The Impact of Coping and Help-Seeking on University Students' Academic Achievements

Introduction. When faced with challenges or complications, we typically turn to coping. Coping is a multifaceted and multidimensional construct, with many coping mechanisms developed in the form of questionnaires to measure a number of coping styles. Consequently, when we are not able to resolve a problem, we normally seek help from another person. The goal of this current study is to investigate students' coping strategies and help-seeking behaviors while pursuing their studies at a university in Brunei. Method. A questionnaire consisting of questions related to demographic, coping and help-seeking behaviors were disseminated to 395 university students. The final sample analyzed consisted of 352 students (270 females and 82 males). The analyses of the quantitative data involved procedures such as descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and nonparametric statistics. Results. A two-Way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis identified task-oriented coping and gender as the main effects are significantly related to academic achievement. Both variables had high effect sizes and statistical power. Hierarchical stepwise multiple regression analysis confirmed task-focused coping and female gender as the variables most significantly related to academic success. Binary logistic regression analysis further showed that task-and-emotion based coping was significantly related to achieving at or above the 75 th percentile. Task-oriented students had higher odds for performing above the third quartile (OR = 1.043, 95% CI for OR = 1.019 - 1.069). Self-dependent students were 1.9 times more likely to achieve higher than other peers (OR = 1.930, 95% CI = 0.791 - 4.708). Students who sought help from lecturers were more likely to perform better than others (OR = 1.163, 95% CI = 0.530 - 2.552). Similarly, students who consulted peers had high likelihood for good achievement (OR = 1.049, 95% CI = 0.484 - 2.272). Discussion and Conclusion. The task-oriented coping style was the best achievement predictor for all students with high support needs. The help-seeking resources consulted most by distressed students were self, lecturers, and peers. Students who utilized these three sources of help had high likelihood to obtain good academic results. Moreover, male students need more assistance than the females.