The relationship between self-regulation and academic stress

The general purpose of this research is to reveal the relationship between high school students' self-regulation levels and the educational stress they experience. In the research, the convergent design, which is one of the mixed method designs in which quantitative and qualitative data are collected simultaneously and analyzed separately, was used. In the quantitative dimension of the research, the relational survey model was preferred, and in the qualitative dimension, the phenomenology design was preferred. The universe in which the quantitative data were collected in the study consisted of high school students studying in secondary education institutions in a province located in the Western Black Sea Region in the 2021-2022 academic year, while the sample consisted of 1,393 high school students selected by cluster sampling method. The study group in which the qualitative data of the research was collected is 22 students selected through easily accessible sampling from high school students studying in secondary education institutions where quantitative data were collected. As a quantitative data collection tool, research data were collected with Personal Information Form, Perceived Self-Regulation Scale and Educational Stress Scale. Semi-Structured Interview Form was used as a qualitative data collection tool. Since it was seen that the collected quantitative data showed normal distribution as a result of normality tests via SPSS package program, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation and Regression tests; qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis using the MAXQDA program. When the findings on self-regulation levels are examined; It was determined that female students had higher self-regulation levels than male students, Science High students compared to Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School students, students with a high level of success compared to students with a low level of achievement, students with a vocational goal compared to students who did not have a higher level of self-regulation. When the findings related to educational stress are examined; It has been reported that educational stress is higher for female students than for male students, for Science High and Anatolian High School students for Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School and Imam Hatip High School students, for students with a low level of success compared to students with a high level of achievement, and for the other grades of the 9th grade. It has been determined that students organize their education life in various ways by creating goals in line with their goals, in line with their study programs, and in line with their interests. It has been determined that regular education life contributes to success, facilitating learning, regulating emotions, time management, gaining discipline, arranging social life and not hearing from the teacher. In reaching the targeted department and profession; It has been determined that there are students who do nothing, as there are those who work in this direction, observe people with the target profession, work towards the conditions brought by the target profession, think as if they are doing the target profession, go to the classroom, work hard, and prepare for the exams. It has been determined that the emotional factors that worry the students in their education life are in the majority, and there are also factors related to exams and lessons. It is seen that students change their perspectives, engage in various hobbies and activities, do sports, and share these situations with others in order to prevent stress situations encountered in education life. In case of failure, it has been determined that students focus on working harder, as well as making efforts to investigate the reasons for failure, to prepare for the next exam, and to motivate themselves. In coping with students' test anxiety; It has been determined that they use many coping methods, such as regular repetition and study, breathing exercises, the idea of taking good notes, chatting with the people around, and drinking water. According to the findings obtained from the research, it was concluded that there is a weak negative relationship between high school students' perceived self-regulation skills and educational stress. In addition, it was determined that 0.05% of the total variance regarding the self-regulation score was explained by the educational stress score. In this direction, various suggestions were made regarding the findings, especially preferring an experimental study in examining the effect of self-regulation on educational stress. Keywords: Academic stress, self regulation, self regulation learning, secondary education.