According to the American College Health Association, a survey among undergraduate students showed that 40% of students identified stress, and 29% of students identified depression as an impediment to academic performance (2019). Students studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors often experience higher levels of stress and other negative emotions such as anxiety and depression compared to students studying other majors (Hegenauer, 2018). STEM students are in need of stress reduction programs because studies show that the mental health of college students has been declining over the past decade, and compared to students with other majors, STEM majors study more hours per week, sleep less, and feel more academic stress. Research suggests that STEM majors are amongst the most stressful fields of study, as coursework becomes increasingly challenging and complex and there is a competitive environment through grading criteria and academic standing of students; this enforces students’ need to spend even more time on their academic work, which increases stress levels and impacts lifestyle behaviors such as sleep (Hsu & Goldsmith, 2021).
Another study shows that stress levels among engineering students differ significantly from the stress levels of students studying the management sciences (business). The higher stress levels of engineering students can be attributed to course load, sleep deprivation, and social activities, all of which impact students’ academic performance (Talib & Zia-ur-Rehman, 2012). In another analysis, data from surveys regarding homework, GPA, stress, and amount of sleep, compiled by Indiana University, were compiled and analyzed. The responses showed that STEM majors spend 16.5 hours per week preparing for class while humanities students spend 14 hours per week preparing for class; STEM majors sleep about 6.68 hours per night and humanities majors sleep 6.73 hours per night; STEM majors pulled 2.75 all-nighters in the midst of the academic year while humanities majors pulled 2.21 all-nighters; and STEM majors reported to experience stress 7.07 times per week, while humanities majors reported experiencing stress 6.15 times per week (Shukman, 2017). The findings from these articles could indicate possible disparities that STEM students face when it comes to academic burdens and stress, hence the need for stress management for this population.