A Cross-Examination on Role Strain and Academic Performance of Female University Students in Masvingo, Zimbabwe

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue IX, September 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

A Cross-Examination on Role Strain and Academic Performance of Female University Students in Masvingo, Zimbabwe

Lokadhia Manwa¹, Jenet Mudekunye² and Lilian Manwa³

^1&3 Department of Technical Education, Great Zimbabwe University, Zimbabwe
²Department of Teacher Development, Great Zimbabwe University, Zimbabwe

Abstract: – The purpose of this study was to interrogate the impact of role strain on academic performance of female university students. The consistent rise in the number of married and working female students in Zimbabwe demands an accurate and detailed investigation into the link between role strain, well-being and academic performance. A qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenological design was adopted and conducted among a sample of thirty participants (twenty-five undergraduate female students and five lecturers) at one of the universities in Masvingo Province. Student participants were randomly selected while lecturers were purposefully chosen. Participating students were interviewed and completed an open-ended questionnaire that included questions related to their roles and well-being. All lecturer participants were interviewed. Outcomes of this study indicated that the majority of the students were negatively affected by role strain. This led to impaired diets (poor dietary patterns) as well physical and mental exhaustion. Most students showed to be ‘unsatisfactory’ with their assignments and examination grades. More than half of the students reported skipping breakfast and jumbled meals due to busy schedules. Ultimately, the study concluded that role strain led to poor dietary patterns and consequently affected negatively the well-being and academic performance of the students. However, developing healthy habits, specific programmes for promoting female students healthy lifestyle needed improvement and those were major recommendations of the study.

Keywords: academic performance, undergraduate student, role strain, well-being, dietary patterns.

I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Undergraduate students are becoming a diversified group with young, old, married and working students attending university in larger numbers (Rowlands, 2010; Mohamedbhai, 2008). The researchers were motivated into studying this phenomenon because they observed similarities between their experiences as lecturers and as university students. This means female undergraduate students may be experiencing significant strain while pursuing their academic goals and attempting to negotiate the competing role demands.

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