Dathini H*1; Jonah J2; Lola N1; Taura L.M1; Dathini N3, Kever R.T, Habu H
1Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Allied Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria 2Family health international; Maiduguri field office 3University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria
*Corresponding author’s Email: dathinihamina@unimaid.edu.ng, doi.org/10.55639/607.020100121
ABSTRACT
Transition to parenthood significantly impacts psychological well-being, often leading to heightened stress due to new responsibilities and demands. The aim of this study was to assess the level of parental stress, parent–child bonding experiences, and coping strategies among allied health student-parents at the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design. A total of 123 married students with at least one child were selected using multistage sampling from an estimated population of 185 allied health students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire incorporating the Parental Stress Scale and the Parent–Child Relationship Scale. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations) and Chi-square tests to determine associations. Findings revealed a high level of parental stress (grand mean = 3.54), indicating that balancing academic and parenting responsibilities constitutes a significant challenge for student-parents. Major stressors included childcare demands, academic workload, and time constraints. Despite the high stress levels, respondents demonstrated strong parent–child bonding (grand mean = 3.54), characterized by emotional closeness, affection, and responsive communication. Age and gender showed significant associations with parental stress. Sleep and rest emerged as the most common coping strategies adopted by respondents. The study concludes that student-parents experience substantial role-related stress while maintaining positive emotional relationships with their children. Institutional support systems, such as counseling services and flexible academic scheduling, are recommended to enhance the well-being and academic performance of student-parents.
KEYWORDS
Parental stress, Parent, Bonding, Coping strategies.