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Fitness level and trait anxiety were used as "independent" variables in a multiple regression study with physiological arousal and self-reported anxiety to a stressor as the "dependent" variables. Fitness level was determined by an established rating system of frequency, type, and duration of aerobic activity in which the subject reportedly engaged. Trait anxiety level was assessed by the trait portion of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Sixty undergraduate subjects were exposed to a situational stressor of reciting a memorized paragraph while viewing themselves being videotaped. Outcome measures of systolic blood pressure and self-reported distress were taken at various points throughout the study. Multiple regression/correlation was done to determine the relationship between fitness level and trait anxiety, and the relationship between systolic blood pressure and self-reports of distress. Significant finding included unique and joint contributions of fitness and trait anxiety to a lowering of Likert scale scores after the stressor. It was also found that sex and age uniquely and jointly contributed to the total change in blood pressure from the baseline to the posttreatment.

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

Thesis (M.A.)--Columbia Biblical Seminary and Graduate School of Missions Externes Studienzentrum Korntal, 1996. / Abstrakt. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-122).

This thesis is concerned with the role of individual differences in personality and social support in mitigating work-related stress. The model of work stress described by House (1981) served as a general theoretical framework for two questionnaire studies of white-collar workers carried out in the course of this research. The present work also draws upon the demand-discretion model developed by Karasek (1979). The first study was carried out with a sample (N=117) of employees and self-employed business men and women. The main aims were to investigate: (i) individual differences in perceived social support; (ii) the stress-buffering role of support resources in moderating work-related stress. The results showed significant differences in personality and work characteristics between the occupational groups. There was evidence of interactive relationships between nAch, extroversion and locus of control in predicting perceived social support. Work and non-work support showed different moderating effects on job stressors in relation to job satisfaction and GHQ. A negative buffering effect of social support on job demand was also found in the prediction of GHQ. The findings suggest the importance of investigating further the role of individual differences in the way people develop and access socially supportive networks. The main objectives of the second study were: (i) to extend, in longitudinal data, previous findings concerning the buffering role of social support and individual differences in mediating the stress-illness relationship; (ii) to test the Johnson demand-control-support model of work stress. Work-related demands, social support, personality traits, and psychological health were assessed among a group of new graduates (N=121) in their first year of employment. The results showed significant changes in the overall levels of perceived demand, work-related support and psychological well-being between Time 1 and Time 2, and replicated the stress-buffering effects of social support found in the first study. More importantly, the findings suggest that the efficacious moderating effects of supportive relationships is dependent on the timing and matching of "stressors" with specific support resources; work-related social support showed weaker stress-buffering effects at initial assessment but was significantly stronger in moderating job stressors at Time 2. Analyses of individual difference variables showed that neuroticism, locus of control, and individual preferences for particular types of work characteristics acted as moderator variables. Consistent with Karasek and Johnson's models, significant demand-discretion and demand-discretion-support interactions was also found. However, in some instances, the three-way demand-control-support interactions were not of the form predicted. Overall, the present studies provide further information concerning the stress-buffering role of social support and individual differences at work. Further research should also focus on the sequencing of the stress-support process in order to provide a clearer understanding of how supportive relationships moderate work-related demands.

The present study aimed to connect the research on mothers’ forgiveness, mothers’ negative mood symptoms and well-being, and children’s psychosocial outcomes. It also examined the mediating effect of mothers’ negative mood symptoms and well-being on the relationship between mothers’ forgiveness and children’s psychosocial outcomes. 152 pairs of mother-child dyads participated in the study. It was found that mothers’ dispositional forgiveness, as assessed by the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, was related to children’s externalising syndromes, specifically aggressive behaviours, and social and attention problems on the CBCL. These relationships between maternal forgivingness and children’s psychosocial outcomes were mediated by mothers’ negative mood symptoms, in particular stress, while maternal well-being was not found to be a significant mediator. The relationship between mothers’ forgiveness and children’s psychosocial outcomes, and the mediating role of maternal stress in this relationship, were discussed. Implications for parenting programmes to facilitate children’s psychosocial outcomes, and future directions were also proposed. / published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

A study was done to investigate the contribution of small units of stress, anxiety, and demographic factors in the occurrence of various stress-related diseases. Three groups of thirty subjects each, having three distinct medical diagnoses categories (hypertensives, stress-related disorders, and general medical problems), were compared using a variety of anxiety and stress questionnaires. Subjects were matched in terms of sex, age, race, military history, and place of treatment. Devices administered to the subjects and used to compare the three groups included: A Sociodemographic Questionnaire; The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; The Cognitive-Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire, and The Hassles and Uplifts Scales. A comparison of groups via demographic factors indicated distinctive similarities between groups on most items except for educational background, obesity ratio, and family history of hypertension. Groups were not found to be significantly different from each other in terms of anxiety styles, and reported stressors and reinforcers on a discriminant function analysis. A multiple regression analysis of the hypertensive group revealed that age; reported stressors and reinforcers; family history of hypertension; cigarette smoking, and obesity contributed to this disease. Measures of actual stressors were proven to be more accurate than anxiety measures in predicting hypertension. Descriptive analysis of the three groups indicated that hypertensives reported a higher number of anxiety type stressors than the other two groups, and the stress-related groups reported more health-related complaints. Theories for the lack of significance between groups are provided as well as suggestions for future studies and applications.

This work investigated stress in an academic environment for undergraduate students from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. For Study One, a Student Life-Style and Attitude Survey was administered to 375 undergarduate students. Factor Analyses extracted a total of 27 factors which were utilized in subsequent analyses. Multiple Regression Analyses resulted in four, highly significant, five-step regression equations for perceived level of stress, student satisfaction, work satisfaction, and personal satisfaction (p < .001). Discriminant Function Analyses produced significant group classification functions for gender, non-working versus working students, grade level, and the academic majors of science and engineering, business, and liberal arts (p < .001). Hypothesized higher factor scores for students reporting higher levels of perceived stress, were supported only for significant, positive, univariate relationships with factors of academic work-overload, and tension (p < .001), but rejected in all other instances. All hypothesized lower factor scores associated with higher levels of stress were rejected. Predicted higher factor scores for women were statistically supported for a number of symptoms, academic concerns, time-utilization, and the coping strategy of social support seeking; however, there were no significant gender differences in overall perceptions of stress level. Predicted lower factor scores for women on self-esteem, and self-efficacy factors were rejected, as was the predicted non-significant relationship between gender and Type "A-like" behavior. Men in this study attained significantly higher factor scores for both Type "A-like" behavior, and sensate tension reduction than did women. Study Two used content analyses of interviews with 27 undergraduates to affirm, modify, and expand upon the relationships identified in Study One. Results emphasized the general relationship between perceptions of stress and experiences of depression, low self-esteem, and somatization. Increased physical activity was reported as a major form of "coping" as were a number of other "non-direct" strategies. The identification of several additional indicators of stress and coping raised serious questions about the biases, and limitations of scales currently used to measure those dimensions. Taken together, results from the two studies suggested that undergraduate stress may be best understood, and investigated through academic "life-cycle," and "sub-cultural" approaches examining similarities and differences in health, stress, and coping using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2005. / Title from title screen. Lisa Lilenfeld, committee chair; Chris Henrich, Lawrence Riso, committee members. Electronic text (91 p. : ill. (some col.)). Description based on contents viewed Apr. 25, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-83).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-94). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.