Exploration of first-year University Students' subjective experiences of stress, coping, self-efficacy, perceived social support, and overall mental health in the context of transition to University

Abstract

The transition to university is a critical developmental stage that exposes first-year students to heightened stress and vulnerability, intensified in South Africa by systemic inequalities, financial pressures, and cultural expectations. This study explored first-year students' subjective experiences of stress, coping, self-efficacy, perceived social support, and mental health during the transition to university at the University of the Western Cape. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, 12 students from diverse faculties participated in indepth semi-structured interviews, analysed through thematic analysis guided by Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. The study adhered to the ethical prescripts of the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSSREC; Reference: HS24/9/49). Five themes emerged: transitional stress, driven by mismatches between idealised expectations and academic realities and compounded by delayed institutional support; academic stress, reflecting overwhelming workloads and misalignment between school preparation and university demands; coping strategies such as reaching out to others, immersing in academic work, and faith-based practices; social support as a psychological buffer, with family, peers, and institutional structures providing reassurance and stability; and the gradual development of self-efficacy, transforming stress into resilience and growth. The findings highlight the dynamic interplay between stress appraisal, coping, self-efficacy, and relational resources in shaping mental health outcomes. Key recommendations arising from the study include earlier institutional mentorship and accommodation support, psychoeducational programmes that build self-efficacy, and stronger integration of peer and family support structures into first-year orientation. This study contributes to the literature by situating the transactional model within the South African higher education context.