Coping Strategies for Living in Student Residential Facilities in Nigeria

Abstract

This article examines coping strategies used by students in high-density living. It uses the questionnaire survey method in 20 university halls-of-residence in southwestern Nigeria. The study focused on students’ cognitive responses to the bedroom, the coping strategies that they used, gender differences in coping styles, and the influence of their length of stay. The results showed that the respondents perceived living conditions as stressful and that they used nine coping strategies to various degrees. The types of strategies used were related to their responses and to their perceived alternatives. The major coping strategies used were studying away from the room and decorating personal space. Females appeared to make more use of territorial strategies whereas males appeared to use withdrawal strategies more often. Length of stay did not appear to be important except with respect to studying and entertaining friends. Finally, territorial defining strategies were shown to be critical in this high-density situation.