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Stress Mgmt. Module
Stress Mgmt. Module
MANAGEMENT
MODULE
Background Information
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
1. About Stress
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
4
5
6
9
10
2. Managing Stress
2.1
2.2
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14
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3. Summary
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Objectives
This module is designed for use by academic staff who want to help students
develop their ability to cope with stress. It provides information and strategies
for use by students, but it also includes suggestions for incorporating aspects
into the teaching of the subject content. For example, business students
studying management could examine stress management in terms of
occupational stressors.
The goal of this module is to help academic staff give their students a better
awareness and understanding of stress. Furthermore, it is designed to
provide coping strategies for avoiding distress and to promote better
adjustment to college.
Introduction
Stress is a routine part of our lives. Certain amounts of stress are beneficial;
however, sometimes the level of stress can become burdensome. Students in
university experience many changes. There is research, Irish as well as
international, to indicate college can be a stressful experience for students
(Aherne, 2001; Fisher, 1994; Tyrrell, 1993). Being able to manage and control
stress is a useful skill, for life as a student but also for life beyond university.
Stress management can be taught on a personal as well as a professional
basis.
The material in this module can be used as a stand alone - given in addition to
regular courses. However, it can also be incorporated into course content
when suitable.
Each section gives the presenter some Background Information on the area to
be addressed as well as Suggestions for Integration of the material with
subject material. There is also a Suggested Presentation if the teacher wants
to present the material as a workshop. It includes suggested activities and
procedures, materials necessary and time estimates. The module also
contains a PowerPoint presentation with slides and notes, as well as
exercises and handouts. The teacher may be selective using parts or all of
the module sections or he/she may customise, alter or add to the module.
1. ABOUT STRESS
One of the difficulties about stress is that it can work for you or against
you, just like a car tire. When the pressure in the tire is right, you can
drive smoothly along the road: if it is too low, you feel all the bumps and
the controls feel sluggish. If it is too high, you bounce over the potholes,
and easily swing out of control (Butler & Hope, 1995, p. 207).
AIM
To help students learn more about the causes and implications of
stress.
To help students become aware of the signs and symptoms of stress
early, to prevent chronic stress.
To help students identify potential sources of stress and to develop an
awareness that they can cope with the stress in their lives.
To help students identify their own optimal level of stress.
1.1 Definition
Stress is a normal, universal human experience.
Eustress, or good stress, is stress that benefits our health, like physical
exercise or getting a promotion. Distress on the other hand, is stress that
harms our health and often results from imbalances between demands made
upon us and our resources for dealing with these demands. The latter is what
most people think about when they talk about stress. However, if handled well
stress can increase motivation and stimulate us.
There are many different definitions and theories of stress. However, a
commonly recognised one is the interactionist model of stress (Lazarus &
Folkman, 1984). It suggests there are three key components involved:
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B does not. Thus Person A will probably have a reaction to the stressful
situation, either physiological or emotional.
Resources refer to our ability to cope with the demand or stressor, for dealing
with possible or real problems. Again, an event occurs, Person A and Person
B both perceive it as stressful, but Person A believes she has the resources to
cope but Person B believes she doesnt, and they will respond accordingly.
While students may not be able to control some of the demands placed upon
them, they can change the resources at their disposal by increasing their
repertoire of coping strategies.
1.2
Everyone has an ideal level of stress, but it differs from person to person.
Basically, if theres not enough stress then performance may suffer, due to
lack of motivation or boredom (See Figure 1). However, too much stress
results in a drop in performance as a result of stress related problems like
inability to concentrate or illness.
We must learn to monitor our stress levels, firstly to identify our own optimum
level of stress and secondly to learn when we must intervene to increase or
decrease our level of stress. This way stress works for us. By managing
stress we can improve our quality of life and do a better job, either in
academic life or professional life.
If stress is not handled properly it can increase the negative consequences for
an individual.
Optimum Stress
Area of Optimum
Performance
Low Stress
Boredom
High Stress
Anxiousness
Unhappiness
1.3
People will have their own personal signs or reactions to stress, which they
should learn to identify. They generally fall into three categories: physical,
cognitive and emotional. Many of these symptoms come and go as a
result of short-term stress. However, symptoms that are associated with
more long-term, sustained stress can be harmful. Consequences can
include fatigue, poor morale and ill health. High levels of stress without
intervention or management can contribute to mental health problems (e.g.
depression, anxiety, interpersonal difficulties), behavioural changes (e.g.
increased alcohol intake, drug abuse, appetite disorders) and sometimes
involve medical consequences (e.g. headaches, bowel problems, heart
disease, etc.). Some of these signs are listed below.
1.3.1 Physical (physiological and behavioural)
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Racing heart
Cold, sweaty hands
Headaches
Shallow or erratic breathing
Nausea or upset tummy
Constipation
Shoulder or back pains
Rushing around
Working longer hours
Losing touch with friends
Fatigue
Sleep disturbances
Weight changes
There is are well established links between stress and many types of
illness. However, these physical symptoms could result from medical
or physiological problems rather than be completely stress related.
Medical advice should be sought whenever someone believes he or
she may have an illness, e.g. chest pain or weight changes.
1.3.2 Cognitive (or Thoughts)
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Forgetting things
Finding it hard to concentrate
Worrying about things
Difficulty processing information
Negative self-statements
Fear
Tearfulness
Increased interpersonal conflicts
Everyone has developed his or her own response to stress. The key is to
learn to monitor your own signs and become aware of when they are
indicating the stress level is unmanageable.
In general:
Whenever there are particularly stressful times in your
department (e.g. exam time, assignments due, etc.) maybe
have a discussion about stressors and ways of coping.
SUGGESTED PRESENTATION
About Stress
Time Commitment
30 40 minutes
Materials
Exercise Performance Quiz
Why Learn About Stress (Slide 2)
Stress Model (Slide 3)
Optimal Level of Stress (Slide 4)
Signs or Symptoms of Stress (Slide 5 - 7)
Exercise - Stress Test
Demands and Resources (Slide 8)
Exercise - How do I respond to stress?
Example of Stress Diary
Activities and Procedures
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Explain optimal level of stress using graph (Slide 4). Discuss how
to identify own level by keeping a stress diary.
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
To help students identify and learn about their own optimal level,
have a discussion about possible stressors. Ask students to offer
relevant example or have students generate examples about when
they have handled stress well or performed well under stress
versus when this didnt happen. (See Exercise How I respond to
stress).
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2. MANAGING STRESS
2.1 Coping With Stress
The breadth of coping resources students have at their disposal can be a
determinant of the degree of success and satisfaction they experience at
college (Baird, 2001, p.3).
AIM
To help students learn to control or manage stress they may
experience.
To provide students with a range of coping strategies.
To allow students the opportunity to practice coping strategies.
To encourage students to lay the foundations for a healthy life style
that reduces stress.
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Some of these coping strategies will suit some people, others will not. The key
is to have a range of resources that can be applied, depending upon the
situation and the individual. It is important to have strategies one is
comfortable using.
2.1.2.2
These refer to ways of dealing with stress using our minds. Cognitive
coping strategies are a good way to combat stress-producing thoughts.
As Shakespeares Hamlet said, . . . for there is nothing either good or
bad but thinking makes it so. . . Often people already use these
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Reframing focus on the good not the bad; think in terms of wants
instead of shoulds. Its best if our thinking is related to our goals.
For example, I want to read and understand this chapter in
Chemistry so I do well in my lab practical instead of I have to read
this difficult chapter in Chemistry.
Count to ten this allows you time to gain control and perhaps
rethink the situation or come up with a better coping strategy.
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2.1.2.2
Smile and Laugh - gives us energy and helps to lighten the load;
relaxes muscles in the face.
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SUGGESTED PRESENTATION
Managing Stress
Time Commitment
45 50 minutes (or longer depending on how many examples and exercises
are practiced).
Materials
Coping Different Situations, Different Coping (Slide 9 &10)
Exercise Sorting of situations, reactions and coping resources
Examples of different types of coping
Cognitive Coping Strategies (Slide 11 -13)
Exercise Creating Affirmations or I am Grateful
Behavioural Coping Strategies (Slide 14 -15)
Time Management Strategies (Slide 16 -17)
Summary of Coping (Slide 18)
Relaxation Optional (Slide 19)
Exercise Deep Breath
Exercise Short Relaxation
Exercise Body Scan
Activities and Procedures
Step 1
Explain types of coping problem-focussed and emotionfocussed (Slide 9 & 10). Give and ask for examples.
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
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Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 2
Step 3
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3. Summary
Stress, to a large extent, is under our control. Stress results from our
appraisal of a situation and its demands, and our resources for coping with
the situation.
The key points can be summarised as follows (from Mind Tools, 1995):
Short-term stress occurs where you find yourself under pressure in a
particular situation.
A certain level of short term stress is needed to feel alert and alive
Too much is unpleasant and can seriously damage performance
Short term stress is best handled using mental or physical stress
management techniques
If students learn about and understand stress, they can take a proactive role
in managing their stress and making it work for them - in college as well as in
their future personal and professional lives.
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