Previous research has reported positive associations between anger, perceived stress and blood pressure. These associations have largely been based on cross-sectional data and a small number of longitudinal works. Using a prospective longitudinal cohort design, this study more directly tested the relationships between anger, perceived stress and blood pressure by using a psychological therapeutic intervention (mindfulness-based stress reduction) to manipulate anger and perceived stress. Anger and perceived stress were in turn evaluated for association with blood pressure. Despite improvements in psychosocial functioning and reductions in blood pressure, findings from this study failed to demonstrate an association between change in anger or perceived stress with change in daytime or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. A model where these variables interact indirectly via stress coping mechanisms or health behaviours may be the linking mechanism in this study. Results from this thesis have contributed evidence to a divided field dominated by cross-sectional research.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Stress Management Training Program on perceived stress, self-efficacy and coping styles of preparatory school students in Middle East Technical University. Pre-posttest experimental control group design was used to investigate the effectiveness of Stress Management Training Program. Before the main study, reliability and validity studies of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), College Adjustment Self-efficacy Scale (CASES) and Student Coping Instrument (SCOPE) were carried out with one hundred and forty one students. Three hundred and sixty six students (154 females and 212 males) contributed the main study. Among them, sixteen students were randomly assigned in the experimental and control group. While the Stress Management Training Program was applied for experimental group, control group did not receive any treatment. The program continued for six weeks, once a week for 90 minutes. The program included the effective and in-effective ways of coping with stress, emotions and thoughts that affect behaviors, relaxation training, problem solving and assertiveness training. ANOVA, Mann-Withney U and two-related samples Wilcoxon tests were used to analyze data. The results of analysis of variance showed a gender difference between males and females. Females had higher scores in perceived stress, socially related life events and emotion-focused coping. The results of Wilcoxon test showed a significant reduction between pre and post test scores of experimental group in perceived stress scores and the frequency of socially related life events. No difference was found for CASES and SCOPE.At the end of the study, the findings were discussed and recommendations were presented.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal investigar o desempenho das funções executivas (FEs), a relação com a velocidade de processamento da informação e com medidas subjetivas e fisiológica do estresse em indivíduos diagnosticados com Esclerose Múltipla (EM) com incapacidade leve e moderada, avaliada pela Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). O primeiro estudo corresponde a uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre o estresse e as FEs na EM. No segundo estudo, foram apresentados os dados da comparação entre grupos no desempenho FEs e as correlações entre a cognição e a velocidade de processamento da informação. Os grupos estudados foram: controles saudáveis (n = 35); EM com EDDS 3 (n = 37); EM com EDSS entre 4-6 (n = 32). O grupo de EM com EDSS entre 4-6 apresentou pior desempenho em controle inibitório e planejamento em comparação aos demais grupos, sendo que as correlações significativas entre a velocidade de processamento da informação e o desempenho das FEs estiveram mais presentes no grupo controle e de EM com EDDS 3. No terceiro estudo, foram apresentados dados das correlações entre as FEs e medidas de estresse através da percepção e do cortisol no grupo de controles saudáveis (n = 35) e de EM (n = 69). Os dados mostraram mínimas associações entre o cortisol, especialmente, no controle inibitório e a influência de baixos níveis de cortisol na resolução de problemas⁄flexibilidade cognitiva no grupo de EM em comparação ao grupo de controles saudáveis. Concluiu-se que o desempenho das FEs pode estar associado ao nível de incapacidade medido pela EDSS de indivíduos diagnosticados com EM, sendo que a velocidade de processamento da informação parece não estar associada, de forma significativa, às FEs de indivíduos com maior incapacidade. Na presente amostra, o estresse percebido não esteve associado às FEs, porém, níveis baixos de cortisol parecem prejudicar determinados subcomponentes executivos no grupo de EM. Dados da revisão sistemática mostraram uma associação indireta entre a percepção do estresse a o desempenho das FEs após diferentes intervenções. / The main objective of this study was to investigate the performance of executive functions (EF), the relationship with information processing speed and subjective and physiological measures of stress in individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); mild and moderate disability, evaluated by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Initially, the literature on stress and EF in MS is systematically reviewed. In the second study, we present the data of the comparison between groups in the EF performance and the correlations between the cognition and the speed of information processing. The groups studied were: healthy controls (n = 35); MS with EDDS 3 (n = 37); MS with EDSS between 4-6 (n = 32). The MS group with EDSS between 4-6 had worse performance in inhibitory control and planning in comparison to the other groups, and the significant correlations between the information processing speed and the performance of the EF were more evident in the control and MS groups with EDDS 3. In the third study, data are presented on correlations between EF and stress measures through perception and cortisol in healthy controls (n = 35) and MS (n = 69). The data showed minimal associations between cortisol, especially the influence of low cortisol levels on inhibitory control and problem-solving-cognitive flexibility in the MS group compared to the healthy controls group. We concluded that the performance of EF may be associated with the level of disability measured by the EDSS of individuals diagnosed with MS, and the speed of information processing seems not to be significantly associated to the EF of individuals with greater disability. In the present sample, perceived stress was not associated with EF, but low levels of cortisol appear to impair certain executive subcomponents in the MS group. However, data from the systematic review showed an indirect association between the perception of stress and the performance of EF after different interventions.

The overarching aims of this research were to advance knowledge of coach burnout and interventions addressing this syndrome by investigating (a) the associations between burnout, well-being, self-regulation capacity, and perceived stress in coaches, and (b) the perceived impact of a self-regulation intervention implemented with coaches experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout. A sequential mixed methods design was employed to collect quantitative and qualitative data in two separate phases. In Phase 1, an online survey was used to collect cross-sectional quantitative data from a sample of 260 Canadian developmental and elite sport coaches to assess associations between the variables of interest (i.e., burnout, well-being, self-regulation capacity, and perceived stress). Selected based on data from Phase 1, five coaches experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout then participated in a self-regulation intervention in Phase 2, which involved completing a workbook and a reflective journal and participating in a semi-structured intake and outtake interview before and after the intervention, respectively. Four studies were carried out to address the overall aims of this research. Phase 1. The purposes of Study 1 were to identify profiles of psychological functioning within a sample of coaches based on burnout and well-being indices, and investigate whether coaches in these profiles differed in their capacity to self-regulate and their perceptions of stress. Findings of the two-stage cluster analysis revealed that 54% of the coaches were characterized by a “thriving” profile (i.e., relatively low burnout and relatively high well-being), while 14% of the coaches were characterized by a “depleted” profile (i.e., relatively high burnout and relatively low well-being). The remainder of coaches were characterized by an “at-risk” profile (i.e., relatively high burnout and moderate well-being), which suggests that experiencing symptoms of burnout may not necessarily preclude coaches from experiencing well-being. Moreover, thriving coaches reported higher levels of self-regulation capacity and lower levels of perceived stress than coaches in the two more maladaptive profiles. Depleted coaches also reported higher levels of perceived stress than at-risk coaches. These findings speak to the salience of effective self-regulatory capacity and stress management skills in coaches’ adaptive functioning. Finally, depleted coaches worked longer hours and were more likely to be remunerated for their coaching than thriving coaches, demonstrating the importance of monitoring these situational factors to ensure coaches’ optimal functioning. The purpose of Study 2 was to examine the associations between self-regulation capacity, perceived stress, and burnout in coaches, and more specifically, to test the intervening variable effect of perceived stress in the association between coaches’ self-regulatory capacity and their emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Results of the structural equation modeling showed that coaches with greater self-regulatory competencies (i.e., self-control and self-observation) perceived less stress in their lives, and in turn, experienced less emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and greater personal accomplishment (i.e., lower burnout). A direct association between these self-regulatory competencies and coaches’ sense of accomplishment was also found. This indicates that effective self-control and self-monitoring competencies may enable coaches to feel more efficacious in their coaching, regardless of their perceptions of stress. Phase 2. The purpose of Study 3 was to investigate coaches’ subjective experiences of burnout in order to shed light on the complex emotional nature of this syndrome. To this end, idiographic, first-person narrative accounts of the five coaches’ subjective experiences of burnout were provided. The narratives revealed that burnout was highly individualized and characterized by a variety of emotions (e.g., apathy, anger, dejection) linked to the dimensions of burnout. Burnout had negative implications for the coaches’ well-being (e.g., loss of enjoyment) and their coaching practice (e.g., yelling at athletes), and was associated with deficits in the coaches’ self-regulatory capacity (e.g., resistance to healthy eating and exercise). These findings underscore the need for interventions to help coaches effectively manage their personal and professional life and their symptoms of burnout. The purpose of Study 4 was to implement a self-regulation intervention with coaches experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout and examine the perceived impact of this intervention on their self-regulation capacity and experiences of burnout and well-being. A content analysis of the coaches’ outtake interviews and five bi-weekly journals revealed that all five coaches learned to self-regulate more effectively by developing various competencies (e.g., self-monitoring) and strategies (e.g., task delegation) throughout the intervention. Four of the coaches also perceived improvements in their symptoms of burnout (i.e., felt less emotionally drained, more engaged with their work and/or accepting of their athletes, and more effective in their coaching) and their well-being (e.g., experienced more positive emotions, satisfaction with life, and autonomy). Overall, the results of the current research shed light on important personal resources (i.e., self-regulation competencies) that can be strengthened to help coaches prevent or manage burnout and achieve greater well-being. This research also provides data on the first known empirical investigation of an intervention implemented with coaches experiencing burnout. As such, the findings from this dissertation make novel empirical and practical contributions to the literature on coach burnout.

abstract: Numerous psychosocial and health factors contribute to perceived stress, social support, and problem-solving coping relating to overall well-being and life satisfaction in older adults. The effect of social support and problem-solving coping, however, remains largely untested as potential moderators. The present study was conducted to test whether social support and problem- solving coping would moderate the relation between perceived stress and life satisfaction in older adults. First, I anticipated that stress will be negatively related to life satisfaction at low levels of social support, while at high social support; stress will be unrelated to life satisfaction. Second, I expected that with low problem- solving coping, stress will be negatively related to life satisfaction, whereas, at levels of high problem- solving coping, stress will be unrelated to life satisfaction. Using an experimental survey and interview design with hierarchical regression analyses, I found no support that social support would moderate the relation between stress and life satisfaction. I found support that problem-solving coping moderated the relation between stress and life satisfaction. For individuals who engage in higher levels of problem- solving coping, higher levels of stress predicted lower levels of life satisfaction. On the other hand, at lower levels of problem-solving coping, more stress predicted lower levels of life satisfaction. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2017

Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal investigar o desempenho das funções executivas (FEs), a relação com a velocidade de processamento da informação e com medidas subjetivas e fisiológica do estresse em indivíduos diagnosticados com Esclerose Múltipla (EM) com incapacidade leve e moderada, avaliada pela Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). O primeiro estudo corresponde a uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre o estresse e as FEs na EM. No segundo estudo, foram apresentados os dados da comparação entre grupos no desempenho FEs e as correlações entre a cognição e a velocidade de processamento da informação. Os grupos estudados foram: controles saudáveis (n = 35); EM com EDDS 3 (n = 37); EM com EDSS entre 4-6 (n = 32). O grupo de EM com EDSS entre 4-6 apresentou pior desempenho em controle inibitório e planejamento em comparação aos demais grupos, sendo que as correlações significativas entre a velocidade de processamento da informação e o desempenho das FEs estiveram mais presentes no grupo controle e de EM com EDDS 3. No terceiro estudo, foram apresentados dados das correlações entre as FEs e medidas de estresse através da percepção e do cortisol no grupo de controles saudáveis (n = 35) e de EM (n = 69). Os dados mostraram mínimas associações entre o cortisol, especialmente, no controle inibitório e a influência de baixos níveis de cortisol na resolução de problemas⁄flexibilidade cognitiva no grupo de EM em comparação ao grupo de controles saudáveis. Concluiu-se que o desempenho das FEs pode estar associado ao nível de incapacidade medido pela EDSS de indivíduos diagnosticados com EM, sendo que a velocidade de processamento da informação parece não estar associada, de forma significativa, às FEs de indivíduos com maior incapacidade. Na presente amostra, o estresse percebido não esteve associado às FEs, porém, níveis baixos de cortisol parecem prejudicar determinados subcomponentes executivos no grupo de EM. Dados da revisão sistemática mostraram uma associação indireta entre a percepção do estresse a o desempenho das FEs após diferentes intervenções. / The main objective of this study was to investigate the performance of executive functions (EF), the relationship with information processing speed and subjective and physiological measures of stress in individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); mild and moderate disability, evaluated by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Initially, the literature on stress and EF in MS is systematically reviewed. In the second study, we present the data of the comparison between groups in the EF performance and the correlations between the cognition and the speed of information processing. The groups studied were: healthy controls (n = 35); MS with EDDS 3 (n = 37); MS with EDSS between 4-6 (n = 32). The MS group with EDSS between 4-6 had worse performance in inhibitory control and planning in comparison to the other groups, and the significant correlations between the information processing speed and the performance of the EF were more evident in the control and MS groups with EDDS 3. In the third study, data are presented on correlations between EF and stress measures through perception and cortisol in healthy controls (n = 35) and MS (n = 69). The data showed minimal associations between cortisol, especially the influence of low cortisol levels on inhibitory control and problem-solving-cognitive flexibility in the MS group compared to the healthy controls group. We concluded that the performance of EF may be associated with the level of disability measured by the EDSS of individuals diagnosed with MS, and the speed of information processing seems not to be significantly associated to the EF of individuals with greater disability. In the present sample, perceived stress was not associated with EF, but low levels of cortisol appear to impair certain executive subcomponents in the MS group. However, data from the systematic review showed an indirect association between the perception of stress and the performance of EF after different interventions.

Previous research has explored and explained the effect hardiness has on stress, but there is limited research on the use of physical activity in combination or in conjunction with hardiness. The present study aimed to examine if high school student's perceived stress level is affected by their level of hardiness and/or physical activity. The sample consisted of 370 high school students who were instructed to fill out a survey based on three instruments; Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-14 and Dispositional Resilience Scale, DRS-II as well as a separate self composed instrument on physical activity. A multiple regression analysis was calculated, indicating that hardiness predict stress and that there are gender differences. However, physical activity had no effect. / Tidigare forskning har undersökt och förklarat effekten som hardiness har på stress, men det finns begränsad forskning om användningen av fysisk aktivitet tillsammans eller i kombination med hardiness. Den nuvarande studien syftade till att undersöka om gymnasieungdomars upplevda stressnivå påverkas utav deras nivå av hardiness och/eller fysisk aktivitet. I undersökningen ingick 370 gymnasieelever som fick fylla i en enkät baserad på tre instrument; Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-14 och Dispositional Resilience Scale, DRS-II samt ett eget komponerat instrument om fysisk aktivitet. En multipel regressionsanalys genomfördes, resultatet tyder på att hardiness förutsäger stress och att könsskillnader existerar. Däremot fann undersökningen inget belägg för inverkan av fysisk aktivitet.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal investigar o desempenho das funções executivas (FEs), a relação com a velocidade de processamento da informação e com medidas subjetivas e fisiológica do estresse em indivíduos diagnosticados com Esclerose Múltipla (EM) com incapacidade leve e moderada, avaliada pela Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). O primeiro estudo corresponde a uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre o estresse e as FEs na EM. No segundo estudo, foram apresentados os dados da comparação entre grupos no desempenho FEs e as correlações entre a cognição e a velocidade de processamento da informação. Os grupos estudados foram: controles saudáveis (n = 35); EM com EDDS 3 (n = 37); EM com EDSS entre 4-6 (n = 32). O grupo de EM com EDSS entre 4-6 apresentou pior desempenho em controle inibitório e planejamento em comparação aos demais grupos, sendo que as correlações significativas entre a velocidade de processamento da informação e o desempenho das FEs estiveram mais presentes no grupo controle e de EM com EDDS 3. No terceiro estudo, foram apresentados dados das correlações entre as FEs e medidas de estresse através da percepção e do cortisol no grupo de controles saudáveis (n = 35) e de EM (n = 69). Os dados mostraram mínimas associações entre o cortisol, especialmente, no controle inibitório e a influência de baixos níveis de cortisol na resolução de problemas⁄flexibilidade cognitiva no grupo de EM em comparação ao grupo de controles saudáveis. Concluiu-se que o desempenho das FEs pode estar associado ao nível de incapacidade medido pela EDSS de indivíduos diagnosticados com EM, sendo que a velocidade de processamento da informação parece não estar associada, de forma significativa, às FEs de indivíduos com maior incapacidade. Na presente amostra, o estresse percebido não esteve associado às FEs, porém, níveis baixos de cortisol parecem prejudicar determinados subcomponentes executivos no grupo de EM. Dados da revisão sistemática mostraram uma associação indireta entre a percepção do estresse a o desempenho das FEs após diferentes intervenções. / The main objective of this study was to investigate the performance of executive functions (EF), the relationship with information processing speed and subjective and physiological measures of stress in individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); mild and moderate disability, evaluated by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Initially, the literature on stress and EF in MS is systematically reviewed. In the second study, we present the data of the comparison between groups in the EF performance and the correlations between the cognition and the speed of information processing. The groups studied were: healthy controls (n = 35); MS with EDDS 3 (n = 37); MS with EDSS between 4-6 (n = 32). The MS group with EDSS between 4-6 had worse performance in inhibitory control and planning in comparison to the other groups, and the significant correlations between the information processing speed and the performance of the EF were more evident in the control and MS groups with EDDS 3. In the third study, data are presented on correlations between EF and stress measures through perception and cortisol in healthy controls (n = 35) and MS (n = 69). The data showed minimal associations between cortisol, especially the influence of low cortisol levels on inhibitory control and problem-solving-cognitive flexibility in the MS group compared to the healthy controls group. We concluded that the performance of EF may be associated with the level of disability measured by the EDSS of individuals diagnosed with MS, and the speed of information processing seems not to be significantly associated to the EF of individuals with greater disability. In the present sample, perceived stress was not associated with EF, but low levels of cortisol appear to impair certain executive subcomponents in the MS group. However, data from the systematic review showed an indirect association between the perception of stress and the performance of EF after different interventions.

Increasing stress levels over the past 30 years have reached an all-time high, which has also correlated with an increase in medical insurance costs due to the adverse effects on life expectancy, obesity rates, and non-communicable disease deaths. An additional social problem affecting the U.S. is a 20-year increase in political dichotomy. Research has shown a distinction between liberals and conservatives on a variety of characteristics ranging from sleep patterns, disgust, personality, and even cleanliness. This current study used two other characteristics that correlate with both stress and political orientation, and they are happiness and religiosity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between perceived stress, happiness, religiosity, and political orientation. Two theories chosen for this study included System Justification Theory (SJT) and Moral Foundations Theory (MFT). Both theories relate to the differences between liberals and conservatives on happiness, religion, and morality. This study had 201 participants recruited via Amazon's MTurk and used a hierarchical multiple regression model, which includes the following psychometric instruments: Perceived Stress Scale-10, Subjective Happiness Scale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Religious Orientation Scale (Intrinsic and Extrinsic), and the Modified Wilson-Patterson Inventory. There was a significant effect found between intrinsic religiosity and conservative political orientation. In assisting social and behavioral scientists at better understanding stress differences and how humans cope in unique ways, positive social change is made possible by mitigating stress levels and therefore decreasing healthcare costs.

Magister Curationis - MCur / Academic performance of students is influenced by a combination of several psychosocial factors which include seeking academic help, use of various sources for academic learning, extent of the student seeking academic help, seeing academic help-seeking as a threat to self-esteem, interest in a subject, self-motivation and stress related to academic workload. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate psychosocial factors predicting the academic performance of first-year college nursing students, using a quantitative research method with a descriptive survey design. The population for this study was all first-year nursing students registered at a college of nursing in 2019. An inclusive sampling technique was used to include all 171 members of the student population in the study.