Stress is a problem in today's world and adolescents are not exempt from suffering its ill effects. Currently no stress management courses are offered as part of the formal guidance programme in high schools or in the community. This pilot study is an attempt to construct a stress management course based on the concepts of Transactional Analysis. The course was implemented with a multi-racial, standard eight group of nine boys and girls. The course was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. The quantitative measures proved to be inappropriate to this study and did not render any useful information. The study found that the scholars expressed that they had changed in their handling of their daily stressors as a result of the course. Personal growth had also taken place. The findings of this research are discussed in terms of the important implications they have for school guidance programmes.

Mindfulness research is growing considerably, though there is very little research in the area of HIV and mindfulness. This study explored and described the experience of a sample of HIV positive people, before and after an 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme, to ascertain whether mindfulness can positively impact the CD4 count of the participants, with the consequent improvement to their immune systems. The incidence of depression, anxiety and stress levels were also explored. The research sample consisted of 17 participants recruited from a local hospital clinic. Purposive sampling was used to source participants. The mixed method approach of data gathering was made up of a pre-test post-test battery of questionnaires and blood tests. Mindfulness levels were assessed with the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at 3 intervals, while depression, anxiety and stress were assessed by means of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Key findings included the following: the drop out rate for this population group was large, mindfulness practices do not always have a positive effect on immune functioning when there are other confounding variables at play, all participants reported they benefited from the 8 week MBSR course, though their results did not always indicate this. In conclusion it is proposed that mindfulness is potentially beneficial.

Proactive coping involves individuals developing resources to facilitate their promotion toward personal growth. The aim of this study was to determine whether differences occurred in the use of a proactive coping style between students from various Southern African countries and universities, in order to form cross-cultural comparisons for this construct. The Proactive Coping Inventory (PCI) was electronically distributed to collect the empirical data, with purposeful non-probability sampling being employed. The sample consisted of 622 students from three universities, one each in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Eleven hypotheses were set for investigation. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in the emergence of two distinct factors in the PCI, implying two separate subscales. A statistically significant relationship was found between proactive coping and both instrumental and emotional support seeking. A small, practically significant gender difference was discovered for emotional support seeking, and moderate differences were found between age and proactive coping. Southern African university students exhibit higher levels of proactive coping than preventative coping, strategic planning or emotional support seeking. Furthermore, they make use of proactive coping to a greater extent than individuals outside of the Southern Africa region. In terms of national and institutional culture, no statistically significant differences occurred for proactive coping between any of the countries or universities under study. These findings imply that regardless of a Southern African student's home country or university, he or she is likely to cope proactively. A possible explanation is because Africans generally value social support systems and collectivism, which assist individuals in coping proactively. These results also suggest that all three universities under study are effectively encouraging students to cope in a proactive manner, whether formally or informally, which is in line with the values of these institutions. It is recommended that Southern African universities focus more intentionally on becoming positive socialising systems through integrating the development of human strengths, thus enhancing the value that students and society gain from tertiary education. These findings add to the current body of knowledge relating to proactive coping, which is lacking in a Southern African context.

This study examined the effects of a stress inoculation training program on self-reported Type A behaviour pattern (TABP) and irrational beliefs in a sample of female medical, dental, and graduate students. Thirteen female medical students from the first, second, and third years of medical school, one female dental student from the first year of dental school, and 16 female graduate student volunteers were assigned to a 6-week stress inoculation group (SI; n = 14) or a 4-hour brief treatment group (BT; n = 16) in a repeated measures (pre, post, 11-week follow-up) quasi-experimental design. Participants completed the Rational Behavior Inventory, the Irrational Beliefs Test, the Type A Irrational Beliefs Test, and the Framingham Type A Scale (modified) in order to assess treatment effects. Price's (1982) cognitive social learning model proposes that TABP is elicited and maintained, in part, by specific beliefs and the fears and anxieties that they engender. Following this model, it was hypothesized that self-reported TABP, irrational beliefs, and Type A irrational beliefs would significantly decrease, and rational behaviour, or general rational thinking, would significantly increase, from pre- to post-test and these changes would be maintained at 11-week follow-up in the SI group, compared with the BT group. Repeated measures MANOVAs with pre-planned contrasts indicated that SI was effective in significantly reducing TABP from pre-to post-test. Both SI and BT were effective in significantly decreasing irrational beliefs and Type A irrational beliefs, as well as significantly increasing rational behaviour, or general rational thinking, from pre to post-test. These changes were maintained at follow-up and provide further insight into the relationship between TABP and irrational beliefs. This study provides partial support for Price's model and implicates the use of stress inoculation training in the treatment of TABP in female medical, dental, and graduate students. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

Graduation thesis is focused on subject of stress, stress management and soul hygiene. The main goal of this thesis is to collect relevant literature dealing with questions of stress management and soul hygiene and to process the most important aspects. Subsequent goal is to carry out the empirical research on target group of university students and managers and to find out their approach against stress, stress management techniques and the level of psychohygiene in their lives. Results of the empirical research will be the base for the final recommendations.

The primary objective of the study was to increase understanding of interpersonal dimensions of stress and coping within married couples. Using a diary methodology and a matched-pair hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis strategy, the study examined how stress and coping processes unfold over the course of a given day and across days within couples. The study investigated within-couple variation in daily stress, coping, coping efficacy, mood, and marital tension. Special emphasis was given to the examination of the correlates and consequences of empathic responding, a form of relationship focused coping. The results suggest that when relational outcomes are considered, empathic responding may represent an adaptive way of coping with everyday stress occurring within intimate contexts. Moreover, the study indicates that when greater personal significance is attached to a family stressor, husbands and wives tend to increase their use of empathic responding. The findings suggest that the examination of relationship-focused coping may add to the theoretical and explanatory power of current models of stress and coping. Also considered were the contextual effects of marital adjustment on how family stressors are experienced and managed by couples. The results document a link between marital adjustment and the use of empathic responding for both husbands and wives within couples. Further, the study suggests that marital adjustment plays an important role in determining whether the negative effects of stress will persist across days. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

In these days psychological pressure and stress are relevant and actual because the times are fast-moving, living pace is faster and the life without stress does not exist anymore. Stress is playing more significant part in our life and most people has a lot of stressful experiences. The teoretical part is based on connections between psychological pressure and stress. Consequential part is focused on prevention and stress management. In the following part methodological procedure, data processing methods and evaluation of results are explained. The next part includes the research results and the final part state possible propositions and recommendations to solve the problem. The aim of the thesis is to characterise psychological pressure and its categories by mentioning examples, causes, effects and options management. On the basis of this executed research the aim is also to determine how students of University of Economics in Prague (VŠE) cope with these stressfull situations, how they respond to it and how they manage to have this influential factor under control, and to comment on the results and potencial recommendations to optimalise management of these situations.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex, progressive disease of the central nervous system with potential multifactorial etiology. Subjects with MS experience varying symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, gait and balance impairments, etc. With time, intensity of the symptoms progresses, especially if subjects are in the progressive phase of the disease. So far, there is no effective treatment available which can reverse or even stop progression of the symptoms and disability associated with MS. Given the multifactorial nature of MS, use of multiple interventions is recommended for its treatment. As use of multiple pharmacological agents is usually limited due to adverse side effects, non-pharmacological treatments such as diet, exercises and stress management may provide a safer and potentially effective treatment option. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a combination of non-pharmacological treatments on subjects with progressive MS. In this open-label, single arm cohort study, we investigated the effects of a multimodal intervention consisting of modified Paleolithic diet, nutritional supplements, stretching exercises, strengthening exercises with electrical stimulation of trunk and lower limb muscles, meditation and massage on multiple symptoms associated with progressive MS. We investigated the effects on fatigue, quality of life, clinical disability, walking performance and balance of the subjects over a period of 12 months. Twenty subjects (15 female) with progressive MS (18 secondary progressive and 2 primary progressive) and mean Expanded Disability Status scale (EDSS) score of 6.2 (range, 3.5 to 8) participated in the 12-month main phase of the study. In a subset of subjects (8 SPMS, 2 PPMS; EDSS 6.2 + 1.4), effects of the intervention on microstructure of whole brain, corpus callosum and corticospinal tracts using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and measures of clinical disability including ambulation, hand function and cognitive functions were also investigated. Adherence and dosage of individual components of the intervention were calculated from subjects' daily logs. All clinical assessments were completed at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. MRI data were collected at 1 and 12 months post-intervention on a subset of 10 subjects. Safety analyses were completed based on monthly side effects questionnaires and blood analyses at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Overall subjects showed good adherence with this intervention and did not report any serious side effects. Subjects reported significant improvement in perceived fatigue, energy and general health within 3 months from baseline and sustained the improvement until 12 months. Fifty percent of the subjects showed significant and consistent increases in both comfortable (during timed up and go test) and fast (during timed 25 foot walk) walking speeds. Small but significant improvements in the measures of balance such as Berg Balance test and time to stand up from seated position were also observed. Interestingly, subjects with comparatively lower physical impairment at baseline showed higher improvements in fatigue, walking and balance tests compared to the subjects with severe physical impairments at baseline. We observed consistent improvements in the cognitive functions of the subjects and in the white matter integrity of left corticospinal tracts. Clinical disability assessed with EDSS, and DTI metrics of most white matter tracts did not change significantly during the study period. These results show that a multimodal intervention can be safely implemented and sustained by subjects with progressive MS. This intervention decreases perception of fatigue and improves quality of life of these subjects. Furthermore, this intervention has beneficial effects on subject's walking ability, balance and cognitive functions and white matter integrity. Initiating this intervention during early stage of the disease when subjects have only mild to moderate disability seems to be more beneficial. Larger, randomized, controlled trials are needed to establish efficacy of this multimodal intervention on MS and elucidate mechanisms underlying its effects on MS.

Abstract An estimated 33% to 54% of hospital nurses exhibit signs of emotional stress and decreased well-being, which is associated with a negative impact on nurses’ health, job performance, patient care outcomes, and healthcare cost. This project sought to improve nurse well-being by providing nurses with education on mindfulness-based practices. The practice question addressed whether implementing a mindfulness-based education strategy for nurses improved nurse well-being. Three models informed this project: the health promotion model, the andragogical model, and Kirkpatrick’s 4 levels of training evaluation. Sources of evidence included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and a knowledge assessment administered to 10 registered nurse participants before and after a 6-week education program. An overall evaluation was also given at the end of the program. Analytical strategies included frequency distributions for demographics and program evaluation as well as measuring the mean difference between pre- and postscores using a paired t test for the MBI and the knowledge assessment. The results of this project demonstrated a significant improvement between pre- and postscores for basic knowledge of mindfulness practices (p = .004), confidence in performing mindfulness practices (p = .001), ability to apply mindfulness practices in the work setting (p = .004), participant’s belief that applying mindfulness practices supports self care (p = .013), and improvement in emotional exhaustion (p = .025). The implications are that teaching nurses mindfulness strategies can decrease emotional exhaustion and stress. Recommendations are to continue this program. The positive impact on social change included improved nurse well-being leading to better patient outcomes.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The nature of naval member’s job demands is that they experience high levels of stress. Stress is introduced in military training to familiarize sailors with real life stressors. This study is located in piloting and validity theory. It focuses explicitly on validating an existing tool, the Therapeutic Recreation Stress Leisure Appraisal Tool, to measure stress in the South African Navy. This study aimed to pilot and evaluate the validity and reliability of the developed tool in an African context in the South African Navy. A multi-stage procedure of instrument development using the instrument development model will be used, consisting of the following steps: 1) preliminary phase, 2) questionnaire development, 3) pilot testing, and 4) evaluation.