Stress management among Nigerian deck officers in the Gulf of

Guinea.
Welcome!
Stress is a typical emotion we experience when we are under pressure, overwhelmed, or
unable to handle the circumstances at hand. According to Elizabeth, (2020), sometimes we
experience stresses when we are excited. WHO, described stress as a normal physiological
response we develop in response to circumstances. To further explain the concepts of
stressors, research has classified stressors into three different categories such as Eustress,
distress and sustress. (Lu, et al., 2021) describes distress as a state of experiencing bad
stress, sustress as condition of inadequate stress and eustress as a state where an employee
experience good stress. They went further to explain that both the sustress and distress might
obstruct normal day to day functioning of an individual where the eustress might be
beneficial to an individual in living a productive, engaging life.

Stress at the workplace refers to the physical, emotional, and psychological strains that
result from the demands and pressures of work. Work-related stress can be caused by a
variety of factors, including job demands, lack of control over work tasks, interpersonal
conflicts, job insecurity, and long working hours. Stress can have both short-term and long-
term effects on employees' physical and mental health. Short-term effects can include
increased heart rate, sweating, and muscle tension. Long-term effects can include chronic
health problems such as cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety.

Deck officers are in charge of ensuring that ships are navigated safely, and the Gulf of
Guinea poses special difficulties for seafarers due to piracy, oil theft, and political unrest.
Deck officers may experience stressful circumstances as a result of these difficulties, which
may have an adverse effect on both their physical and mental health as well as how
successfully they do their duties.

This study examines stress management strategies among Nigerian deck officers in the Gulf
of Guinea. We want to learn from onboard experiences with stress management.
What type of stress is peculiar to you while working in the Gulf of
Guinea?
 Eustress
 Distress
 Sustress
 Not applicable

Research questions for the research project on Stress management among

Nigerian deck officers in the Gulf of Guinea.
The following research questions are formulated to align with the aim and
objectives of this study, following a review of relevant literature.

Research Questions
What are the stress management strategies used by Nigerian deck officers in
the Gulf of Guinea? (This is determined by both primary data collection via
questionnaires).

According to Manalo, et al., (2015) in their research suggested that some of the
causes of mental distress could be reduced or in some cases eliminated, through
joint actions between workers, employers or group leaders. Do you think this
method will be helpful?
 Extremely helpful
 Not so helpful
 Very helpful
 Not at all helpful
 Somewhat helpful
 Not applicable
How do you typically cope with stress while working on a ship? Are there any
strategies or techniques that you find particularly helpful?

What resources and support systems are currently available to you in the Gulf
of Guinea for managing stress and promoting mental health, and how
accessible are these resources?

What is the perception among Nigerian deck officers about their

organisational approach to stress management in the Gulf of Guinea (This is
determined by both primary data collection via questionnaires and secondary
data collection via literature review)

SeafarerHelp, (2019), suggested that managing stress onboard relies on factors

such as effective rota management and crewing number. Is this stress
management strategies applicable in your organization.
 Yes
 No
 Not applicable
If yes, on a scale of 1-5, rate how effective has it contributed to your overall
stress management practice.

ISWAN, 2(019) emphasized on the importance of seafarers’ psychological well-

being as being increasingly recognised, there is a call for a change in the culture
of shipping to facilitate more openness and less stigma regarding mental health.
Has you employer implemented this culture?
 Yes
 No
 Not applicable

How effective do you find the stress management strategies provided by your
organization in reducing your stress levels?
  Not at all effective
 Slightly effective
 Moderately effective
 Very effective
 Extremely effective

Rajeswary & Dayalarajan, (2022) revealed that frequent communication with

friends and families using facilities provided by the organization may go a long
way in keeping the mindset of seafarers at peace and also reduce their stress
level. Do you agree with this notation?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable
According to McVeigh, et al., (2019), the limited environment of a ship gives
unique chances to offer seafarers support programs to aid in stress reduction and
improve their general well-being while at sea. Do you agree with this?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable

What other stress management techniques do you apply to improve your stress
level?

If you consider the stress management programme utilized by your employer is

not helpful, can you highlight in brief, area(s) not considered by your
employers?
How often do you use the facilities provided by the employers to effectively
manage your stress level?

What role does your employer play in promoting mental health and well-being
among Nigerian deck officers, and what specific actions has be taken to support
their employees?

What are the most common stressors faced by Nigerian deck officers in the
Gulf of Guinea? (This is determined by primary data collection via a
questionnaire)
According to Merriam-webster dictionary, stressors are stimuli that causes stress.
Betterhealth Channel, (2012) also opined that Stressors at the workplace are the factors that
cause stress for employees. These can be physical, psychological, or social factors that
contribute to a stressful work environment. Some of the peculiar stressors are High
workload, Lack of control, Job insecurity, Interpersonal conflicts, Poor communication,
Organizational change, Work-life balance and many more. This section seeks to explore
some of the stress peculiar to Nigerian deck officers in the Gulf of Guinea.

According to (Carter, 2005; Chung, et al., 2017), poor physical or mental health
conditions (e.g., fatigue and burnout) can affect job performance, increase
maritime incidents, deteriorate safety performance and also contribute
immensely to the stress level of employees. Do you agree to this?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable

Rinne, et al., (2021) has posited that seafarers have higher mortality rate than
other employees from other sectors. Does this contribute to your stress?
 Yes
 No
 Not applicable
Exposure to sunburn, noises, vibrations, chemicals, malnutrition, long-time
tours, lack of medical assistance, and isolations are some of the sources of stress
among seafarers as stated by Sampson & Ellis, (2020). I feel these factors are
peculiar to me.
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable

Oldenburg and Jensen claimed that natural environmental factors like storms,
extreme cold or hot have effect on the working conditions on seafarers has been
a major stress factor. Do you agree to this?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable

According to Andrei, et al., (2020), long work hours (including improper

working
schedule shifts) can disturb sleep patterns and quality and also lead to chronic
stress. Do you agree to this?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable
Are there any other environmental factors not mentioned in question 3 that has
been source(s) of stress that you may experience while working in the Gulf of
Guinea?

Are the sources of stresses or stressor mentioned in this section peculiar to you
in any way? if not, please indicate what are the sources of your stresses while
working in the Gulf of Guinea

How does stress impact the mental health, well-being and the work of
Nigerian deck officers in the Gulf of Guinea? (This is determined by
primary data collection via a questionnaire)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is “a state
of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able
to make a contribution to his or her community. This section seeks to explore
the effect stress has on the physical health, mental health and the work life of
Nigerian deck officers in the Gulf of Guinea.
Jensen & Oldenburg, (2019) posited that cultural diversity and language barriers
can contribute to difficulty in establishing a healthy social relationship on board
a merchant ships, increasing a feeling of isolation and stress level. Do you agree
with this?
 Yes
 No
 Not applicable
MacLachlan, et al., (2013) highlighted some notable effect of stress such as
depression, anxiety, suicide, and alcohol or drug dependence as a major
contributor to mental and physical health of seafarers in the maritime
industrials. Do you experience these effects?
 Never
 Occasionally
 Sometimes
 Often
 Very often
 Not applicable
According to Rajeswary & Dayalarajan, (2022), stress affects an individual’s
efficiency, success, personal health and excellence of their work especially
those working an uncomfortable environment condition. Is this applicable to
you?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable

Jegaden, et al., (2019), suggested that boredom contributes to deteriorating

mental health with detrimental consequences for the quality of the work done.
Do you agree to this?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
 Not applicable

Stress can impact an individual in various ways, can you please explain any
other way not mentioned above you may have experienced the effect of stress
during work in the Gulf of Guinea.

What steps do you take to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and do you feel
that this has an impact on your overall stress levels?

Have you noticed any changes in the work environment or culture that could be
contributing to stress levels among Nigerian deck officers in the Gulf of
Guinea?
What specific recommendation can be implemented to improve stress
management and promote mental health among Nigerian deck officers?
(This is determined by primary data collection via a questionnaire)

In an effort to assist Nigerian deck officers manage their stress while working
in the Gulf of Guinea, the recommended activity involves identifying and
making recommendations for efficient methods for handling stress. These
suggestions might include steps like counseling, mindfulness training, stress
management classes, and cultivating a supportive work environment. It is
hoped that by putting these suggestions into practice, Nigerian deck officers
will be better able to control their stress levels, lessen the effects stress has on
their health and ability to perform their jobs, and significantly improve their
general quality of life while working in the Gulf of Guinea.

How important do you think it is for your organization to provide training and education on
stress management and mental health?

What types of stress management activities would you like to see implemented in your
organization?

What other suggestions do you have for improving stress management and promoting mental
health among Nigerian deck officers?
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