Perceived stress, resilience, and academic performance among pharmacy students in Indonesia: A cross-sectional study

Background: This study assessed the perceived stress and resilience of pharmacy students in three Indonesian universities and explored their relationship with academic performance. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25). A self-reported Grade Point Average (GPA) was collected to assess academic performance. Data were analysed using SPSS with Pearson correlation, t-tests, and ANOVA. Results: A total of 714 pharmacy students participated in the study, representing a 43% response rate from around 1,650 eligible students. Over half were aged 17 to 20, and 86.2% were female. The average PSS score was 21.58 (SD±5.10), while the CD-RISC score averaged 67.93 (SD±14.11). Male students had an average perceived stress score of 20.16 (SD ±5.48), while female students reported a higher score of 21.81 (SD ±5.00). Male students demonstrated greater resilience with an average score of 71.71 (SD±13.98), while female students had a lower score of 67.33 (SD±14.05). Significant differences in perceived stress and resilience scores were observed based on gender, with p-values of 0.003 and 0.004, respectively. Perceived stress and resilience significantly impacted academic performance (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings revealed the importance of fostering resilience and addressing stress to support the academic performance and well-being of Indonesian pharmacy students.