International Conference on Psychology UMBY

Academic Self-Efficacy And Stress Levels Among Final-Year

Students During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Rico Ardyanto1, Narastri Insan Utami 2
12
Universitas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta, Indonesia
*[email protected]

ABSTRACT

This study examines the relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress levels among
final-year students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hypothesis posits a negative and
significant relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress levels. The sample
consisted of 138 students aged 20 to 25 years. Data were collected using an academic self-
efficacy scale and a stress level scale, and the analytical technique applied was parametric
correlation (Pearson’s product-moment correlation). The results indicate a correlation
coefficient (r) of -0.510 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.01), demonstrating a significant negative
relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress levels. The acceptance of the
hypothesis in this study yields a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.260, suggesting that
academic self-efficacy accounts for 26% of the variance in stress levels. The remaining 74% is
influenced by other factors, such as stress coping mechanisms, resilience, optimism, social
support, and ethnic identity.
Keywords: Stress levels, academic self-efficacy, final-year students.

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a global health threat, significantly

impacting countries worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified
this outbreak as a pandemic, and as of April 25, 2022, Indonesia reported 6,044,467
confirmed cases and 156,133 deaths (COVID-19 Task Force, 2022). WHO has
emphasized COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern, posing
a substantial risk to countries with vulnerable healthcare systems (Sohrab et al.,
2020).

One of the major impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on the education
sector. According to Abidah (2020), COVID-19 disrupted educational institutions,
preventing them from functioning as usual. In response, the Indonesian government
implemented online learning policies to minimize physical contact and promote
social distancing. However, this transition has presented significant challenges for
students, particularly university students facing academic stress (Harahap et al.,

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2020). For final-year students, the pressure to complete academic requirements,

such as a thesis, has intensified. Yulianto (in Henricus Dimas, 2016) explains that a
thesis serves as a mandatory academic paper and a final requirement for obtaining
academic qualifications.

The pressure associated with thesis completion can contribute to increased

stress among students, potentially hindering their progress. Rachman and Indriana
(2013) note that thesis completion is frequently delayed by obstacles such as
uncertainty on where to start, self-doubt, unsupportive environments, and
procrastination. During the pandemic, ineffective online guidance, delays in
research and data collection, and limited access to resources further complicated the
thesis completion process for students (news.detik.com, 2020).

Interviews with seven final-year students from various universities in Yogyakarta

revealed that four experienced symptoms such as anxiety, fear of mistakes,
headaches, and irritability, while three reported sleep disturbances, appetite loss,
low self-confidence, and hopelessness. These symptoms underscore the intensified
stress linked to thesis completion amid the challenges of the pandemic.

Stress, as defined by Sarafino and Smith (2012), results from an imbalance

between an individual’s biological and psychological states and environmental
demands, resulting in tension and discomfort. Stress can be categorized as mild,
moderate, or severe. While mild to moderate stress may manifest as irritability,
impatience, and anxiety, severe stress can lead to adverse effects such as depression,
hopelessness, and a sense of meaninglessness (Puspitha, 2018). For students, stress
often becomes a barrier to thesis completion, lowering productivity and self-
confidence in their academic capabilities.

The confidence in one’s ability to complete academic tasks is referred to as

academic self-efficacy. Academic self-efficacy is defined as the belief in one’s
capacity to face challenges, perform competently, and achieve positive outcomes in
academic tasks. Bandura (in Adian, 2018) posits that self-efficacy can assist
individuals in overcoming negative experiences, emotions, and health issues
encountered during adaptation. Furthermore, Bandura (in Ghufron & Risnawita,
2012) explains that self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capability to execute the actions
required to achieve specific goals, which significantly influences academic
motivation and performance (Mukti, 2019).

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High academic self-efficacy can play a protective role by enhancing resilience

and motivation, thereby enabling students to manage academic stress and work
towards success (Ghufron & Risnawati, 2012). Feist and Feist (2010) suggest that self-
efficacy influences decision-making and bolsters confidence in one’s ability to
control life circumstances, reducing stress triggers. Consequently, high academic
self-efficacy may empower students to cope effectively with the demands of thesis
completion (Ana, 2014).

In Yogyakarta, research has shown that students with low academic self-efficacy
tend to experience high stress levels when working on their thesis during the
pandemic, suggesting a potential link between self-efficacy and stress. Therefore,
this study aims to examine the relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress
levels among final-year students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This study employed a quantitative approach, commonly used to investigate

specific populations or samples through statistical analysis and hypothesis testing
(Suryanto, Herdiana, & Alfian, 2012). The population for this study included final-
year university students in Yogyakarta who were working on their thesis during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Using purposive sampling, 138 participants were selected based
on specific criteria: (1) final-year students engaged in thesis work during the
pandemic, (2) active enrollment at universities in Yogyakarta, and (3) ages ranging
from 20 to 25 years (Sugiyono, 2009).

The instruments utilized in this study were scales designed to measure academic
self-efficacy and stress levels. A preliminary test was conducted on 83 final-year
students from universities in Yogyakarta who were working on their thesis during
the pandemic. The stress scale, consisting of 50 items, was tested for validity and
reliability, with 49 items determined to be valid and showing high reliability (α =
0.962).

Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, employing Pearson’s product-moment
correlation to assess the relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress
levels.

Results and Discussion

Before conducting data analysis, descriptive analysis, normality test, linearity

test, and correlation test were performed. The categorization results for the academic
self-efficacy variable are shown in Table 1:

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Table 1. Distribution of Academic Self-Efficacy Categorization

Variable Score Range Category Frequency Precentage
Academic Self- X≥57 High 1 0,7%
Efficacy 38≤X≤57 Medium 73 52,9%
X<38 Low 64 46,4%

The stress level categorization results are shown in Table 2:

Table 2. Distribution of Stress Level Categorization

Variable Score Range Category Frequency Precentage
Stress Level X≥57 High 1 0,7%
38≤X≤57 Medium 135 97,8%
X<38 Low 2 1,4%

In this study, the normality test was conducted using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov
Test. A distribution is considered normal if the significance is greater than 0.05
(Priyatno, 2010). The normality test results are shown in Table 3:

Tests of Normality

Kolmogorov-Smirnova Shapiro-Wilk
Statistic df Sig. Statistic df Sig.
Stress Level ,051 138 ,200* ,993 138 ,721
Academic Self- ,072 138 ,080 ,987 138 ,214
Efficacy

*. This is a lower bound of the true significance.

a. Lilliefors Significance Correction

With significance values greater than 0.05, the distributions of both variables are
considered normal. Linearity tests show a linear relationship between academic self-
efficacy and stress levels (F = 51.229, p = 0.000 < 0.05), confirming linearity between
the variables.

The hypothesis testing using Pearson’s product-moment correlation confirms a

significant relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress levels among final-
year students during the pandemic. Table 5 provides the correlation test results:

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Table 4. Linearity Test

Variable F Significance Level
Academic Self-Efficacy
Stress Level 51,229 0,000

Based on the results of the linearity test, it was found that the variables of
academic self-efficacy and stress level showed a linear relationship, with F = 51.229
and p = 0.000 (p < 0.05). This analysis indicates that there is a linear relationship
between the variables of academic self-efficacy and stress level.

From the hypothesis, it was determined that there is a correlation between

academic self-efficacy and stress levels among final-year students during the
pandemic. The hypothesis aims to identify whether the independent variable is
significantly associated with the dependent variable. The correlation analysis used in
this research was Karl Pearson’s product-moment correlation. The findings of this
correlation test are displayed in Table 5 below:
Table 5. Correlation Test
Variable Pearson Correlation Sig r²
Academic Self-Efficacy -0,510 0,000 0,260
Stress Level

The results demonstrate a correlation between academic self-efficacy and stress

levels, with a correlation value of r=−0.510 and significance at p=0.000p =
0.000p=0.000 (p < 0.05). This outcome validates the research hypothesis, indicating
a significant relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress levels in final-
year students during the pandemic.

The R-Square value reveals that academic self-efficacy accounts for 26% of the
variance in stress levels, while the remaining 74% is attributed to other unexamined
factors in this study.

The negative direction of the relationship, r=−0.510r = -0.510r=−0.510, implies

that higher academic self-efficacy correlates with lower stress levels among final-
year students during the pandemic. Conversely, lower academic self-efficacy is
associated with higher stress levels.

The findings of this study align with prior research conducted by Saputri (2020),
which indicated that higher self-efficacy is associated with lower stress levels among
final-year students, while lower self-efficacy correlates with higher stress levels. This
relationship is further supported by theoretical explanations suggesting that
academic self-efficacy relates to an individual’s ability to think constructively and
positively when facing challenges and to perceive and approach problems

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strategically. Therefore, individuals with high academic self-efficacy are more

resilient when dealing with academic difficulties (Fatimah, 2021).

Another study by B. Mukti & F. Tentama (2019) found that students with low
academic self-efficacy are more likely to experience self-doubt, which can lead to
behaviors that hinder academic performance or decrease academic achievement,
such as avoiding tasks. Reduced academic performance in turn diminishes students
confidence in their ability to complete academic tasks, especially amid the challenges
presented by the pandemic. This decrease in confidence contributes to an affective
state in students that increases their susceptibility to stress.

The results of the academic self-efficacy scale categorization indicate that 46.4%
of subjects fall into the high category, 52.9% into the moderate category, and 0.7%
into the low category. This finding reveals that a portion of students still possesses
low academic self-efficacy, highlighting a lack of confidence in their academic
abilities. Such low self-efficacy leads to higher stress levels, as Olejnik and Holsechuh
(2007) suggested that academic stress is often caused by a lack of self-confidence in
one’s ability to meet academic demands, resulting in doubt and uncertainty.

In examining academic self-efficacy by gender, among the 78 female students, 35

(44.9%) had high self-efficacy, while 43 (55.1%) were in the moderate category, with
none in the low category. Among the 60 male students, 29 (48.3%) showed high self-
efficacy, 30 (50%) moderate, and 1 (1.7%) low. These results indicate that, based on
gender, male students are more likely to have lower academic self-efficacy than
female students when working on final assignments during the pandemic.

The categorization of stress levels shows that 0.7% (1 individual) of participants

were in the high-stress category, 97.8% (135 participants) in the moderate category,
and 1.4% (2 participants) in the low category. Several internal factors influence stress
levels, including students’ ineffective coping strategies, which prevent them from
properly managing emotions and addressing problems. Additionally, low self-
efficacy, resilience, and optimism when facing academic commitments, particularly
in final assignments or theses during the pandemic, contribute to heightened stress
levels (Nevid, 2014).

Stress levels were also analyzed by gender. Among the 78 female participants
(56.5%) and 60 male participants (43.5%), 1 female was in the high-stress category
(0.7%), while no males were in this category. Conversely, there were no females in
the low-stress category, whereas 2 males (1.4%) fell into this category. These findings
suggest that female students tend to experience higher stress levels than their male

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counterparts, consistent with prior research by Nasrani (2015), which reported that
females generally experience higher stress levels than males.

A limitation of this study was the distribution of the scales online via Google
Forms, which prevented the researchers from directly observing whether
participants responded hastily, potentially leading to discrepancies between results
and actual conditions. However, the study still effectively demonstrates a significant
relationship between academic self-efficacy and stress levels among final-year
students during the pandemic, thereby supporting the hypothesis and reinforcing
existing theoretical perspectives.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate a significant negative relationship between

academic self-efficacy and stress levels among final-year students in Yogyakarta
working on their final assignments or theses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This
finding suggests that higher academic self-efficacy enhances students’ ability to
think constructively and approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset
during the thesis process amid pandemic constraints. In contrast, lower academic
self-efficacy is associated with reduced confidence in academic abilities, making it
more difficult for students to manage stressors effectively. Consequently, these
students are more likely to experience elevated stress levels and face delays in
completing their final assignments or theses.

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