DefinePK

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the association concerning stress and academic achievement affecting self efficacy in dental undergraduate students.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from July 01, 2020, to June 31, 2021, both in the private and public sectors in Punjab and the Federal areas in Pakistan. The study comprised 310 students and a validated questionnaire was shared with them. Response from all forms was analyzed and the relationship between stress and academic performance was assessed. Descriptive analysis was done for gender and years of study while the relationship between stress and academic performance was analyzed by Chi-square test. Results: Results indicated that 86.1% of students were stressed and significant associations were seen in gender from academic  overload in exams (p ≤ 0.001), too many tasks (p ≤ 0.05), and poor relation with peers (p ≤ 0.001). Likewise, stress of competitiveness (p ≤ 0.008), and becoming a dentist (p ≤ 0.001) were also found to be strongly correlated amongst all years of study. Furthermore, stress from academic overload, family pressure, interaction with peers, and future perspectives were all found to be intensely associated with the effect on academic performance.Conclusion: The research shows high amount of stress in dental students which is linked to poor academic performance, emphasizing the need for institutions to implement effective stress management strategies to support student well-being and enhance academic outcomes.