Abstract
Despite the documented rise in stress and mental health concerns in college students, few educational studies explore how different types of stress (e.g., life events, chronic stress) affect psychological and academic outcomes (Cox et al., 2016; Smyth et al., 2008; Towbes & Cohen, 1996). This mixed-methods study tested the stress process model in the higher education context, focusing on undergraduates aged 18 to 24. This study examined life events, chronic stressors, psychosocial resources, mental health, and educational outcomes. Secondary data analysis was conducted using items from the National College Health Assessment-III at one public university located in Northern California (n=1,512). Interviews were conducted with eight first-generation college students from the same university. The results of structural equation modeling partially supported the transferability of the stress process model to the college context, highlighting the impact of resources in mitigating mental health outcomes. One-way ANOVAs indicated differences in chronic stress and life events across gender, sexual orientation, and first-generation status. Data from interviews affirmed the types of stressors detailed in the stress process model, demonstrating how stress proliferates and compounds. Resources used by college students to manage stress were explored. This study concluded by offering recommendations for leadership, policy, and practice. Recommendations included developing referral protocols for mental health concerns, continuous professional development, examining the types of stressors and services specific to each institution, and creating spaces to cultivate psychosocial resources in underserved student groups.