Association Between Perceived Stress and Academic Adjustment Among First-Year Health Sciences Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Abstract Background: The transition to higher education requires students to adapt to new academic demands, social environments, and responsibilities. These changes may increase stress and potentially affect students' ability to adapt academically. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the association between stress level and academic adaptability among students at STIKES Guna Bangsa Yogyakarta. Methods: This study employed a quantitative research design with a cross-sectional approach. The population consisted of 340 first-year students at STIKES Guna Bangsa Yogyakarta aged 18–21 years. A total of 93 respondents were selected using random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using the Pearson Product-Moment correlation test. Results: The findings showed that 53 respondents (56.99%) experienced severe stress, 33 respondents (35.48%) experienced moderate stress, and 7 respondents (7.53%) experienced mild stress. Regarding academic adaptability, 60 respondents (64.52%) demonstrated high adaptability, while 33 respondents (35.48%) demonstrated moderate adaptability. The Pearson Product-Moment analysis showed a statistically significant negative association between stress level and academic adaptability (p = 0.002; r = −0.315). Conclusions: There was a statistically significant negative association between stress level and academic adaptability among students at STIKES Guna Bangsa Yogyakarta. The low-strength negative correlation indicates that students with higher stress levels tended to have lower academic adaptability.