The Relationship between University Entrance Preparation Awareness and Stress among Upper Secondary Students in University Entrance Information Networks

บทคัดย่อ

This study examined the levels of university entrance preparation awareness and academic stress among upper secondary school students in Thailand, and the relationship between these variables. A quantitative design was employed with 400 students preparing for exams under the Thai University Central Admission System (TCAS), selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires including a 25-item Awareness Scale and a 15-item Academic Stress Scale, both rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and Cronbach’s alpha. Results indicated high awareness of university entrance preparation (mean 3.58-4.22, α = 0.9339) and moderate academic stress (mean 2.37-3.84, α = 0.9061). A moderate negative correlation was found between awareness and stress (r = -0.3296, r² = 10.86%, p ≤ 0.05), suggesting that higher awareness is associated with lower stress. These findings highlight the importance of promoting systematic preparation awareness to mitigate academic stress, and recommend guidance programs and life skill activities starting from Grade 10 to enhance time management, stress coping, and psychological resilience. Future research is suggested to examine additional psychosocial factors and diverse student populations to strengthen understanding of factors influencing academic stress.