Citation
Babalola, O. I., Alao, O. G., & Akintola, M. A. (2026). Gender and Academic Resilience as predictors of Academic Stress among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. International Journal of Research, 13(3), 53–71. https://doi.org/10.26643/ijr/5
Olawale Idowu Babalola
Counselling and Human Development Studies
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8967-8371
Olayinka Grace Alao
Counselling and Human Development Studies
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0213-8235
Motunrayo Adenike Akintola
Counselling and Human Development Studies
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1597-6553
Abstract
The current study examined the extent to which gender and academic resilience are predictors of academic stress in adolescents pursuing secondary education in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The objectives were to (i) determine the relationship between academic resilience and academic stress, (ii) determine the degree to which gender predicts academic stress, and (iii) determine gender-based differences in academic stress.
Academic stress is an over-riding problem of adolescents, and it is largely due to the pressure of examinations, academic workload, parental expectations and school demand. According to previous literature, academic resilience serves as a protective factor in stress response and that female students are more likely to report high levels of stress, although there is a wide range of empirical evidence across cultures and educational settings, especially in the Nigerian secondary school setting.
The survey design used was a correlational, descriptive survey. The sample consisted of 100 adolescents who were chosen through a simple random sampling method. Measurements were made using Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30) and Academic Stress Inventory. Pearson product-moment correlations, multiple regression, and independent samples t-tests were used, with a significance level of 0.05.
The results of the analyses showed no statistically significant correlation between academic stress and academic resilience. Gender was also not a major predictor of academic stress. However, the independent samples t-test showed that the difference between the academic stress levels between genders was statistically significant, but only slightly with male students reporting slightly high academic stress levels compared to female students.
The results indicate that academic resilience may not have a pronounced effect on academic stress in the analysed group, and gender is not a very relevant predictor. These findings challenge existing assumptions about the universal buffer effect of resilience on stress and the reliability of gender-based differences in academic stress.
The following recommendations, in turn, are offered in the study: the delivery of individualised counselling services, adoption of balanced academic policies, the use of gender-neutral stress-management interventions, increased parental involvement, and additional research on contextual determinants of academic stress in adolescents.
Keywords
Quantitative Study, Academic stress, academic resilience, gender differences, In-School Students well-being, academic stress management, learning
1.1 Introduction
Stress is a psychological activity that destablise the reasoning, thinking and behaviour of an individual. It is not age bound as it is experienced at every age group. During adolescence, academic stress has been a critical problem for adolescents at the secondary level of education. Academic stress is the transient experience of pressure, anxiety, or distress related to achieving academic goals (Pascoe et al. 2020). It is the anxiety and pressure associated with schooling and education (Sudiksha et al., 2024). It usually arises as a result of the imbalance between academic duties and social performance. According to Galloway, et al. (2013) explained that students who do heavy homework at home do not have enough time to socialize with their peers and might not have some life skills necessary to accomplish some essentials of life. Adolescents can experience academic stress when they are concerned about their capacity to cope with the academic demands (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984). It is very important to note that academic stress among adolescents can relatively be influenced by their relationship with teachers, the personality of teachers, pressure to excel in exams, the need to complete schoolwork within a given period, and the overall atmosphere of the school. Notwithstanding, participation in co-curricular activities such as debates, quizzes, speeches, music, dance, and arts can help alleviate stress and improve student performance. Whilst continuous tests, grades, the demand for success, and external expectations are the primary sources of stress for senior In-School Adolescents. Addressing academic stress among In-School Adolescents is important given its potentially serious effects on educational attainment and wellbeing. High levels of academic stress are associated with poorer examination performance, mental wellbeing, affect, sleep, confidence, motivation, and even physical health (Shankar and Park, 2016). In their study A Study on Academic Stress among Senior In-School Adolescents, Sudiksha et al (2024) found out that some of the causes of academic stress among adolescents are examination, test, assignment, parental expectations, competition with peers among others. The expectations of teachers and parents seem a source of burden to students. Hosseinkhani et al. (2019) opined that many parents had very high expectations from their children, such as being the best students in school and involving in all school competitions. Also, teachers display unprofessional and disrespectful behaviour by mocking students in front of others and use inappropriate terms in class. Reddy et al. (2018) further stated that parents and schools relentlessly instill the fear of failure in students which consequently affects their self-esteem and confidence. Sudiksha et al. (2024) further suggested that in helping adolescents managing academic stress, counseling service is crucial. Well, not just mere counseling but a resilient and holistic approach to counseling adolescents will help in managing academic stress among the adolescents. Some researches has revealed that female students are more prone to academic stress than their male counterparts (Calagus, 2011; Busari and Omoponle, 2018; Karaman et al., 2019). However, Dhakkal (2013) found that there is no relationship between gender and academic stress and could not pinpoint a significant gender difference in the level of academic stress. In some other studies, it was found that male students experience high level of academic stress and less coping mechanisms than the female students (Chen et al., 2009; Vijaya and Karunakaran, 2013; Rushmi, 2024).
Adolescents are not immune to stressful situations be it academic or non academic. There are many situations that may trigger stress among the adolescents which may include teasing, bullying, disagreements with peers or adults, competition with peers, assignments, tests and class presentations, transitioning from one school to another, etc. In any given stressful situations adolescents find themselves, it is very essential to build resilience.
The concept of Academic resilience is relative, as there has not been a firm or exact definition for its concept. The term Academic resilience has been well understood by various definitions from different perspectives. Academic resilience is not a simple task, as it involves a complex and broad concept which can usually be mixed up with other terms (Pina Lopez, 2015). It can be used to explain different terms, attitudes, and behaviors in the face of academic challenges (Fernandes de Araujo and Bermudez, 2015). It is even becoming harder for researchers to try to provide a standard and acceptable definition (Vinnacia et al., 2007). It emerges as a term within a lot of social sciences (Cichetti and Curtis, 2007) such as Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology and Education. In the 1980s, researchers often used the word “invulnerable” with the attention to describe those people who were able to maintain a positive aspect of view despite negative circumstances (Dimakos and Papakonstantinopoulou, 2012). Margalit (2004) points out that it is not a trait, but a process that involves internal and external factors. Masten (2011) defined it as the capability that students have in order to deal with important threats which can undermine their expected and normal progress and development in their academic journey. It is the capacity to adapt well when faced with adversity or stress in school related works. It helps students stave off the potential negative psychological effects of challenging experiences (Howley-Rouse, 2020). There are various essential abilities associated with academic resilience which are emotional regulation, impulse control, causal analysis, empathy, realistic optimism, self efficacy and opportunity seeking.
Resilient adolescents see academic or social stress in a positive way which enables them to increase their effort and develop new strategies towards achieving their goals. They tend to develop a growth mindset and show minimal problematic behaviours. This is because resilient people display the courage and motivation to face problems and difficulties accurately (rather than denying or exaggerating them) and maintain a positive mindset and the confidence to persevere (Howley-Rouse, 2020)
Academic resilience also contributes to productivity of adolescents as it fosters their beliefs that they have the ability to influence the external factors that contribute to their academic journey. Resilient students are high in autonomy and self-efficacy – they experience feelings of confidence and believe that things will work out. This sense of personal control gives adolescents an advantage in making changes when faced with difficulty and it can moderate the effect of adversity on wellbeing. (Howley-Rouse, 2020). Though fluctuates at different ages and developmental stages, and across different contexts, It is not a character trait that adolescents are born with, but is a developmental process mostly influenced by adolescents’ experiences and relationships. Importantly for Counselors, this means that academic resilience can be learned and developed among In-School studentss in Ibadan, Oyo state.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The problem of academic stress has become an increasingly relevant concern among adolescents in secondary school, especially at a point where the academic demands and social expectations meet with developmental changes. Young people in Ibadan, Oyo State, are exposed to a lot of academic stressing pressure due to exams, constant tests, school work, parental pressure, teacher pressure, and peer pressure. These stressors are evidenced by a development phase characterised by emotional, cognitive and social changes making adolescents particularly vulnerable to stress-related problems that may interrupt school academic achievements, mental health, motivation, self-esteem and general adaptation to school life.
Although more and more attention is paid to academic stress and its negative outcomes, teenagers do not have a homogenic perception and response to stress. The evidence on gender differences in academic stress is not conclusive; other studies carried out in advance found contradicting evidence with some indicating that female students have a higher level of academic stress and male students have more academic stress and other studies found no significant difference in the academic stress between male and female students. This contradiction renders knowledge gap on the issue of how gender can be used as a predictor of academic stress particularly in the Nigerian context as well as among in-school adolescents in Ibadan.
At the same time, it has been found that academic resilience is one of the central protective factors that allow adolescents to overcome academic challenges and stressors. Adolescents who are resilient have better emotional control, are consistently optimistic, never give up in the face of adversity, and use adaptive coping strategies to fulfil their academic needs. However, even though the academic resilience has received a lot of literature coverage, there is still little empirical evidence on its predictive ability of academic stress in in-school adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State, and its possible buffering role on academic pressure in this context.
The research gap lies in having an insufficient knowledge of the combined and separate predictive condition of gender and academic resilience with respect to academic stress among in-school adolescents in Ibadan. Without the presence of strong evidence that will outline these relationships, counsellors, educators, school administrators and policymakers will face challenges in formulating specific, effective and contextual relevant interventions to manage academic stress and promote the wellbeing of adolescents. This research gap needs to be considered in order to create comprehensive, resilience-oriented counselling and school-based interventions to help adolescents overcome academic pressures without compromising their psychological health and academic performance.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The overall purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which gender and academic resilience predicts academic stress of married people living in the Abeokuta North Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. Specifically, the research attempts to:
- Assess if there is any significant relationship between Academic Resilience and Academic Stress among In-school Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State.
- Examine if gender significantly predict academic stress among In-School adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State.
- Evaluate any significant difference on Academic Stress among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State, based on Gender (Male and Female)?
1.4 Research Questions
- Is there significant relationship between Academic Resilience and Academic Stress among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State?
- Does gender significantly predict academic stress among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state?
- Is there any significant difference on Academic Stress among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria based on Gender (Male and Female)?
2.1 Literature Review
Academic stress has been broadly noted to be one of the major psychological pressures facing students at all stages of learning. It refers to the psychological and emotional pressure, which accrue due to academic requirements such as exams, homework, time limits, workload, and the directions expected of them as per teachers and parents. When such demands surpass the ability of a student to manage them, stress will result and it can have a negative influence on academic performance, emotional health, and physical health. Academic stress has moved into the focus of growing academic interests especially in the face of greater competitiveness and performance orientation in modern education especially in adolescence and early adulthood when adaptive coping styles are still being developed.
The literature on gender disparity in academic stress is relatively large in number, and it is based on the assumption that male and female students perceive and react differently to stresses because of differences in socialisation processes, biological factors, and cultural demands. Several empirical studies document high levels of stress in the students (female). Graves and colleagues (2021) revealed that female students at college were more likely to report higher levels of moderate-to-high academic stress, and male students were more likely to report lower levels of academic stress, though. Simultaneously, Rubach et al. (2022) showed that academic stress had a more negative direct impact on mental-health outcomes in female students of universities, and stress was a predictor of emotional challenges among women more than among men. In the context of professional training, e.g. nursing and midwifery programmes, Alharbi et al. (2025) observed a greater acute and perceived stress among women; these findings suggest increased susceptibility to academic stress.
However, the data on the issue of gender differences in academic stress is not definitive. Other studies give insignificant or insignificant differences between male and female students. The study carried out by Souza-Lima et al. (2025) found that there were slight gender differences between pre-adolescent pupils, with girls feeling more stressed and bored at school than boys. More importantly, physical exercise reduced stress levels in both genders, implying that behavioural predictors might override gender effects. Similarly, Devchoudhury and Devasagayam (2022) did not find any statistically significant gender effect on general academic stress in the sample of undergraduate students, though female students had a slightly higher mean stress level. The inconsistencies mean that gender-related tendencies are not universal but depend on the context.
Gender differences in academic stress also vary as influenced by cultural context. Amoadu et al. (2024) studied high-school students in Ghana and indicated that they found no meaningful gender differences in academic resiliency or general wellbeing. Male and female students showed similar resilience and high wellbeing which highlights the moderating power of common cultural and educational milieu. The finding highlights the essential contribution of situational variables, such as educational systems, cultural norms, and social expectations, to the development of academic-stress experience.
Gender disparities also occur in the coping mechanisms adopted by students in order to manage academic stress. Emotion-oriented coping strategies are more popular among female students, who look to social support and emotions, compared to male students, who favour problem-oriented coping strategies. According to Graves et al. (2021), female students were more likely to use emotional expression and peer support. Additionally, Benitez-Agudelo et al. (2025) found that female students reported increased anxiety and their perception of stress more often but had more frequent better academic results, which indicates that adaptive coping can counteract stressful disadvantages.
Outside gender, academic resilience has become one of the most important constructs to explain how students react to academic stress. Academic resilience is the ability to adjust favourably and stay in academic activities in spite of difficulties like low grades or exam stress. Instead of an inborn characteristic, it is conceptualised as an active process that is influenced by interactions between personal and environmental factors and is not the same as academic buoyancy, which takes into account the daily struggles in academics (Martin and Marsh 2008).
The literature repeatedly emphasises the importance of protective factors in promoting academic resiliency. Resilience and academic success are predictable by individual factors such as self-efficacy, self-regulation, motivation, emotional intelligence and perseverance and additionally external reinforcements like parental encouragement and teacher emotional support. These associations are endorsed by meta-analytic and systematic reviews (Jowett et al., 2023; Kassis et al., 2024). Under-representation of gender in academic resilience seems to be minimal, and resilience indicates good wellbeing among both male and female students (Amoadu et al., 2024).
Overall, it has been shown that academic stress is common among students and that female students tend to report high instances of stress although this is diverse in terms of age and culture. However, academic resilience turns out to be a crucial adaptive process linked to reduced stress levels and beneficial educational achievement, which is why context-specific, resilience-driven interventions should be implemented to ensure the wellbeing of students.
2.2 Theoretical Frameworks
The theoretical frameworks present systematic statements of the way people go through and cope with stress in the academia and other taxing environments. One of the most conspicuous is the transactional model of stress and coping, the other one is the theory of conservation of resources that collectively provides complementary insights on a stress process, coping, and resilience. In this section, each framework is outlined in specific yet understandable terms that can be interpreted by a novice scholar, specifically touching on the key constructs and its application to academic stress.
2.2.1 Transactional Model of Stress and Coping
The conceptualisation of the transactional model highlights stress as a process in relation as it occurs or does between a person and the influence of the environment instead of an external force imposed or an intrinsic condition. Stress comes in when an individual evaluates a scenario as being burdensome or out of the resources they have thus putting their well-being at risk. The model revolves around two appraisal processes. Primary appraisal is an assessment of the nature of the significance of an event, that it is harm or loss, threat, challenge, or benign irrelevance. Secondary appraisal evaluates the options of coping and personal resources; on one hand, skills, support net or knowledge to depict manageability.
Coping is the process under consideration after the appraisal, referring to the behavioural and cognitive processes aimed at dealing with the stressor or controlling the attendant emotions. Problem-oriented coping is aimed at addressing the cause of the stress per se by engaging in such actions as planning, problem solving, or information seeking. The aim of emotion-oriented coping is to alter emotional reaction, e.g. through acceptance, positive reframing, social support, or evading. The model considers the stress process as dynamic and (iterative) and the feedback line through which reappraisal is pushed. Emotional conditions play a central role because positive emotions enable adaptive coping, and negative emotions may lead to the further development of the cycle of stress.
The framework takes the individual differences in responding to stress. As an example, a challenging test can be perceived as a threat by one student – it gives rise to anxiety and avoidance – whereas as a challenge by another, leading to practise and development. It sheds some light on the demand and resource availability perceptions and the impact they have on performance, mental health, and persistence in an academic setting. Lazarus and Folkman (1987) were the first to define the transactional model, the cognitive-relational character of stress and emotion. The fundamental role of the model has been supported by the literature that followed, with adaptations that add positive emotions towards coping (Biggs et al., 2017). There is empirical evidence both in the clinical and applied fields, including modified versions that are tested on psychosomatic patients (Oehrlein et al., 2021).
2.2.2 Conversation of Resources Theory
According to COR theory, people are compelled to obtain, maintain, defend, and develop resources to survive and ultimately achieve good health. The resources include material goods, commitment to relationships, or employment, personal factors, including self-efficacy and optimism, and such resources as time and physical strength. The main causes of stress are the loss of these resources (or a threat of the same) or a failed investment of resources in creating sufficient returns.
The most influential ones are the primacy of loss, in which loss of resources has a stronger psychological effect compared to the gain with the same magnitude. Individuals spend resources in order to avoid or reduce the losses that might trigger the gain or loss spirals by accumulating or rapidly depleting resource supplies. The resource-rich individuals show more resilience to threats and are placed in better positions to achieve beneficial results, and poor individuals suffer the increased vulnerability of resource-poor people. The resources have a tendency to form caravans, a network of resources and move through passageways, environmental facilitator or hindrances that mediate exchange of resources.
In the academic context, COR theory explains how stressors use up resources; including time and self-esteem due to repeated failures, and hence become spirals that lead to impaired performance or health. Resource development by assistance or skill training has the potential to cushion stress and promote strength. The theory is applicable to chronic and traumatic stress, and it has recognised that resources have to be managed as a form of adaptive functioning. Hobfoll proposed COR as a resource-based substitute of stress models based on demand (1989). Subsequent extensions used the model in the context of organisations and health, and integrated realistic dynamics of resources and outcomes (Hobfoll et al., 2018). Overall surveys emphasise its multilevel format to interpret reaction to adversity (Hobfoll et al., 2017).
To conclude, perceptual appraisals and adaptive coping strategies are predicted by the transactional model but conservation of resources theory revolves around the loss and protection of resources. The two taken together form a strong base of examining academic stress and resilience whereby perceptions of appraisals draw demand and resource management effects have long-term adaptation. The combination of these frameworks can guide interventions that would make more accurate appraisals, bolster coping, and lead to accrual of resources in learning settings.
3.1 Methodology
3.2 Research Design
This study used the descriptive survey design of correlation type. This research design was adopted because the researcher will not manipulate the variables of interest in the study.
3.3 Population
The target population for this study consists of all In-School Adolescents in Oyo State, Nigeria.
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique
The sample of this study consists of one hundred (100) In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria through simple random sampling technique. This technique was adopted because the target participants have homogeneous characteristics and they have equal chances of being selected for the study. The sample includes males and female In-School Adolescents in Oyo State, Nigeria state.
3.5 Research Instrument
Questionnaire was used as the instrument of collecting data.
3.5.1 Academic Resilience scale
The Academic Resilience of In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state shall be assessed through the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30) developed by Simon Cassidy (2016). Respondents assess their level of Academic Resilience on 8 topics using a 4-point rating system, ranging from strongly agree (4) to strongly disagree (1). The internal consistency reliability coefficients, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha was 0.90.
3.5.2 Academic Stress scale
The Academic stress of In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state was assessed using the Academic Stress Inventory by Lin and Chen (2009) because it covers study habits, test anxiety, peer comparison and parents expectations. The internal consistency reliability coefficients, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha was 0.90.
3.6 Method of Data Analysis
The data collected was analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics which include mean, standard deviation and frequency and using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression analysis to give guide on the research questions at 0.05 level of significant.
4.1 Results
RQ1: Is there significant relationship between Academic Resilience and Academic Stress among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state?
Table 1: Summary of correlation matrix showing the relationship between the study variables
| Variables | Mean | SD | 1 | 2 |
| Academic Stress | 20.79 | 3.45 | 1.000 | .048** |
| Academic Resilience | 27.58 | 3.39 | .048** | 1.000 |
Table 1 presents correlation analysis between academic resilience and academic stress in in-school adolescents in the Ibadan, Oyo State. The findings indicate a highly insignificant positive relationship (r = 0.048, p < 0.05). The coefficient is not very low, which means that the practical relationship between the two variables is insignificant; however, the coefficient is statistically significant, and the sample size probably led to that. In line with this, academic resilience appears to correlate with academic stress in this group of adolescents very weakly, indicating that increased academic resilience does not significantly lower or modify the perceived level of academic stress among such adolescents.
This finding is contrary to most of the literature that has been done, which often find a moderate negative relationship between resilience (or academic resilience) and stress (or academic stress). Indicatively, meta-analytic research involving college students reveals a moderate and negative correlation of significance (r = -0.29), which means that the stronger the resilience, the less stressful one is (Li et al., 2024). On the same note, a study conducted among students in universities indicates that perceived stress is a predictor of a lack of academic resilience, and resilience is a protective mechanism against stress-related outcomes (Alzoubi et al., 2025). Past studies demonstrated that resilience reduces the adverse impact of academic pressure on the psychological adaptation, mental well-being, and academic success among adolescents (Kim and Lee, 2023; Wang, 2024).
The almost negligible correlation here could be due to the contextual issues of in-school teens in Ibadan, including cultural bias, or differences in the measures, or the emphasis on the acute, and not the chronic stressors. It correlates with non-significant or weak correlations of links in some groups of students occasionally (Huwae, 2022). These discrepancies highlight the fact that additional studies on the topic are required to investigate moderators (age, cultural situation, or particular dimensions of resilience) in Nigerian adolescents.
RQ2: Does gender significantly predict academic stress among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state?
Table 2: Multiple Regression Analysis on Academic Stress
| R | R Square | Adjusted R Square | Std. Error of the Estimate | |||
| 0.150 | 0.022 | 0.001 | 3.45222 | |||
| SUMMARY REGRESSION ANOVA | ||||||
| Model | Sum of Squares | Df | Mean Square | F | Sig. | |
| Regression | 25.477 | 2 | 12.738 | 1.069 | .001b | |
| Residual | 1108.356 | 93 | 11.918 | |||
| Total | 1133.833 | 95 | ||||
| Coefficientsa | ||||||
| Model | Unstandardized Coefficients | Standardized Coefficients | t | Sig. | ||
| B | Std. Error | Beta | ||||
| (Constant) | 15.079 | 1.906 | 7.910 | .000 | ||
| Gender | -1.014 | .732 | .142 | -1.384 | .170 | |
The table 2 revealed the relative contribution of Gender to Academic Stress among In-School students in Ibadan, Oyo state; Gender (β = .142, t= -1.384, p>0.05) had no significant relative contribution to Academic Stress among In-School students in Ibadan, Oyo state. That is, Gender does not predict Academic Stress of In-School students in Ibadan, Oyo state.
The finding is in line with a number of studies that indicate that there are no significant gender differences in academic stress mainly in adolescent or secondary school environment. Indicatively, studies conducted on secondary school students have tended to have equal levels of stress in both genders with any differences being cultural, measurement, or contextual (Devchoudhury and Devasagayam, 2022). Similarly, gender has been reported as non-significant in some studies in Nigerian university and more general groups of adolescents when other predictors, like age or course of study, are incorporated, albeit having some mixed patterns (Fadipe et al., 2024).
However, in contrast, there is more evidence that indicates that gender is a valid factor; the female students tend to report greater academic stress. The meta-analyses and empirical studies have consistently shown that females have higher stress levels caused by societal expectations, differences in coping, or higher sensitivity to academic requirements (Graves et al., 2021; Li et al., 2024). Certain regression models have found that there is a notable gender impact (β = 0.177, p < 0.05) and females are more vulnerable (Fadipe et al., 2024).
This is because the absence of a strong gender influence in the study could be due to the nature of the sample. In Ibadan, adolescent in-school population can be subjected to acute stressors like exams that overshadow the chronic ones, or, the culture can even even the genders in terms of experiences. The above factors indicate the significance of context in the interpretation of the role of gender in academic stress.
RQ3: Is there difference on Academic stress among In-School students in Ibadan, Oyo State based on gender (Male and female)?
Table 3: Summary Table of t-test for independent measures showing comparison of Academic stress based on gender
| Gender | N | Mean | SD | Df | T | Sig | ||
| Male | 61 | 21.16 | 3.37 | |||||
| Academic stress | 94 | .352 | .549 | |||||
| Female | 39 | 20.14 | 3.54 | |||||
From Table 3, the result showed that there was significant difference in Academic stress based on gender (male and female) among In-School students in Ibadan, Oyo State (T(94)= .352, p<.05). From the table above, a mean score of 21.16 for male participants while female participants had a mean score of 20.14 with a mean difference of 1.02 and statistically significant. This implies that the academic stress among In-School students students in Ibadan, Oyo State based on gender (Male and female) is difference. Male experience more of academic stress than the female.
The significance of this finding is that it contradicts the generally observed trend in previous studies, where the female students tend to report greater academic stress. The majority of studies on adolescents and secondary-school students indicate that girls can be more stressed, with a higher tendency to emotional sensitivity, an increased perception of workload, more social and performance expectations, and a different coping behaviour (Graves et al., 2021; Li et al., 2024). Most empirical studies, such as meta-analyses and extensive surveys, tend to show small to moderate differences, which are characterised by women having higher levels of stress (Souza-Lima et al., 2025). According to post-COVID-19 studies, female students experienced more stress and worse emotional adjustment when academic disruptions occurred (Sharma et al., 2022).
Nevertheless, an increasing body of literature confirms our observation and indicates that male adolescents and secondary-school students are also more likely to report higher levels of academic stress. In South Asian countries like India and Nepal, male students experience higher scales of academic stress, grade anxiety and self-expectations. It is postulated that these differences are due to cultural norms of male success, performance pressure imposed socially, and unique goal-setting and role socialisation (Adhikari et al., 2025; Frontiers in Public Health, 2025). On the other hand, the case in the Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Nigeria is inconclusive. Some studies indicate no strong gender variations whereas others note tendencies that seem to be dictated by local culture, school types, or testing tools (Amoadu et al., 2024; other studies in Nigeria).
The small yet meaningful outcome of greater male stress in our sample puts into perspective this contextual image. The pattern may be attributed to factors such as high pressure during exams, high cultural expectation of male success in schools and measurement instruments that identify particular stressors in Ibadan. The difference is low (M = 1.02) and t-value is low, hence the effect-size is small and to be handled with care. These findings should be validated by conducting larger and more heterogeneous studies.
In total, these findings reveal that context and culture determine gender differences in academic stress. They further emphasise that gender-sensitive and context-specific interventions are required to support male adolescents in Nigerian schools and not to presuppose that all students are equally vulnerable as in the whole world.
4.1 Discussion
The findings of this study point to the fact that academic resilience is not considerably correlated with academic stress in in-school adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State. This result is in contrast to the current literature assumed to suggest that academic resilience is a protective factor that enables successful coping with academic stress (Howley-, Rouse, 2020; Masten, 2011). The immediate conclusion is that the recovery skills in the event of academic misfortune do not necessarily go together with the reduced academic stress experiences as observed in the present setting. However, the finding agrees with Dhakkal (2013), who indicated that academic resilience showed a non statistically significant relationship with academic stress. The first reason could be that the presence of adaptive resources does not significantly reduce academic pressure and demands on resilient students when multiple stressors remain chronic and endemic or prevalent in a system, and as is the case with examination-based learning in school.
Besides, the evidence indicates that gender is not a statistically significant predictor of academic stress among respondents. This finding matches Dhakkal (2013), though it is opposite to a number of studies that indicate high stress levels among female students, which is often explained by high emotional sensitivity, parental demands and pressures in society (Busari and Omoponle, 2018; Karaman et al., 2019). The lack of any visible gender effect of the current study suggests that academic stress might be presented in a widely similar way in both male and female adolescents in Ibadan, which could be because of common school setting, similar academic demands, and similar exposures to stress factors in school.
The independent t -test, however, demonstrated a slightly higher average level of academic stress in the males in comparison to their female counterparts. The difference is minimal, whereas it is contrasted to the overwhelming results of the literature which tend to document higher levels of stress in female students (Reddy et al., 2018). Such a trend can be related to contextual issues, including culture-based expectations on male students to perform on the academic level, the pressure to live to societal and or family expectations, or unequal perceptions and reporting of stress. However, due to the small scale of the difference, it should be considered with caution, and a new study is advised.
Overall, the discussion highlights that the popular beliefs about predictors of academic stress, including academic resilience and gender, might not be consistent across the context. The results also point out the relevance of considering environmental, cultural, and systemic factors in the studies of academic stress among adolescents.
4.2 Conclusion
This paper concludes that academic resilience is not a significant predictor of academic stress in in-school adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo state. Similarly, the gender does not have noticeable effects on the academic stress levels among this group of people. The findings, therefore, dispute existing hypotheses that academic resilience is an inherent buffer to academic stress and that there is gender difference in stress everywhere. Since the issue of academic stress continues to attract the attention of in-school adolescents, it is clear that additional factors, including parental expectations, the school climate, instructional practises, and personal strategies of coping, might have a stronger impact on the stress experiences of students.
4.3 Recommendations
Counselling and Support Services: Schools should support counselling services that help the in-school adolescents develop personalised, pragmatic stress management strategies, as opposed to using resilience-building interventions.
Whole Academic Policies: School administrators are expected to champion equitable academic policies that reduce overworking and integrate extra-curricular activities that enhance psychological health of the students.
Gender-Neutral Stress Management Interventions: Since there was no significant gender predicted academic stress, stress management programmes must be designed on an inclusive basis, which is able to help all students without favouring certain gender categories.
Parental Involvement: The parents must also be informed about the effects of academic stress and made to be supportive of the home environment where encouragement and understanding are promoted instead of the undue pressure.
Future research: Future research ought to examine other causes of academic stress, such as socioeconomic status, type of school, peer pressure and family life to provide a more complete picture of the factors that contribute to the occurrence of academic stress among adolescent students in Ibadan.
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