2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This Research Brief empirical paper describes an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study that explores the perceived stress levels of undergraduate students enrolled in a first-year engineering course. Engineering has developed a reputation as one of the most stressful fields of study in college, contributing to what the field has termed “engineering stress culture.” Despite experiencing high levels of stress, engineering undergraduate students are less likely to seek mental health help compared to students in other majors. This has led to calls for systematic change and a shift to a wellness culture, enabling students to thrive in engineering.

In an effort to understand the pervasiveness of engineering stress culture in the first year of engineering, this study explores the following research question: “What factors impact the perceived stress levels of undergraduate students enrolled in a first-year engineering course?” To answer this question, undergraduate students at a Large Midwest Urban University enrolled in a first-year engineering course (n=134, N ~ 1400) were asked to complete a short survey three times a week at randomly generated times over the course of an academic year (two semesters), with 62 students responding at least 34 times, representing a 50% response rate to all surveys.

We administered the widely used Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which included a free-response section where participants could elaborate on what was contributing to their stress that day. To complement the survey results, participants were identified using a combination of their stress values and open-ended responses with enough rich description and invited to participate in a 30-minute interview as a sequential mixed methods sample (n = 9). Participants were chosen to explore a wide range of stress levels and causes, such as academic or social concerns. During the interviews, participants were asked to discuss their stress during the year and what contributed to or helped to alleviate it. For each interview, a graph of the participant’s perceived stress level over the course of the year was created and used as a reference.

Our quantitative results suggest a trend consistent with the literature. Of the students in our sample, 66% reported a moderate level of stress on average, with 26% never reporting a stress level lower than moderate. This indicates that engineering stress culture is prevalent even among students enrolled in first-year engineering courses, showing how far-reaching this culture has become. Students view their elevated stress levels as an inevitable aspect of their decisions to pursue engineering. Preliminary themes contributing to or alleviating stress were also identified. These themes include academic factors, social factors within an academic setting, and personal factors.

This study sought to understand the factors contributing to first-year engineering students’ stress and how they cope with and alleviate it. By gaining a better understanding of these factors, we can begin to rehabilitate the engineering stress culture and provide appropriate support for first-year students to address their stress.

Keywords: first-year, undergraduate, mental health, mixed methods