EFFECTS OF STUDY HABITS AND GENDER DIFFERENCES ON STRESS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

This study examined effects of study habits and gender differences on stress among secondary school students using a descriptive survey design. A sample of 1,100 students was selected through convenience sampling from four districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. Data were collected using the Students’ Stress Scale (Akhtar, 2011) and the Study Habits Scale (Rani and Zaidka, 2015). A 3 × 2 factorial design was employed, and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine the main and interaction effects of gender and study habits on stress. The results indicated that the main effect of gender was not statistically significant, F(1, 1094) = 0.357, p > .05. Similarly, the main effect of study habits was non-significant, F(2, 1094) = 0.032, p > .05. The interaction effect between gender and study habits was also non-significant, F(2, 1094) = 0.125, p > .05. The findings suggest that stress among secondary school students is not significantly influenced by gender or study habits, either independently or jointly, and may instead be shaped by broader academic and contextual factors. The study underscores the need for inclusive, school-wide stress management interventions.