College seniors face several potential stressors associated with the transition from college to career. This study examined the types of concerns reported by 320 college seniors and the degree of stress associated with these concerns. Researchers measured coping strategies with a focus on the use of problem-focused versus emotion-focused coping. The most common concerns were career- and financial-related, and reported levels of stress were quite high. Women reported more concerns, greater stress, and more use of emotion-focused coping than men. Nontraditional students reported fewer concerns and less stress, overall. First-generation college students reported more concerns over career issues. Seniors reported rarely using campus-based resources to cope with graduation-related concerns. Implications for college professionals are discussed.
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