STRESS, ANXIETY, AND BEHAVIOURAL TRENDS AMONG STUDENTS AWAITING ADMISSION
Keywords:
Stress, Anxiety, Admission Uncertainty, Workforce Readiness, HRM, Behavioral Trends, Employability
Abstract
The transition phase between completing prior education and securing admission into higher institutions represents a critical psychological period for students. This study examines stress, anxiety, and behavioral patterns among students awaiting admission, with a reframed focus on workforce readiness, human resource (HR) implications, and managerial relevance. Drawing on contemporary research, the paper identifies uncertainty, competitive pressure, and career ambiguity as key stressors. These psychological states are found to influence behavioral tendencies such as withdrawal, over-preparation, and risk aversion, which extend into future workplace behavior. The study argues that early-stage psychological patterns significantly shape employability, job-seeking behavior, and organizational adjustment. It further highlights the role of HR professionals and managers in designing early interventions, mental health support systems, and talent development strategies. The paper concludes by proposing a conceptual framework linking pre-admission stress to long-term workforce outcomes.
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References
Introduction
1.Saleh, D., Camart, N., & Romo, L. (2017). Predictors of stress in college students. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 19.
2.Clabaugh, A., Duque, J. F., & Fields, L. J. (2021). Academic stress and emotional well-being in United States college students following onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 628787.
3.Fruehwirth, J. C., Biswas, S., & Perreira, K. M. (2021). The Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of first-year college students: Examining the effect of Covid-19 stressors using longitudinal data. PloS one, 16(3), e0247999.
4.Liyanage, S., Saqib, K., Khan, A. F., Thobani, T. R., Tang, W. C., Chiarot, C. B., ... & Butt, Z. A. (2021). Prevalence of anxiety in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(1), 62.
5.Ahmed, I., Hazell, C. M., Edwards, B., Glazebrook, C., & Davies, E. B. (2023). A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies exploring prevalence of non-specific anxiety in undergraduate university students. BMC psychiatry, 23(1), 240.
6.Tan, G. X., Soh, X. C., Hartanto, A., Goh, A. Y., & Majeed, N. M. (2023). Prevalence of anxiety in college and university students: An umbrella review. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 14, 100658.
7.Lourie, A., Kennedy, S., Henshaw, E. J., & James, D. (2023). College transition Fall 2020 and 2021: Understanding the relationship of COVID-19 experiences and psychosocial correlates with anxiety and depression. PloS one, 18(7), e0287792.
8.Stokoe, M., Nordstokke, D., & Wilcox, G. (2024). First Year Students' Perceptions of the Transition to University: The Role of Informational, Instrumental, and Emotional Support. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 10(2), 377-393.
9.Kwak, Y., Kim, Y., & Chae, H. (2025). Job search anxiety and flourishing among university students: the serial mediating effects of social support and strengths use. BMC psychology, 13(1), 652.
10.Yang, M., Li, X., Qin, X., Tian, X., Zhang, H., & Wen, H. (2025). The relationship between perceived academic stress and college students’ employment anxiety: the mediating role of psychological resilience. Frontiers in psychiatry, 16, 1602808.
Literature Review
1.Pascoe, M. C., Hetrick, S. E., & Parker, A. G. (2020). The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education. International journal of adolescence and youth, 25(1), 104-112.
2.Son, C., Hegde, S., Smith, A., Wang, X., & Sasangohar, F. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 on college students’ mental health in the United States: Interview survey study. Journal of medical internet research, 22(9), e21279.
3.Odriozola-González, P., Planchuelo-Gómez, Á., Irurtia, M. J., & de Luis-García, R. (2020). Psychological effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown among students and workers of a Spanish university. Psychiatry research, 290, 113108.
4.Aristovnik, A., Keržič, D., Ravšelj, D., Tomaževič, N., & Umek, L. (2020). Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on life of higher education students: A global perspective. Sustainability, 12(20), 8438.
5.Wang, C., & Zhao, H. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on anxiety in Chinese university students. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1168.
6.Cao, W., Fang, Z., Hou, G., Han, M., Xu, X., Dong, J., & Zheng, J. (2020). The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry research, 287, 112934.
7.Boo, S., Wang, C., & Kim, M. (2021). Career adaptability, future time perspective, and career anxiety among undergraduate students: A cross-national comparison. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 29, 100328.
8.Şeşen, H. (2021). A Comprehensive Study on University Students’ Perceived Employability: Comparative Effects of Personal and Contextual Factors. SAGE Open, 11(3), 21582440211036105-21582440211036105.
9.Zhang, Z., Yu, X., & Liu, X. (2022). Do I decide my career? Linking career stress, career exploration, and future work self to career planning or indecision. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 997984.
10.Atikah, D. N., Kurniawati, F., & Rifameutia, T. (2023). Students’ career anxiety: a systematic literature review. Jurnal Pendidikan Progresif, 13(3), 1366-1381.
Discussion
1.Auerbach, R. P., Alonso, J., Axinn, W. G., Cuijpers, P., Ebert, D. D., Green, J. G., ... & Bruffaerts, R. (2016). Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization world mental health surveys. Psychological medicine, 46(14), 2955-2970.
2.Rudolph, C. W., Lavigne, K. N., & Zacher, H. (2017). Career adaptability: A meta-analysis of relationships with measures of adaptivity, adapting responses, and adaptation results. Journal of vocational behavior, 98, 17-34.
3.Bruffaerts, R., Mortier, P., Kiekens, G., Auerbach, R. P., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., ... & Kessler, R. C. (2018). Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning. Journal of affective disorders, 225, 97-103.
4.Auerbach, R. P., Mortier, P., Bruffaerts, R., Alonso, J., Benjet, C., Cuijpers, P., ... & Kessler, R. C. (2018). WHO world mental health surveys international college student project: Prevalence and distribution of mental disorders. Journal of abnormal psychology, 127(7), 623.
5.Ebert, D. D., Mortier, P., Kaehlke, F., Bruffaerts, R., Baumeister, H., Auerbach, R. P., ... & WHO World Mental Health—International College Student Initiative collaborators. (2019). Barriers of mental health treatment utilization among first‐year college students: First cross‐national results from the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. International journal of methods in psychiatric research, 28(2), e1782.
6.Karyotaki, E., Cuijpers, P., Albor, Y., Alonso, J., Auerbach, R. P., Bantjes, J., ... & Kessler, R. C. (2020). Sources of stress and their associations with mental disorders among college students: results of the world health organization world mental health surveys international college student initiative. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1759.
7.Karyotaki, E., Klein, A. M., Ciharova, M., Bolinski, F., Krijnen, L., de Koning, L., ... & Cuijpers, P. (2022). Guided internet-based transdiagnostic individually tailored Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for symptoms of depression and/or anxiety in college students: A randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 150, 104028.
8.Madigan, D. J., Kim, L. E., & Glandorf, H. L. (2024). Interventions to reduce burnout in students: A systematic review and meta-analysis: DJ Madigan et al. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39(2), 931-957.
9.Jochmann, A., Gusy, B., Lesener, T., & Wolter, C. (2024). Procrastination, depression and anxiety symptoms in university students: a three-wave longitudinal study on the mediating role of perceived stress. BMC psychology, 12(1), 276.
10.Ansari, S., & Iqbal, N. (2025). Association of stress and resilience in college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 236, 113006.
1.Saleh, D., Camart, N., & Romo, L. (2017). Predictors of stress in college students. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 19.
2.Clabaugh, A., Duque, J. F., & Fields, L. J. (2021). Academic stress and emotional well-being in United States college students following onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 628787.
3.Fruehwirth, J. C., Biswas, S., & Perreira, K. M. (2021). The Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of first-year college students: Examining the effect of Covid-19 stressors using longitudinal data. PloS one, 16(3), e0247999.
4.Liyanage, S., Saqib, K., Khan, A. F., Thobani, T. R., Tang, W. C., Chiarot, C. B., ... & Butt, Z. A. (2021). Prevalence of anxiety in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(1), 62.
5.Ahmed, I., Hazell, C. M., Edwards, B., Glazebrook, C., & Davies, E. B. (2023). A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies exploring prevalence of non-specific anxiety in undergraduate university students. BMC psychiatry, 23(1), 240.
6.Tan, G. X., Soh, X. C., Hartanto, A., Goh, A. Y., & Majeed, N. M. (2023). Prevalence of anxiety in college and university students: An umbrella review. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 14, 100658.
7.Lourie, A., Kennedy, S., Henshaw, E. J., & James, D. (2023). College transition Fall 2020 and 2021: Understanding the relationship of COVID-19 experiences and psychosocial correlates with anxiety and depression. PloS one, 18(7), e0287792.
8.Stokoe, M., Nordstokke, D., & Wilcox, G. (2024). First Year Students' Perceptions of the Transition to University: The Role of Informational, Instrumental, and Emotional Support. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 10(2), 377-393.
9.Kwak, Y., Kim, Y., & Chae, H. (2025). Job search anxiety and flourishing among university students: the serial mediating effects of social support and strengths use. BMC psychology, 13(1), 652.
10.Yang, M., Li, X., Qin, X., Tian, X., Zhang, H., & Wen, H. (2025). The relationship between perceived academic stress and college students’ employment anxiety: the mediating role of psychological resilience. Frontiers in psychiatry, 16, 1602808.
Literature Review
1.Pascoe, M. C., Hetrick, S. E., & Parker, A. G. (2020). The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education. International journal of adolescence and youth, 25(1), 104-112.
2.Son, C., Hegde, S., Smith, A., Wang, X., & Sasangohar, F. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 on college students’ mental health in the United States: Interview survey study. Journal of medical internet research, 22(9), e21279.
3.Odriozola-González, P., Planchuelo-Gómez, Á., Irurtia, M. J., & de Luis-García, R. (2020). Psychological effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown among students and workers of a Spanish university. Psychiatry research, 290, 113108.
4.Aristovnik, A., Keržič, D., Ravšelj, D., Tomaževič, N., & Umek, L. (2020). Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on life of higher education students: A global perspective. Sustainability, 12(20), 8438.
5.Wang, C., & Zhao, H. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on anxiety in Chinese university students. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1168.
6.Cao, W., Fang, Z., Hou, G., Han, M., Xu, X., Dong, J., & Zheng, J. (2020). The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry research, 287, 112934.
7.Boo, S., Wang, C., & Kim, M. (2021). Career adaptability, future time perspective, and career anxiety among undergraduate students: A cross-national comparison. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 29, 100328.
8.Şeşen, H. (2021). A Comprehensive Study on University Students’ Perceived Employability: Comparative Effects of Personal and Contextual Factors. SAGE Open, 11(3), 21582440211036105-21582440211036105.
9.Zhang, Z., Yu, X., & Liu, X. (2022). Do I decide my career? Linking career stress, career exploration, and future work self to career planning or indecision. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 997984.
10.Atikah, D. N., Kurniawati, F., & Rifameutia, T. (2023). Students’ career anxiety: a systematic literature review. Jurnal Pendidikan Progresif, 13(3), 1366-1381.
Discussion
1.Auerbach, R. P., Alonso, J., Axinn, W. G., Cuijpers, P., Ebert, D. D., Green, J. G., ... & Bruffaerts, R. (2016). Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization world mental health surveys. Psychological medicine, 46(14), 2955-2970.
2.Rudolph, C. W., Lavigne, K. N., & Zacher, H. (2017). Career adaptability: A meta-analysis of relationships with measures of adaptivity, adapting responses, and adaptation results. Journal of vocational behavior, 98, 17-34.
3.Bruffaerts, R., Mortier, P., Kiekens, G., Auerbach, R. P., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., ... & Kessler, R. C. (2018). Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning. Journal of affective disorders, 225, 97-103.
4.Auerbach, R. P., Mortier, P., Bruffaerts, R., Alonso, J., Benjet, C., Cuijpers, P., ... & Kessler, R. C. (2018). WHO world mental health surveys international college student project: Prevalence and distribution of mental disorders. Journal of abnormal psychology, 127(7), 623.
5.Ebert, D. D., Mortier, P., Kaehlke, F., Bruffaerts, R., Baumeister, H., Auerbach, R. P., ... & WHO World Mental Health—International College Student Initiative collaborators. (2019). Barriers of mental health treatment utilization among first‐year college students: First cross‐national results from the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. International journal of methods in psychiatric research, 28(2), e1782.
6.Karyotaki, E., Cuijpers, P., Albor, Y., Alonso, J., Auerbach, R. P., Bantjes, J., ... & Kessler, R. C. (2020). Sources of stress and their associations with mental disorders among college students: results of the world health organization world mental health surveys international college student initiative. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1759.
7.Karyotaki, E., Klein, A. M., Ciharova, M., Bolinski, F., Krijnen, L., de Koning, L., ... & Cuijpers, P. (2022). Guided internet-based transdiagnostic individually tailored Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for symptoms of depression and/or anxiety in college students: A randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 150, 104028.
8.Madigan, D. J., Kim, L. E., & Glandorf, H. L. (2024). Interventions to reduce burnout in students: A systematic review and meta-analysis: DJ Madigan et al. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39(2), 931-957.
9.Jochmann, A., Gusy, B., Lesener, T., & Wolter, C. (2024). Procrastination, depression and anxiety symptoms in university students: a three-wave longitudinal study on the mediating role of perceived stress. BMC psychology, 12(1), 276.
10.Ansari, S., & Iqbal, N. (2025). Association of stress and resilience in college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 236, 113006.
Published
2025-03-09
How to Cite
Kedar Prasad Soni, & Dr. Sandeep Shukla. (2025). STRESS, ANXIETY, AND BEHAVIOURAL TRENDS AMONG STUDENTS AWAITING ADMISSION. IJRDO - Journal of Business Management, 11(1), 67-71. https://doi.org/10.69980/bm.v11i1.6689
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Articles
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