Journal of Academic Research for Humanities (JARH) is a double-blind peer-review, Open Free Access, online Multidisciplinary Research Journal
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Vol. 3 No. 4 (2023)
The International "Journal of Academic Research for Humanities"

Research Articles

Comparative Analysis of Likert and Visual Analogue Scale in Identifying Factors Contributing to Academic Stress of Students

Published 22-12-2023

  • Dr. Naila Alam
    • ,
  • Ms. Misbah Khalid
    • ,
  • Ms. Saleha Dawood

Dr. Naila Alam
Assistant Professor, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore, Pakistan

Ms. Misbah Khalid
Student, Kinnaird College for Women, Pakistan

Ms. Saleha Dawood
Student, Kinnaird College for Women, Pakistan

Abstract

 The global prevalence of academic stress and declining mental well-being among students is frequently linked to escalating academic expectations and challenging coursework. Despite considerable scholarly attention, a gap persists in comprehending the intricacies of measuring academic stress. This study seeks to fill this void by examining the primary factors influencing academic stress and assessing the efficiency of two response scales, the 5-point Likert scale (LS) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), about their validity, reliability, and precision in evaluating various dimensions of academic stress among students. The research adopts a quantitative approach, employing a structured questionnaire with 34 questions to measure the levels of stress. The Analysis revealed slight differences in factor loadings, with the LS yielding eight factors and the VAS identifying nine factors. The study identified the primary dimensions of academic stress among students as "Teaching Method Stress (TTMS)", "Parent’s Expectations Stress (PES)", "Class Test Stress (CTS)", "Group Work Stress (GWS)", "Exam Result Stress (ERS)", "Competition with Classmate’s Stress (CCS)", "Content Difficulties’ Stress (CDS)", "Time Management’s Stress (TMS)", and "Presentation Anxiety (PA)". The model's excellent fit was confirmed by Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values of 0.869 and 0.077, respectively. It was observed that academic stress significantly varied among different educational levels and genders. Based on our findings, we recommend adopting VAS for enhanced precision in stress modeling. Additionally, we suggest developing targeted intervention strategies, such as stress-reducing programs tailored to specific dimensions identified.

Keywords

Validity, Reliability, Evaluating, Stress, Intervention

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