Development and Validation of the BASE-63 inventory for Comprehensive Academic Stress Measurement

Academic stress (AS) reflects students' emotional, cognitive, and physiological reactions to academic hurdles. The COVID-19 era reshaped education, emphasizing digital platforms and limiting social interactions. Consequently, daily, and academic boundaries merged. Current tools, like SISCO-AS and SISCO-II-AS, require revisions to address present challenges and coping deficiencies, prompting a novel tool. This study develops and validates BASE-63 (Broad Academic Stress Evaluation). It's a comprehensive AS tool, combining academic and non-AS factors, offering a thorough, valid college AS assessment for Chilean university students. The study's method involved three phases: item creation, core execution, and evaluating BASE-63's psychometric traits. Evolving from SISCO-II-AS's 68 items, BASE-63 addressed urgent online learning demands. 501 students were surveyed, mostly females, across three Chilean universities. Preliminary steps encompassed focus groups for tool fine-tuning and validation. Pilot tests, factor analysis, and test-retests followed. BASE-63's framework was analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. The results unveil AS's complex structure, identifying four stressor types. They cover academic, socioeconomic, general social, and classroom interaction stressors. Gender disparities appear in stress reactions, indicating diverse management strategies. Reaction areas are General Stress, Physical Exhaustion, and Social Conflict. The tool showcases strong validity, factor loadings, and unwavering internal consistency. Notable strengths include a comprehensive AS assessment, but biases and missing longitudinal insights limit it. This research underscores the importance of nuanced stress understanding and advocating tailored interventions. In summary, this research illuminates AS nuances among Chilean students, highlighting diverse stressors and reactions. The validated BASE-63 offers a solid foundation for accurate AS assessment and management. Recognizing gender and socio-economic variations emphasize tailored interventions. These insights collectively enhance university student well-being, bolstering their academic success and mental health.