An exploration of the relationship between resilience, perceived stress, and attachment of undergraduate students at a university in the Western Cape.

dc.contributor.authorNkuna, Munene
dc.date.accessioned2025-08-19T10:54:04Z
dc.date.available2025-08-19T10:54:04Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractPerceived stress is associated with various factors that can exceed one’s resources to cope or manage stress. This can result in negative health outcomes and risky behaviours. The transition to university can be considered stressful and demanding, especially for undergraduate students. Research shows that undergraduate students are the most vulnerable to experiencing perceived stress due to adjusting to a new academic environment, experiencing additional freedom and associated risk factors, financial challenges, and exposure to trauma. Stressful events and adversity may impede an individual’s ability to develop positive outcomes and overcome challenges while remaining resilient. Adult attachment places a strong emphasis on social support systems and the development of healthy relationships as a protective factor against perceived stress and to enhance resilience. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived stress, resilience, and attachment of undergraduate students at a university in the Western Cape, South Africa. Specifically, the study aimed to determine whether attachment styles mediated the relationship between resilience and perceived stress among undergraduate students. The Positive Psychology framework was used as a theoretical framework to guide the study. A cross-sectional survey design was used to investigate the aim and objectives of the study. The researcher obtained ethics clearance from the Humanities and Social Sciences Ethics Committee and permission to access students from the university’s Registrar’s office. The researcher ensured that informed consent is obtained from the participants before the commencement of the study. The study employed a non-probability convenience sampling to select research participants. The study utilised self-administered questionnaires, sent to participants via Google Forms. A total number of 256 undergraduate students participated in this study.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/20762
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of the Western Cape
dc.subjectPerceived Stress
dc.subjectResilience
dc.subjectAttachment Styles
dc.subjectUndergraduate Students
dc.subjectMediation Analysis
dc.titleAn exploration of the relationship between resilience, perceived stress, and attachment of undergraduate students at a university in the Western Cape.
dc.typeThesis

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
nkuna_chs_m_2024.pdf
Size:
10.64 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: