Stress is any situation or event that evokes negative thoughts and feelings in a
person. The same stressful situation is not stressful for all people, and all people do not
experience the same negative thoughts and feelings when stressed. One of the models of
stress that is useful in understanding stress among students is person -environment (P-E)
model (French, 1973). The fundamental premise of P-E fit theory is that stress arises
from misfit between the person and environment. The core element of the theory depicts
three basic distinctions central to P-E fit theory. The first and most basic distinction is
between the person and environment. This distinction is a prerequisite for the
conceptualization of P-E fit and provides the basis for examining reciprocal causation
between the person and environment. The second distinction is between objective and
subjective representations of the person and environment. The objective person refers to
attributes of the person as they actually exist, whereas the subjective person signifies the
person's perception of his or her own attributes (i.e., the person's self-identity or selfconcept).
The third distinction is between fit defined in terms of abilities-environmental
demands and needs- environmental supplies. Analogously, the objective environment
includes physical and social situations and events as they exist independent of the
person's perceptions, whereas the subjective environment refers to situations and events
as encountered and perceived by the person (Harrison, 1978). According to one
variation of this model stressful events can be appraised by an individual as 'challenging'
or 'threatening'. When students appraise their education as a challenge, stress can bring
them a sense of competence and an increased capacity to learn. When education is seen
as a threat, it can elicit feelings of helplessness and sense of loss of inadequacy
(Whitman, 1985).
