1st Annual Conference on the Aiming for Excellence in STEM Learning and Teaching

Aim: To explore the predictive ability of sources of stress and a range of dispositional and coping behaviours on student satisfaction and motivation. Background: Most research exploring sources of stress and coping in students construes stress as psychological distress, with little attempt to consider positive experiences of stress. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 120 first year UK psychology students. Questions were asked which measured sources of stress when rated as likely to contribute to distress (a hassle) and likely to help one achieve (an uplift). The sources of stress were amended from the UK National Student Survey (NSS, 2011). Support, control, self-efficacy, personality and coping style were also measured, along with their potential effect on course satisfaction and motivation. Findings: The sources of stress likely to lead to distress were more often significant than sources of stress likely to lead to positive, eustress states. Ironically, factors one would consider would help students, such as the university support facilities, only did so when rated as a hassle, not an uplift. Published University league tables draw heavily on student course satisfaction but this negatively correlated with intellectual motivation, suggesting course satisfaction alone reveals an incomplete picture of the student experience. Conclusion: Course educators need to consider how course experiences contribute not just to potential distress but to eustress. Teaching quality, effective support and work-life balance are key to student satisfaction and motivation. How educators interact with their students and the opportunities they create in and outside the class to promote peer support are likely to enhance satisfaction and