Perceived stress, fatigue symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among young adult college students

Problem: University students experience stress and fatigue often affecting their health, academic success, and social adjustment. Many also have histories of childhood trauma that may result in posttraumatic stress symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between perceptions of stress, symptoms of fatigue, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among university students, many of whom report childhood adversity. Methods: Sixty-nine students from one university campus participated in this study. A cross-sectional design was used to gather data across six self-report measures. Findings: Childhood adversity was associated with PTSD symptoms and acute stress, and PTSD symptoms were related to all three measures of fatigue. PTSD symptoms mediated the relationship between stress and fatigue, but not other fatigue domains. Conclusions: The implications of an association between PTSD, stress, and fatigue are relevant to students' health and academic success. It is important to note that even subclinical levels of PTSD impact fatigue.