Psycho-Social Challenges of Hostel Inmate Female Students and their Coping Strategies in Higher Education

Abstract

The present study aimed to study the psycho-social challenges of hostel inmate’s students while undertaking higher studies and how they cope with it. The study focused to know the effect of hostel life on student’s mental health, social relationships, and academic performance. The study discloses that student in hostel are most vulnerable to psychosocial stressors such as homesickness, loneliness, and stress, which affect their academic performance as well as their mental well-being. Students use various coping mechanisms such as seeking social support and engaging in extracurricular activities, and stress-reducing activities as disclosed by the study to cope with their psychosocial problems. Students using effective coping mechanisms, as disclosed by the findings, are better academically and mentally. Correlation and regression analysis was used to identify the relationship between psychosocial challenges and coping strategies. The relationship between the variables was found to be significant, as disclosed in the results section. The study findings can be utilized to formulate suitable support services and resources which assist hostel inmate’s students in coping up with psychosocial problems and achieving academic success.