Coping experience among students in higher education

The study examines the coping strategies among 130 undergraduate college and university students with learning disabilities (LD) and 146 students without learning disabilities (NLD). Students completed self-reported instruments designed to measure stress, support and strategies. The findings revealed that students without LD reported higher work stress, higher combined stress and more social support than did students with LD. Students without LD were more task orientated and perceived more support than students with LD, while students with LD used more emotional coping strategies than NLD students. Differences were also obtained regarding age and gender. The study highlights the importance of further investigations with a larger sample and the support sources of students with LD, and suggests developing task-oriented coping strategies designed especially for students with LD.