Graduation Year

2021

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Program or Major

Psychology

Faculty Advisor

Adam Volungis

Abstract

This study set out with the intent of examining the relationships between pressure to succeed, depression, anxiety, stress, and coping. While previous studies have not really begun to explore the pressure to succeed, many have found support for individual variables of stress. By compiling commonly cited stressors and possible reasons for why they cause stress, we created the pressure to succeed scale, transforming these variables into a larger construct. Through multiple surveys including the newly constructed PSS, the USS (used for convergent validity), the DASS-21, and the Brief COPE survey, this study found support for this new phenomenon. Specifically, positive relationships were supported between the pressure to succeed with the USS, with depression, anxiety, and stress, and with maladaptive coping. However, we did not find support for any relationship between pressure to succeed and adaptive coping nor for coping as a moderator between the pressure to succeed and depression, anxiety, and stress.

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