Examination of Negative Coping Strategies in College Students Facing Academic Stress: An Integrative Literature Review

Examination of Negative Coping Strategies in College Students Facing Academic Stress: An Integrative Literature Review Emina Mujanovic Research Sponsor: Elizabeth P. Anderson RN, PhD Background: The rise in negative coping strategies including alcohol consumption, nicotine, and amphetamine drug in college students is of growing concern as students seek out means for stress reduction due to academics. The use of amphetamine drugs in particular has risen despite harmful adverse effects. Objectives: The purpose of this integrative literature review is to identify predictors that would predispose certain individuals to using negative coping strategies such as stimulant drugs for alleviation of stress from academics. Method: An integrative literature review was used to organize and synthesis data on the use of amphetamine drugs by college students as a mean of coping with academic stress. Data was evaluated and analyzed following the Garrard (2016) matrix method. A total of seven research studies were analyzed and examined from the years 2008 to 2018. Results: Of the analyzed studies the prevalence of engaging in amphetamine use by the college population was high in accordance to three factors. Predictors for use were indicated in those that (1) exhibited neuroticism, openness to experience, lower agreeableness, conscientiousness, less self-control, weaker moral beliefs and stress personality characteristics, (2) positive attitudes towards use, and (3) a history of use of amphetamines or other substance were more incline to use while in college. Major limitations: representativeness generalizability (lack of ethnic, gender diversity, and geographic locations) and theoretical rigor regarding missing conceptual frameworks. Conclusions: This integrative literature review presents current data on the use of negative coping strategy by means of amphetamine drug use as alleviation to academic stress in college student. This research study developed a further understanding of the role of certain personality traits, attitudes towards use, history of use, and the role of these variables in coping with academic stress via stimulant drugs. Proposed future research including greater variation in participants and college location is needed. Enlightenment after analyzation in examining the conceptual framework predictors indicated previously (socioeconomic factors, education, history of abuse and neglect, and parental use) are missing from the conceptual framework by Costa & McCrae (1985) Five Factor Model of Personality. A revision is suggested to include the aforementioned predictors within the center personality as a guide for future studies. Key Words: college students, college campus, academic stress, prescription stimulants, illicit us