southeastern Ontario, Canada. One hundred and fifty participants were included in the study. Selection to the study was random for all students enrolled in an undergraduate psychology course and who had registered in Psychology Participant Pool (Bryce & Kathryn, 2015). Participation in the program was not voluntary, and all the students included in the research had varying social demographics.

Perceived stress among the participants was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale developed by Cohen in 1983. On the other hand, academic coping was assessed using Academic Coping Strategies Scale (ACSS), while learning burnout was determined using Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (Bryce & Kathryn, 2015). The study was an online-self report survey. Data analysis was done using regression, t-tests, and correlations. One of the findings showed that feelings of loneliness and burnout increased stress perceptions among higher education learners and negatively influenced their academic experiences (Bryce & Kathryn, 2015). Loneliness may occur since the learners have increased work to deal with and reduced time. Consequently, most of their time could be spent on work and studying, which cuts their social interactions with family and friends. Additionally, the results indicated that academic copying did not mediate the effects of loneliness and burnout among participants (Bryce & Kathryn, 2015). Students would still feel lonely and stressed even when they copied successfully to the academic environment. Thus, the authors concluded that loneliness and exhaustion increase vulnerability to stress for students in higher learning regardless of their academic coping strategies.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Based on the research question, most reviewed articles show a correlation between higher education and stress levels among students. The researchers agree that higher education enrollment can increase students' stress levels. Researchers give several reasons for the stress students experience in higher learning institutions. Burnout and loneliness are among the stress triggers for students in universities and colleges, as most of them have to work on school work, live their social life, and accomplish their jobs (Bryce & Kathryn, 2015). Financial problems also trigger stress, as most students have to take loans to finance their learning (McCloud & Bann, 2019). Lower employability perceptions may also cause stress among students and reduce their academic engagement in learning activities (Ma & Bennett, 2021). Researchers have also used different research methods: quantitative, mixed, and qualitative. Using different research methods has made the evidence established within the literature more reliable and valid.

One of the disadvantages of the studies is that most of them used questionnaires in data collection. Only one study used interviews in addition to the questionnaire in a mixed research design (Jääskeläinen et al., 2020). Secondly, for most studies, data were collected through an online platform. Online data collection methods pose some demerits that future researchers should address. Another major drawback is that all the participants in the respective studies attended physical classes. Therefore, stress levels and experiences were measured based on physical learning experiences. Therefore, it is instrumental in conducting a study that evaluates stress levels for students enrolled in an online graduate program.

METHOD

Participants

The study participants will be students enrolled in the Online Psychology Graduate program. Participants will be selected from online psychology students at Southern New Hampshire University Online Studies program. Participation in the study will be voluntary for all participants.

Materials

The researcher will use a structured interview to collect data from the participants. A structured interview will be selected to evaluate the information quantitatively. Each participant will be required to respond to all the interview questions for inclusion in the final analysis.

Procedures

Once the researcher drafts the interview questions, a link will be created to allow sharing. The link will be sent randomly to students enrolled in the online psychology graduate program at Southern New Hampshire University of Online Studies. Upon sending a link to the interview questions, participants must send a specific code confirming they received the link. A maximum of three days will allow each participant to respond. Respondents who fail to meet this target will be considered to have withdrawn from the study. Data analysis will begin immediately after all participants submit their responses. Results from the findings will be published on the researcher's portal.

Ethical Considerations

Informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality will be primary in the research. Before participation, participants will be informed of the purpose and nature of the study and their roles during the study period. They will use pseudonyms to ensure that their privacy is protected. Participant data will be locked in a cabinet and destroyed permanently once findings are published and the course is completed.

Data Analysis Plan

Prepare new Data

Raw data from the participants will be entered into excel. Each research variable will be analyzed descriptively to find the mean, standard deviation, and percentiles. The researcher will use the interquartile range to find outliers that could affect the research outcomes.

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive statistics include mean, mode, median, standard deviation, frequency, and percentiles. For this study, the researcher will use mean, median, and interquartile range as descriptive statistics. All descriptive statistical information will be tabulated to ease reading, analysis, and interpretation.

Analytic procedure

Analysis of data will be done at a 95% confidence interval. Stress levels as a result of enrolling in an online classroom will be done using correlational analysis, meaning the Pearson coefficient will be calculated. Correlation is crucial in showing the relationship between different research variables, and in this study, the variables include stress level and enrollment in the online graduate program. A Pearson coefficient between 0.5 and 0.7 will show that stress level and enrollment for an online graduate program are strongly correlated. A P-value of between 0.1 and 0.3 will show a weak correlation.

Principles and Standards

As with any study, participants' information must be guarded to the latter, and this research will be no exception. The participant information will be protected as stated under the ethical consideration section. The reliability and validity of collected data and results will also be prioritized. During the study, the researcher will adhere to university regulations, including academic honesty. Further, the researcher will abide by the APA Code of Ethics (2017).

Results

The researcher anticipates that the null hypothesis will be accepted. The stress level increases for students who enroll in online psychology graduate programs. In such a case, the findings will imply that balancing distance learning, work and family increases stress for students enrolled in online programs. This information will augment the existing evidence on the relationship between stress levels and higher education, specifically online learning programs. The results could also offer insights into how students enrolling in an online program can be assisted in avoiding risks of mental health problems. The only limitation is that the study focuses on psychology students; thus, it may be difficult to generalize the findings. More rigorous studies may be required in the future.

References