Examining Academic Stress in Writing EFL Theses: A Photovoice Study of University Students in Indonesia

Abstract

College students often experience academic stress that negatively affects their performance and well-being, particularly during thesis writing due to its heavy demands, workload, and time constraints. This study employs a qualitative photovoice methodology to address this gap, enabling students to visually depict and narrate their actual experiences of academic stress while writing their thesis. Examining the primary sources of academic stress among Indonesian college students when they were writing their theses was the aim of this study. Focus groups, SHOWED-guided captions, and photos were used to gather information from two final-year English education students. Recurring themes in the verbal and visual tales of the participants were found using thematic analysis. Seven main themes emerge from the findings: (1) thesis looms all the time, (2) emotional coping strategies and motivational search, (3) friend’s support, (4) social pressure and self-comparison, (5) burden of expectations and family responsibilities, (6) academic challenges and adapting to the thesis process, (7) time management and deadline pressure. By employing photovoice, it provides a fresh methodological contribution that enhances our comprehension of academic stress while also elevating students' voices to better convey their challenges.