College students’ adaptation to synchronous distance learning: exploring the effects of academic adjustment and sense of belonging on perceived stress

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of academic adjustment and sense of belonging on perceived stress in the context of college students’ adaptation to synchronous distance learning (SDL). It is driven by technological advancements and newfound familiarity, resulting from the necessity-driven adoption of SDL during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a thematic analysis of 16 interview responses using the Academic Adjustment Scale, Sense of Belonging Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale to construe a quantitative questionnaire that was administered to 242 undergraduate and postgraduate students in India attending college through SDL. Both ‘sense of belonging’ and ‘academic adjustment’ emerged as significant predictors of perceived stress among students. Moreover, a student’s past campus experience played a moderating role in shaping the impact of ‘academic adjustment’ on perceived stress. Within the ambits of post-pandemic online degree programs, this study tackles a dearth of comprehensive research relating to the impact of SDL on the stress levels of college students. In the process, it highlights the implications of crafting interventions to foster belonging and academic adjustment so that students can better manage stress in SDL. It also underscores the value of factoring the students’ past campus experiences in promoting adjustment and reducing stress. Overcoming these challenges would ensure greater promotion of SDL dispersing quality and affordable education for the mass adaptable learners within the contemporary digital age, albeit in the Indian context.