From clicks to crisis: A systematic review of stressors faced by higher education students studying online

Abstract

It is well established that most higher education students experience stress, stemming from a range of factors such as exams, time demands, and financial pressure. Given the rising number of students completing their tertiary studies online, identifying stressors faced by the growing online student cohort is important. Therefore, a systematic review was undertaken to identify and consolidate what the key stressors experienced by online higher education students are. This review analyzed 68 articles published in English between 2001 and 2022, retrieved from three databases: ERIC, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. The review found that online university experience a range of stressors, including challenges related to course delivery, technology access, online communication, home learning environments, peer relationships, motivation, and assessments. Strategies to mitigate these stressors include improving course design with engaging and interactive contents, providing technological support and digital literacy training, fostering peer connections through structured interactions, and offering flexible assessments tailored to online contexts. These findings underscore the importance of considering the unique stressors experienced by online students and highlight the need to develop interventions to mitigate these stressors when designing and delivering online courses.