DefinePK

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered widespread concern regarding the psychological health of university students, particularly those in health-related fields such as physical therapy. Sudden disruptions in academic routines, social isolation, and uncertainty about the future contributed to increased stress levels. In this context, assessing how physical therapy students perceived and responded to stress during the pandemic is crucial to inform appropriate academic and mental health interventions.
Objective: To assess the levels and sources of stress and the corresponding reactions among physical therapy students, and to evaluate the correlation between general stress levels and COVID-19-specific stress during the pandemic.
Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional correlational study was conducted over a period of 10 months and included 241 physical therapy students aged 18–30 years from multiple institutions in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Data collection employed a non-probability convenience sampling technique. The Student Stress Inventory (SSI) and COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire (CSSQ) were used to evaluate general and pandemic-specific stress levels, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, with correlation assessed via Spearman’s Rho due to non-normal distribution.
Results: Among the 241 participants, 51 (21.2%) were males and 189 (78.4%) were females. Based on the SSI, 150 students (62.2%) exhibited moderate stress, 86 (35.7%) had mild stress, and 5 (2.1%) experienced high stress. Academic and environmental stressors both accounted for high stress levels in 153 participants (63.5%). On the CSSQ, 122 students (50.6%) reported moderate pandemic-related stress. A weak positive correlation was found between SSI and CSSQ scores (p = 0.434), though not statistically significant.
Conclusion: The study highlights a predominance of moderate stress among physical therapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for institutional mental health support and tailored interventions to mitigate academic and environmental stressors.