Academic Coping Strategies Among Undergraduate Students In Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand

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Date
2016-02
Authors
Kuncharin, Linatda
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Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The three scales of Academic Coping Strategy Scales (ACSS) comprising Approach, Avoidance, and Social Support strategies have been recommended to help Thai undergraduate students to cope with their academic performance problems. Sequential explanatory mix methods design was used to answer the research questions and to test the research hypotheses following the objectives of this study. The Three Scales of Academic Coping Strategy on academic performance problems (adapted and revised from Sullivan, 2010) was used as an instrument. Samples were randomly selected from six schools at two universities in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. These samples consisted of 240 second year students from Ratchamangala University of Technology and 480 second year students from Walailak University (students 18-20 years old). A structured interview was conducted with 12 respondents who have experienced academic performance problems. The data collected were analysed using descriptive analysis such as means and standard deviations, and chi-square test, t-test. In addition, the one-way repeated measures ANOVA were applied. The results from the quantitative analysis showed that the respondents of this study agreed that the three scales of academic coping strategy have helped undergraduate students cope with their academic performance problems. Altogether, 650 students agreed that the approach coping strategy helped them cope with their academic performance problems. Another 569 students agreed that avoidance coping strategy helped them cope with their academic problems. Finally, 483 students agreed that social support coping strategy helped them cope with their academic performance problems. To summarise, the findings show that Thai undergraduate students have used the approach coping strategy most frequently when they have academic performance problems. In addition, they practiced avoidance coping strategy and social support coping strategy less frequently, when facing difficulties to perform well in their studies. To support the quantitative findings, qualitative analysis was used to analyse data collected from a structured interview through thematic analysis. The interview results clearly showed that academic coping strategies helped students cope with their academic performance problems. Therefore, lecturer, counsellors, academic advisors and mentors need to improve their teaching strategy to include all the three scales of academic coping strategy in helping students to cope with their academic performance problems.
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Academic
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