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Academic Difficulty among Male Egyptian University Students

II. Associations with Demographic and Psychological Factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Ahmed Okasha ,
Moustafa Kamel ,
Afaf H. Khalil ,
A. Sadek ,
A. Ashour ,
F. Lotaif  and
Z. Bishry
Ahmed Okasha
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Moustafa Kamel
Affiliation:
Ain Shams University
Afaf H. Khalil
Affiliation:
Ain Shams University
A. Sadek
Affiliation:
Ain Shams University
A. Ashour
Affiliation:
Ain Shams University
F. Lotaif
Affiliation:
Ain Shams University
Z. Bishry
Affiliation:
Ain Shams University
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Summary

We compared 178 students with academic problems with 77 academically successful students. Academic difficulty showed highly significant associations with low socio-economic status, over-crowded housing, paternal behaviour problems and a poor relationship between the parents; also significant associations with family history of psychiatric disorder and living away from home. Academic achievement at school was no guide to university performance. Failed students had fewer friendships, especially with women, amd more limited recreational activities. They also scored significantly lower on tests of verbal and non-verbal IQ, and worse on the Bender Gestalt and trail-making tests. EPQ results suggested that university students, particularly those with academic difficulties, are more neurotic and introverted than the general Egyptian population.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 146 , Issue 2 , February 1985 , pp. 144 - 150
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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