Occupational Participation and Stress Levels among Female Students with and without Children: Differences and Correlations

Abstract

Female students in Israel face multiple stress factors: academic studies, the security situation as well as general emotional turmoil. The birth of a baby adds new demands including the responsibility for a baby’s quality of life, and physical and emotional well being and development. Those stress factors and responsibilities affect the student's stress level and her everyday functioning. The purpose of this study is to examine the differences between stress levels and occupational functioning, and the correlation between them, among female students in Israel with and without children. Methods: The study, conducted during the Corona crisis examined 114 Israeli female students aged 20-40 (28.54±5.58). The participants were divided into two groups: students with and students without children. They answered a demographic questionnaire, the Student Stress Inventory (SSI) and the Occupational Questionnaire (OQ). The results indicated that there are no significant differences in the general stress levels between the groups. The study also showed that students without children participate more frequently in leisure and education activities, and students with children participate more frequently in day-to-day activities, for example child care, housekeeping or shopping. In addition, students that spent more time in leisure activities presented with lower stress levels. Moreover, a significant correlation was found between high-stress levels and low satisfaction from leisure and education activities. The main conclusion is that motherhood is an factor that significantly influences priorities and participation in various occupations. The findings reinforces the importance of considering the participation in leisure activities among female students as part of future occupational therapy intervention in alleviating stress.