Perceived stress and addiction and risk comportments among university students in three different socio-cultural contexts. A study in Algeria, France and Hungary, 2011-2013: Joel Ladner

Background

University students face multiple stressors such as academic overload, constant pressure to succeed, competition with peers as well as concerns about the future. Stress is frequently associated with potential risk comportments and substance use. The aim was to determine the level of perceived stress and risk factors associated with stress among students in higher education in three socio-cultural different countries.

Methods

A cross sectional study was conducted from in Batna (B, Algeria), Miskolc (M, Hungary) and Rouen (R, France). University students completed a standardized and anonymous self-questionnaire which collected a large sample of different data, including age, gender, alcohol, tobacco and cannabis consumption and risk comportments, mental stress measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), risk of cyber addiction (Internet Stress Scale) and eating disorders (Scoff questionnaire) and sleeping disorders.

Results

A total of 3,295 students were included: 532 in B, 885 in M and 1,878 in R. The mean age was 21.3 years (without significant difference in the 3 countries). Respectively in B, M and R, the mean stress level was 19.1 (SD = 4.5), 17.1 (SD = 5.8) and 15.9 (SD = 7.2) (p < 10-4).The mean stress was significantly higher in women that in men students in M and R, the result was opposite in B (p = 0.45). In the three countries, students practising sport were less stressed. After multivariate analyses, positive significant associations were found between level of stress and risk of cyberaddiction, and sleeping disorders in the three countries; especially in M and R, in addition with female gender, smokers, alcohol abuse. A significant negative association between stress and practice of sport was found in three countries.

Conclusion

In three different socio cultural environments, perceived stress levels were high. This study shows that stress was associated with risks comportment, such alcohol abuse problems and cyber addiction. These findings stress the need to investigate health risks and behaviours, to initiate specific prevention interventions in student populations using integrated preventive interventions.

Key messages

• New behaviours risks as mental stress, cyberaddiction appear problematic in 3 different socio-cultural contexts.

• These results could help to develop interventions focussing on these risk behaviours adapted to the socio-cultural environment.