Introduction: Support staff working with individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and challenging behaviour experience high levels of work-related stress. Preliminary theoretical and experimental research has highlighted the potential suitability of acceptance and mindfulness approaches for addressing support staff stress. This study examines the effectiveness of an acceptance and mindfulness-based stress management workshop on the levels of psychological distress and well-being of support staff working with individuals with ID and challenging behaviour. Method: Support staff (n=120) were randomly assigned to a workshop intervention condition (n=66) or to a waiting list control condition (n=54). Measurements were completed at three time points (pre-, post and six week follow-up) for: psychological distress, well-being, perceived work stressors, thought suppression, emotional avoidance/psychological inflexibility. Results: The results showed that for psychological distress there was a significant interaction effect in favour of the workshop. Thought suppression was found to reduce significantly in the intervention group post to follow-up, although no significant change was found in wellbeing or experiential avoidance/psychological inflexibility. For individuals with higher levels of psychological distress at pre-intervention (GHQ>11), larger effect sizes for the interaction were found, suggesting a greater impact of the workshops on the most distressed. Conclusion: Overall, results demonstrated support for the effectiveness of an acceptance and mindfulness-based intervention in reducing distress.

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between hardiness and burnout in medicalsurgical staff nurses at a midwestern hospital. The conceptual framework used in the study was hardiness, developed by Kobasa (1979).The population selected for the study was medicalsurgical staff nurses at a midwestern hospital. The convenience sample consisted of responding staff nurses (n=41). Subject confidentiality was maintained by indicating respondents by number instead of name.The research design for the study was a descriptive correlational design. The research question was analyzed using the Pearson Moment Correlation Co-efficient. Findings of the study indicated a negative, significant correlation between Emotional Exhaustion Burnout subscale and hardiness (p=.001). A positive significant correlation was supported-between the Personal Accomplishment Burnout subscale and hardiness (p=.000). The Depersonalization Burnout Subscale and the overall Burnout Score did not support significant correlations in sample subjects studied.Conclusions from the study were that nurses need opportunities for increasing personal development and decreasing exhaustion. The depersonalization of the environment did not seem to be a factor related to hardiness, and remains to be examined. The study was significant because it was determined that certain subscalBall State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306 / School of Nursing

The purpose of the study was to evaluate perceived stressors, coping strategies, and coping effectiveness in older adults. The theoretical framework was Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theory of stress.Data was collected from 55 independent living adults. Findings showed that primary perceived stressors focused on health, family, and independence. The most frequently used and effective style of coping was optimistic. The least frequently used and least effective style was emotive. The most commonly used and most effective strategy was prayer. Few demographic differences in coping were noted.A major conclusion was that, while individual coping strategies were highly effective, overall older adults coped only somewhat effectively with stressors.The significance of the study was that effective coping strategies and styles as identified can guide nursing interventions for stress management among older adults. Replication of the study is needed with a large sample from a variety of populations. / School of Nursing

In balancing the divergent needs of staff, patients, families, support services and upper management, the nurse middle manager (NMM) in the acute care hospital faces daily stresses in dealing with the demands of the management role. The purpose of the study was to identify the relationship between hardiness, a stress resistance buffer, and coping effectiveness among NMMs. The conceptual framework used in the study was Lazarus' theory of stress and coping. The study was based on a descriptive correlational comparative design. The instruments used were: (a) the Health Related Hardiness Scale (HRHS), measuring hardiness; (b) the .Jalowiec Coping Scale (-JCS), measuring coping mechanisms and coping effectiveness; and (c) a demographic data form, describing the sample. A convenience sample of 201 (37.2X) NMMs representing 31 Indiana acute care hospitals participated in the study. Confidentiality of the subjects was maintained throughout the study. A Pearson r correlation, used to analyze the data of the HRHS and .JCS, indicated a weak: positive relationship at a significant level (r=.2S; p=':.OO1) between hardiness and coping effectiveness. Descriptive statistics wereused to determine that the most frequently used coping mechanisms were confrontive, optimistic, and self-reliant. No relationship was identified between hardiness and age (r=-.07; p=.33). No differences were identified between: (a) hardiness and present level of NMM educational preparation, and (b) hardiness and NMMs that reported 'adequate' and 'inadequate' social support (work and family). It was concluded that NMMs in the study had a high level of hardiness. A lower level of coping effectiveness (mean ;: effectiveness score, 3.30) indicated the use of a limited number of coping mechanisms, which may be the result of limitations in the work setting. The low correlation between hardiness with coping effectiveness may be the result of: (a) a low level of coping effectiveness, or (b) the use of a limited number of coping mechanisms resulting from limitations in the work setting. Confrontive, optimistic, and self-reliant coping mechanisms may be the most appropriate styles in the work setting for NMMs. The use of healthy coping mechanisms by the NMMs may be the result of the programs supporting the transition from clinician to manager provided by the participating hospitals. Organizations should plan strategies to help NMMs (both established and those new to the position) develop a sense of commitment to the organization, a feeling of challenge from the job demands, and a plan to provide control of the responsibilities of the position in order to sustain the present high levels of hardiness for the NMMs. / School of Nursing

Bakgrund: Arbetsfrånvaro och långtidssjukskrivningar på grund av arbetsrelaterad stress och psykisk ohälsa ökar. Dess effekter påverkar både individen, organisationen och samhället. Ett bra fungerande arbetsliv bidrar till folkhälsan både genom att minska den arbetsrelaterade ohälsan och de sociala skillnaderna i ohälsa.Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva effekter av interventioner vid arbetsrelaterad stress.Metod: Denna studie var en litteraturstudie där tio vetenskapliga artiklar granskades. Artiklarna analyserades, sammanfattades och delades in i tre teman. Resultaten beskrivs med hjälp av dessa tre teman.Reslutat: Vår studie visade att de vanligaste effekterna av interventioner vid arbetsrelaterad stress var förändringar i stressnivåer, ökad kunskap och förståelse för arbetsrelaterad stress samt ökat stöd, förändrade beteenden och attityder. Kognitiv beteendeterapi, avslappningsövningar och aktivt lyssnande var metoder som visade sig vara effektiva.Slutsats: Förändringar i stressnivå, ökad kunskap och förståelse samt ökat stöd, förändrade beteenden och attityder visade sig vara de viktigaste effekterna av interventioner vid arbetsrelaterad stress. Genom att kombinera interventioner på både individ- och organisationsnivå kan resultatet bli både effektivt och långsiktigt. / Background: The levels of absenteeism and long term disability due to work-related stress and mental health problem are increasing. It affects the individual, organization and society. A well-functioning workplace contributes to public health, with both reductions in work-related illnesses and social inequalities in health. Aim: The aim of this study is to describe the effects of interventions on work-related stress. Methods: This study was a literature study in which ten scientific articles were reviewed. The articles were analyzed, summarized and divided into three themes. The results were described using these three themes. Results: We found in our study that the most common effects of the interventions on work-related stress proved to be change in stress levels, increased knowledge and understanding of work-related stress and increased support, attitude and behavior change. Conclusion: Changes in levels of stress, increased knowledge and understanding as well as increased support, changing behaviors and attitudes proved to be the most important effects of interventions of work-related stress. By combining interventions at both individual and organizational levels, the result can be both effective and sustainable.

The purpose of this study was to identify areas of job stress experienced by public school principals, and elements of the work environment and personal coping mechanisms used to alleviate that stress. Specifically, the study sought to identify sources of job stress as defined by role overload, role insufficiency, role ambiguity, role boundary, responsibility, and physical environment. It further sought to determine the relationship between elements of the work environment as defined by involvement, peer cohesion, supervisor support, autonomy, task orientation, work pressure, clarity, control, innovation and physical comfort and the stress experienced by principals. Finally, it sought to identify effective personal coping resources as defined by cognitive, social, emotional, spiritual/philosophical, or physical.The study population included 124 Indiana public school principals new in their assignments during the 1995-1996 school year. The subgroups of the population were: principals with no previous principalship experience and principals with prior principalship experiences. No other demographic data were included. Three standard instruments were used to gather data. The Occupational Roles Questionnaire (ORQ), a subtest of the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) developed by Osipow and Spokane in 1981, identified sources of stress. The Work Environment Scale (WES), developed by Moos in 1981, assessed the work element. The Coping Resources Inventory, developed by Hammer and Marting in 1987, identified personal coping resources effective with new principals.The study found that all principals experienced the greatest amount of stress from role overload and the least amount of stress from challenging physical conditions. However, the levels of stress experienced were not significantly above the level of stress identified by the normative population.The study also found that principals with no previous principalship experience utilized different elements of the work environment to reduce stress than did experienced principals. Non-experienced principals utilized supervisor support, task orientation, and innovation to relieve stress. Experienced principals reported reduced stress from involvement, peer cohesion, and physical comfort.Finally, the study found that principals with no previous principalship experience used different personal coping resources than did experienced principals. Non-experienced principals relieved stress through expression of emotion, cognition, spiritual/philosophical, and physical. Experienced principals reported no significant use of either spiritual/philosophical or physical coping resources. / Department of Educational Leadership

The study explored the links between 31 sources of stress, as per the Student Stress Scale, and gender, level of study, race and social class, as well as the relationship between stress and health. Two-hundred–and-five (205) undergraduate and post-graduate students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus, participated in the study. The results showed that there were five significant differences in sources of stress between male and female students, six significant differences between undergraduate and post-graduate students, nine significant differences between black students and students of other races and three significant differences between students of different socio-economic statuses. Furthermore, there were no significant relationships found between stress and overall health and anxiety; however, significant relationships were found between stress and depression, bodily pain and flu/cold. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

The purpose of this study was to interview clergy that experienced significant stress in their personal and professional lives and understand the coping mechanisms implemented to mediate the stressors. Although an abundance of literature exists which addresses the problem of clergy strains, there is limited academic research provided through the lens of seasoned clergy which reveals coping strategies related to sustaining ministry. The sample consisted of eight Protestant ordained clergy in the Midwestern United States who had led a congregation in the range of 125 to 1000. All were married with at least two children. Two of the eight were females. All of the respondents were Caucasian with the exception of one African-American male. Participants were selected as clergy, past and present that had undergone a significant stress-related experience that forced them to cope. Clergy from fourteen different denominations were solicited. The ages of the participants ranged from forty-two to fifty-nine years of age. Participants were identified with the use of a screening survey instrument listing a variety of stressors in response to the query: “Have you experienced stress similar to any of these listed?” An additional question followed: “Have you gone through a significant learning or life changing experience related to your role as a clergy member?” This particular self-report qualitative study was undertaken using the descriptive method with an interpretive approach. The intent was to understand the meaning people made of their experiences and provide useful information for those in this chosen profession. Analysis of the data revealed six major stressors categorized as change, leadership, dissonance, crises, expectations, and loneliness. Eleven coping mechanisms were identified. These included exercise, prayer, leadership development, reading, retreats, counselor, calling, family, day off, relationships, and scripture. The data analysis resulted in the participants being classified into one of three categories based on the number of coping strategies implemented. Those with five or less were designated passively engaged, participants with six mechanisms were deemed moderately engaged, and those using eight or more coping devices were considered competently engaged. Further examination revealed there may be an association between the degree of stress, the number of coping strategies and the effects both have on whether clergy remain in a parish for an extended period of time or even remain in the profession. / Department of Educational Studies

The purpose of this study is to investigate the stress experienced by teenage mothers attending school and the need for multi-faced and strength-based stress management programs. Trends of teenage pregnancy in developing and developed countries are looked at. Causes and consequences of teenage motherhood stress are also explored. One of the consequences of teenage motherhood is stress. There are programs aimed at alleviating stress of teenage motherhood. Some of these programs are evaluated. The findings of this study indicate that there is a need for multi-faced and strength-based interventions for teenage mothers. After the literature study, an empirical research was conducted to explore challenges faced by teenage mothers. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews with ten teenage mothers attending school and ten educators teaching teenage mothers. Collected data was analysed using the thematic data analysis approach. The major findings of the study include opinions that teenage mothers do not get assistance from school, home and in the community; teenage mothers are not ready for motherhood; they experience a feeling of vulnerability and poor performance at school. There is a need for educators to be trained in handling teenage mothers, as well as the need for multi-faceted and strength-based interventions. However, it was evident through empirical research that some teenage mothers cope with their lives through talking to caring parents, spending quality time with their children, having a vision, keeping themselves busy and accepting that having a child while attending school is a challenge. Lastly, conclusions from the literature study and empirical research are presented in chapter five. Recommendations for practice, the contribution of the study, limitations of the study and recommendations for further study are also detailed. Motivation for designing and implementing intervention programs is also outlined. / Thesis (MEd (Learner Support))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.