stress darlene closa

Major Stressors That Affect the Academic Aspect of Freshman Nursing Students in Lyceum of the Philippine University

College students, especially freshmen, are a group particularly prone to stress due to the transitional nature of college life. They must adjust to being away from home for the first time, maintaining a high level of academic achievement, and adapting a new social environment. And college students, regardless of year in school, often deal with pressures related to finding a job or a potential life partner.

These stressors do not cause anxiety or tension by themselves. Instead, stress results from the interaction between stressors and the individual's perception and reaction to those stressors. The amount of stress experienced may be influenced by the individual's ability to effectively cope with stressful events and situations. If stress is not dealt with effectively, feelings of loneliness and nervousness, as well as sleeplessness and excessive worrying may result. It is important that stress intervention programs be designed to address stress of college students. However, in order to design an effective intervention, the stressors specific to college students must be determined (Wright, 2007).

People define stress in many ways. They usually define it according to the events or situations that may occur in their life. Stress is defined as a mental or physical tension or strain. Stress is an individual phenomenon, unique to each person and setting (Hudd et al., 2000). Perlin (1985) has suggested that there are two major types of stressors: life events and chronic strains. Life events research considers the extent to which the accumulation of a series of experiences can create a stressful impact. Stress from chronic strain results in role overload; conflicting roles in an individual’s life that produce competing, and potentially conflicting demands over time.

There are many stressors that a freshmen student has to face especially now that the program’s of a new curriculum. They are in the position of much higher demand and expectation of the profession. The purpose of this study is to determine what sources of stress are most prevalent among college students, and to examine the nature of this stressors.Failure to resolve student stress in the long run could have serious professional and personal consequences. The study’s primary objective is to identify the sources of stress in undergraduate nursing students. The researchers want to assess whether there are any differences among students in terms of their year level of nursing school in their experience of stress sources and to determine the most and least common coping strategies used by these nursing students. By conducting this study, researchers, as present nursing students will develop the sense of management of their stress, so that they would not be vulnerable to this condition. It will also be beneficial to the College of nursing so that it will be a basis for proposing programs regarding the psychological aspect of their students and for the faculty to devise a plan of action to help students cope with their stresses.

Major Stressors That Affect The Academic Aspect of Freshmen Nursing Students 2

Objectives of the Study

This study aims to determine the major stressor experience by the freshmen nursing students of the Lyceum of the Philippines University Batangas. It specifically will determine the following: 1) the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of gender, sibling position, and monthly income; 2) the major stressor that can affect the academic aspect of freshmen (3) the effect of stress in terms of physical, emotional, psychological and social; and 4) the significant relationship between the respondents’ profile variable and the sources and effects of their stress.

Literature on Objective 1

Stress is a factor that happens to affect everyone’s life. Daily events in life can be stressful, such as getting up and going to work everyday or going to the grocery store to buy a meal. Stress can also be a factor in other areas in a person’s life. Stress can affect a person’s self-esteem in ways people would believe it would not. When a person is stressed most of the time the person focuses so much on the stressor such that he does not realize the stress he has may affect other aspect in his life. One setting that can affect a person causing him stress is college. The transition from living at home where your parents take care of your needs to living away from home where you are now responsible for yourself. This transition alone can be a very stressful event or situation. Stress can have devastating consequences in individual cases and there is some suggestion that personality variables may play a part in stress-susceptibility.

In addition, research investigating the influence of age on stress and coping has produced conflicting results. Some researchers have argued that coping styles are consolidated during adolescence, while others have found age differences in the types of problems, differences in coping resources, and differences in coping strategies used by adolescents compared to adult samples. Although it is generally acknowledged that many students experience adjustment difficulties upon entering postsecondary education, the nature of stress and coping may be relative to students' ages and developmental levels. Therefore, the extent to which age may be an influence on students' experiences of emotional distress and coping remains a central issue for investigators of student adjustment (Arthur, 2005)

Some gender differences also have been reported. Kleinke, Staneski, and Mason (2005) found that depressed male college students were more likely to suppress depressive responses through isolation and escape, whereas depressed female college students tended to engage in selfblame, distraction through television, emotional discharge through crying, and seeking help from other people. Males who scored low on depression measures used humor and


ignored the stressful situation, whereas females who scored low on depression used more self-initiated coping such as cutting back activities and exercise.

In the study of Nurse Education Today (2008) they examined reported stress in 12 areas commonly reported to cause stress to nursing students. A questionnaire was distributed to 110 third-year nursing students, and the results indicate that stress exists for students in both the clinical and academic aspects of the program. Financial constraints and academic-related concerns emerged as the most stressful areas for the students. A third of the students reported that relationships with teachers and staff on the ward cause some degree of stress. Factor analysis revealed that five factors emerged as sources of stress. Firstly, ‘academic’ stress factors. The second and third components concern relationships, the former involving teaching-related staff, and the latter involving the clinical experience. The last two components suggest that finance and death of patients are independent sources of stress. Major restructuring is about to take place in nurse education in Ireland, with the introduction of degree preparation for all nursing students in 2002. It is imperative that those involved with nursing students, both in the clinical area and in education settings, take cognisance of the stress that current students face. Recommendations for educators include adequate support structures for clinical areas, preceptorship programmes and the availability of student counseling services.


The dynamic relationship between the person and environment in stress perception and reaction is especially magnified in college students. The problems and situations encountered by college students may differ from those faced by their nonstudent peers. The environment in which college students live is quite different. While jobs outside of the university setting involve their own sources of stress, such as evaluation by superiors and striving for goals, the continuous evaluation that college students are subjected to, such as weekly tests and papers, is one which is not often seen by non-students. The pressure to earn good grades and to earn a degree is very high. Earning high grades is not the only source of stress for college students. Other potential sources of stress include excessive homework, unclear assignments, and uncomfortable classrooms. In addition to academic requirements, relations with faculty members and time pressures may also be sources of stress. Relationships with family and friends, eating and sleeping habits, and loneliness may affect some students adversely (Wright, 2007).

Assessment of stress levels in college students is a topic often examined by researchers. This scale contains items that persist across time to create stress, such as interpersonal conflicts, self-esteem problems, and money problems. They evaluated these stressors in relation to how many times a student had to deal with them on a weekly basis. They found that in regard to chronic stress, first-year students scored higher than other students. Similar


studies have examined sources of stress among both undergraduate and graduate student (Gadzella, 2004). While many specific events and situations have been implicated as stressors for college students, more research is needed to investigate the nature of these of these stressors for college students, and which stressors are most prevalent in college students lives. It is unclear whether most stressors result from interpersonal relationships or academics. In addition, research is needed to clarify whether these stressors are mostly daily hassles or major live events.

When stress is perceived negatively or becomes excessive, students experience physical and psychological impairment. Methods to reduce stress by students often include effective time management, social support, positive reappraisal, and engagement in leisure pursuits. Leisure satisfaction is defined as the positive feeling of contentment one perceives as a result of meeting personal needs through leisure activities (Seigenthaler, 2007). Although relationships among some leisure domains and perceived stress have been studied in a variety of settings involving retirees to school-related settings, relationships between leisure satisfaction and academic stress of college students have not been addressed directly. The only scientific research that specifically related leisure satisfaction to academic stress was that of Ragheb and McKinney (1993), who established a negative association between academic stress and leisure satisfaction. A limitation of this study, however, was that it measured academic stress using seven items that were extracted inclusively from occupational stress inventories.

On the other hand, the concept of time management is generally defined in terms of clusters of behavior that are deemed to facilitate productivity and alleviate stress. Effective time management strategies increase academic performance and are frequently suggested by academic assistance personnel as aids to enhance achievement for college students. Productive study methods are characterized by "time management" and "strategic studying". Although programs emphasize starting large tasks well before due dates, breaking down large tasks into small ones, and doing small tasks on a regular schedule, students regularly ignore these techniques and find themselves in great distress before exams.

Research has reported evidence for the multidimentional nature of the time management construct. In this time management was conceptualized in terms of setting goals and priorities, the use of mechanics (like listing priorities), preference of an organized workplace, and the perceived control of time. These components of time management were taken from Macan, et al. (2006). Literature suggests that the tendency to structure one's time and leisure satisfaction may be an important factor in reducing academic stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelationship (and predictors) of college students' academic stress with anxiety, time management, and leisure


satisfaction. It was hypothesized that academic stress would show a significant positive correlation with anxiety, and a significant negative correlation with se

It is reported that time management behavior and leisure satisfaction of college students is a factor that can increase stress. A person engaging more frequently in time management behaviors will report fewer physical and psychological symptoms of stress. The greater satisfaction with leisure that students indicate, the lower their perceived academic stress will be. A secondary purpose of this research was to examine the differences in the study variables by gender and age. Since college women and older students report better time management skills than college men and younger students, they hypothesized that females and older students would have effective time management behaviors and consequently less academic stress and anxiety.

Academic stress among college students has been a topic of interest for many years. College students, especially freshmen, are particularly prone to stress due to the transitional nature of college life. For example, many college students move away from home for the first time, which can necessitate leaving all previously learned support systems such as parents, siblings and high school friends. Students may need to develop entirely new social contacts and are expected to take responsibility for their own needs. They may have difficulty adjusting to more rigorous academic expectations and the need to learn to deal with individuals of differing cultures and beliefs. Thus, stress may result from being separated from home for the first time, the transition from a personal to an impersonal academic environment, and the very structure of the academic experience at the college level. Significant changes in living conditions, the novel demands of the college academic environment, and the large change in social surroundings are just a few of the potential sources of stress for a college student. College students experience high stress at predictable times each semester due to academic commitments, financial pressures, and lack of time management skills. Moreover, regardless of year in school, college students often deal with pressures related to finding a job or a potential life partner. These stressors do not cause anxiety or tension by themselves. Instead, stress results from the interaction between stressors and the individual's perception and reaction to those stressors. Other potential sources of stress for college students include excessive homework, unclear assignments, and uncomfortable classrooms. In addition to academic requirements, relations with faculty members and time pressures may also be sources of stress (Mchanon, 2006)

Furthermore, stress-inducing academic demands include grade competition; lack of time and issues relating to time or task management, the need to adapt to new learning environments in terms of the increased complexity of the material to be learned and the greater time and effort required to do so; and the need to constantly self-regulate and to develop better thinking skills, including learning to use specific learning techniques. Another category that evokes stress is social adjustment, particularly adjusting to university life and


separating from family and friends. Finally, there are financial pressures and other technical difficulties. Archer and Lamnin (1985) found that tests, grades, competition, time demands, professors and the class environment, and concern about future careers were major sources of academic stress.


The jump to college can be stressful. They are leaving behind their school, friends, family, and home, and going off to explore a new place, make new friends, learn new things, and set their own priorities. Many students overlook the stress involved in making so many big changes in such a brief period of time. The more prepared you are for college when you get there, the more ready you'll be to confront any new pressures. Here are some realities to consider, and a few common-sense ways to help you handle them. Courses are at a higher level than high-school classes and the material is presented at a faster pace. Plus, professors are likely to assign more reading, writing, and problem sets than they may be used to.

Stress is an individualized phenomenon, unique to each person and setting. Pearlin (1989) has suggested that there are two major types of stressors: life events and chronic strains. Life events research considers the extent to which the accumulation of a series of experiences can create a stressful impact. Stress from chronic strain results in role overload: conflicting roles in an individual's life that produce competing, and potentially conflicting, demands over time. Role conflict is a common part of the college experience. College students must learn to balance the competing demands of academics, developing new social contacts and being responsible for their own daily needs (e.g., nutrition and clean clothing). In addition, while the academic workload requires that students face a series of peak periods such as midterms and finals, there is a relatively constant underlying pressure to complete an upcoming assignment.

Stress is defined as a constraining force or influence: a force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another body or body part; a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation; d: a state resulting from a stress; especially : one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium (www.callforhealth.com. Retrieved: Jan. 10, 2009).

When stressed physically or psychologically, the body suddenly shifts its energy resources to fighting off the perceived threat. In what is known as fight or flight response, the sympathetic nervous system signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones make the heart beat faster, raise blood pressure, change the digestive process and boost glucose levels in the bloodstream. Once the crisis passes the systems usually return to normal. Under stress muscles tense up. The contraction of muscles for extended periods


can trigger tension headaches, migraines and various musculoskeletal conditions. It can make you breathe harder and caused rapid breathing, which can bring on pain attacks.

The physical signs of increased arousal are: a tight throat, tension in the neck and back with the shoulders raised, shallow breathing, a rapid heart beat, a tight anus, cool but mildly perspiring hands and feet, tight leg muscles, clenched fists, a frowning face. On a purely physical level, one sign of excessive stress is tension in the body muscles. Someone who says they're suffering from nervous tension is probably suffering a predominantly physical stress syndrome.

One of the most important of these effects is high blood pressure, or hypertension, which develops when adrenalin is released by the adrenal glands under conditions of stress. This causes the walls of the blood vessels to constrict, which in turn raises the blood pressure; and if the stress is frequently repeated or prolonged, may lead to a permanent state of high blood pressure. Hypertension is very common in modern Western society and presents a serious medical problem because it is directly related to the high incidence of stroke, heart disease, arteriosclerosis and kidney failure.

The connection between one's health and one's stress level is undisputed. For example, air traffic controllers have one of the most stressful jobs possible, with continual responsibility for the lives of thousands of people; they also show levels of hypertension five times higher than the rest of the population.

Meanwhile, chronic stress produces a further change in body chemistry over and above the adrenalin release of the fight-flight response: the adrenal glands also begin to produce corticoid hormones in greater than normal quantities. The liver normally monitors the level of corticoids in the body, but during periods of prolonged stress, the liver's control system is by-passed and high levels of corticoids continue to flow around the body. Research has shown that this can lead to a loss of resistance to disease (a fact which most of us can confirm from our own experience, since, when we are under stress, we do seem more vulnerable to minor infections such as coughs and colds).

Corticoids also seem to increase the resistance of body tissue to adrenalin. However, adrenalin production does not stop, and a 'battle' between the hormones develops, until eventually the excess adrenalin breaks through the corticoid screen at the weakest point in a person's body. This often takes the form of a stomach ulcer, because adrenalin increases the output of stomach acid, which then begins to attack the tissue of the stomach itself.

The noted expert on stress Hans Selye put forward some suggestions to explain why different people succumb to stress at different places in the body. One can understand this by considering the stressful effects of our environment such as extremes of heat and cold. These can be regarded as a form of stress


because they are potentially dangerous and may lead to body damage. And in fact extremes of temperature do cause the production of adrenalin and corticoids. But in addition they also produce a specific effect: heat, for example, produces sweating and a flushed skin, while cold produces shivering and erection of body hair.

When one realizes that all stressful situations evoke his own specific response in the body as well as the non- specific adrenalin and corticoid reaction, he can begin to understand why the response of different individuals to stress is never exactly the same. But this alone does not account for the extreme variability of physical stress symptoms between individuals. Consider the range of possibilities: heart disease, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, backache, asthma, dermatitis, colitis and rheumatism.

And the list continues to increase, for recent research indicates that diabetes mellitus may be precipitated by stress and that the rate of recovery from cancer be slowed down considerably if stress is high. Hans Selye ascribes the variation in physical response to stress to heredity, environment, general health and fitness, behavior and past illness. This is borne out by some simple observations.

For example, if a person has a genetic tendency to produce high levels of stomach acid, stress will probably cause an ulcer rather than heart disease. By contrast, a man on a high fat diet who also smokes heavily may find that stress affects his circulation and heart. This is because adrenalin causes a release of fat from body food stores; if the fat is not used for energy, it is not laid down again, but instead remains in the circulation and may be deposited on the walls of the arteries causing arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Obviously he consumes a great deal of fatty food, the risk is much greater. The influence of one's environment on stress-related disease shows up in various ways. Suppose that he watched his parents complaining about their tension headaches when he was a child. If they later experience stress in adulthood, they may well develop tension headaches.

Cultural factors also undoubtedly play a part in stress-related problems. Many people under stress report that they experience chest pains and think they are about to have a heart attack. This pain is caused by tension in the chest wall; it is very common and bears no relation to the heart. No doubt the reason why the problem is so common is our greater national awareness of heart disease because of extensive health-education campaigns. Finally, past illness can predispose certain parts of the body to break down under stress - rheumatic fever in childhood may make heart problems more probable later in life, for example.

There is one final peculiarity of these physical effects which should be mentioned before looking at the emotional side of stress. A person in stressful employment (such as long-distance lorry driving, hospital work and air traffic


control) may work for years without any apparent ill-effects. He or she may then suddenly develop, let’s say, stomach pains which are mild at first but soon become a full-blown ulcer. The person denies he is stressed because he has never before noticed any emotional or physical strain. This can happen because the level at which adrenalin and corticoids go on working during prolonged stress is below conscious awareness. Nevertheless, the damage continues inside the body, until eventually it becomes obvious as a stroke, heart attack, ulcer or some other serious disease. This is especially true when stress produces hypertension, which is often discovered only during routine blood pressure checks. Stress can result from overwork; it can also result from boredom.

This paradoxical nature of stress has been summed up by Dr Peter Tyrer. He relates an example of a man suffering from stress induced by employment in a job which is neither dangerous nor difficult, but simply boring: it consists of adding up rows of figures in the accounts section of a tax office. The man who is doing this job is emotionally unsuited to such dreary, routine work. He craves excitement and adventure - in fact, he finds the work so oppressive and boring that he is under considerable stress. Ibis appears as strange impulses to falsify the figures on the accounts sheet with which he is working. Eventually he resents the tyranny of boredom so much that he leaves the job and goes travelling overseas.

In this case the man's stress resulted from an emotional conflict between his need to enjoy his life and work (with some excitement and possibly danger) and his need to earn a wage in a secure job. Conflicts like this can be made worse by particular external pressures: if the man in the example above had been married, the need to behave responsibly for his wife and children's security would have increased the pressure on him to stay in the job where he was so unfulfilled.

Clearly, then, stress is not only a problem for the highly pressured businessman with a great deal of responsibility; it is, in fact, just as likely to affect the discontented housewife living a life of boring routine, or the unemployed teenager who feels rejected by society, or anyone with a persistent source of unhappiness in their life - and, no doubt, many other types of people as well.

The fact that stress is an emotional experience has been recognized in our society by the way in which stressed people talk about their condition. They do not say 'I am stressed' but: 'I'm feeling anxious/depressed/fearful/angry.'

Stress can produce as many different emotions as it can physical effects, although the situation is complicated by the fact that an emotion may be a result of, or a causative factor in, stress. And once an emotion has developed, it may cause further stress. Two of the most common emotional effects of stress are anxiety and depression.


Nevertheless, stress affects the psychology of a person a lot. A person keeps on thinking about a situation or problem and gradually changes it in to stress. The main psychological effects of stress are: losing interest in their day to day activities because of stress. An especially important point is the different roles which the conscious and subconscious play in human emotions. Conscious perceptions cause stress, and thereby produce emotional problems. Changing one's perceptions about the world can therefore help to control emotional problems. However, that in itself is not usually sufficient, because patterns of emotional responses and behavior may become firmly fixed in the subconscious mind so that they are no longer open to reasoning and conscious effort.


College students are prone to stress due to the transitional nature of college life. High levels of stress are believed to affect students' health and academic functions. If the stress is not dealt with effectively, feelings of loneliness, nervousness, sleeplessness and worrying may result. Effective coping strategies facilitate the return to a balanced state, reducing the negative effects of stress.

Student perception of high stress levels can lead to poor academic performance, depression, attrition and serious health problems. Methods to reduce student stress often include effective time management, social support, positive reappraisal, and engagement in leisure pursuits. Therefore, studying student stress and the methods students use to deal with it can have important implications for higher education administrators. Although students cannot avoid these stressors, their ability to adjust to demands and cope with these stressors are important in achieving success in the college academic and social environments.

Coping has been viewed as a stabilizing factor that may assist individuals in maintaining psychosocial adaptation during stressful events. The process of coping is a very complex response that occurs when an individual attempts to remove stress or a perceived threat from the environment. Thus, the actual reaction to an environmental event may be as important as the event itself (Bliss, 2007).

Coping responses can be described as positive or negative and as reactive (i.e. reacting to an individual's own thoughts and feelings) or active (dealing with actual stressful situations or events). Active or reactive coping responses can be positive or negative, depending on the situation and the content of the response.

The individual may deal with stress through several methods, including removing the stressor through manipulating the environment, developing specific responses to help deal with the stressor or seeking diversion from the stressor.


Researchers have found that ethnic, cultural and even socioeconomic characteristics influenced coping behaviors.

In the study of Seyedfatemi, et. al. (2007), the descriptive cross-sectional study was performed to determine sources of stress and coping strategies in nursing students studying at the Iran Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery. All undergraduate nursing students enrolled in years 1-4 during academic year 2004-2005 were included in this study, with a total of 366 questionnaires fully completed by the students. The Student Stress Survey and the Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences Inventory (ACOPE) were used for data collection. They concluded that first year nursing students are exposed to a variety of stressors. Establishing a student support system during the first year and improving it throughout nursing school is necessary to equip nursing students with effective coping skills. Efforts should include counseling helpers and their teachers, strategies that can be called upon in these students' future nursing careers.

Nursing is a stressful program to study. Implementing techniques to cope with stress in a nursing program has an effect on retention and performance. It has been shown that nursing students perform with less anxiety when using stress coping techniques such as massage. Increasing nurses' knowledge about complementary techniques supports retention of nurses in academic and professional fields.

Studying to Beat Stress. Effectively managing stress is a priority for first-year nursing students. Overall time management for the students will determine their ability to successfully negotiate their way through the remaining years of their program. Including holistic care studies for nursing students have shown to result in the ability to study better, better sleeping habits and general health improvement. Requiring stress management within the nursing curriculum assists nurses with teaching coping techniques to clients and hospital visitors.

Coping with Stress. An effective nursing program provides ongoing stress management workshops during the academic year. There are unique interpersonal and environmental stressors for nursing students. Stressors specific to nursing college students can be addressed by educational administrators. Administrators can address these with an assigned counseling faculty that supports at-risk students. Key benefits to learning stress coping techniques as nurses include the promotion of these tools among clients and visitors. They are essential for managing the workload of nurses but can also directly contribute to the care of their clients. Insufficient knowledge about stress coping techniques is the primary barrier to its implementation. Complementary medicine and alternative therapies have proven effective. Implementation of these coping techniques within an academic program better prepares nurses for a professional career.


Stress Reduction Techniques. Academic institutions can institute stress management techniques like massage therapy, meditation, yoga, dance and art therapy activities within their orientation program. Specialized training opportunities can supplement coursework for credit and engage nursing students to develop these opportunities. Including nursing students in developing stress management workshops and activities will extend retention in the nursing program. For nursing students away from home, creating a support system may fall last in their list of priorities. Providing support within the academic system may involve group and individual counseling as well as direct access to resources. Creating a support system with family and friends is a primary stress reduction technique because having the ability to enjoy time away from nursing and studies supports self-care. Nurses must prioritize their own care amid the other care they are required to provide.

In the descriptive study of Stetson (2007) she examines the application of stress management techniques by nursing students to their clients (i.e., patients, family members, friends) within a model holistic stress management nursing course. Out of 90 students, 88 completed a Client Teaching Relaxation Questionnaire during the course. Responses indicated a decrease in clients' perceived levels of discomfort following a stress reduction intervention (paired t = 18.7, df = 84, p <.0001). The students further reported that stress management skills were applicable to clients with a wide range of diagnoses in hospitals, homes, and other community settings. Imagery (52%) was documented as the predominant strategy taught to clients. Study results suggest that with teaching time allowed for self mastery during the course, students can successfully apply these simple to complex stress management skills to many different clients, enhancing the caring aspect for both client and student. The course presented in this study provided students with essential foundational skills necessary to deal with client stress.

Theoretical Framework

The physiological adaptations that made humans more flexible than other primates allowed for the development of wide range of abilities and an unparalleled versatility in behavior. The brain’s great size, complexity, and slow maturation, with neutral connections being added through at least twelve years of life, meant that learned behavior could largely modified stereotyped, instinctive responses. New environmental demands could be met by rapid adjustments rather than by slow genetic selection; thus, survival in wide range of habitats and under extreme conditions eventually became possible without further species differentiation. Each new infant, however, with a relatively few innate traits yet with as vast number of potential behaviors, must be taught to achieve its biological potentials as a human.

All human beings are more or less alike with each other in physical equipment. They vary considerably though in such factors as size, strength, and color of the skin, facial characteristics and intelligence. How can we seem to be


alike, and yet be so different from each other? This is a question that must be answered before any attempt is made to understand the bases of human behavior. In the continuous process of growing up, adolescents attempt to satisfy their own needs as well as those of society; but they come face to face with frustrations and conflicts. Sometimes, they succeed in solving these conflicts;those who fail may suffer from maladjustment or behavior disorders. Conflicts include frustration, thwarting, tension, or humiliation.

According to Roy’s Adaptation model theory, individual is a biopsychosocial adaptive system. It discusses that both the individual and the environment are sources of stimuli that require modification to promote adaptation, an ongoing purposive responses. Adaptive responses contribute to health, the process of being and becoming integrated; ineffective and maladaptive responses do not.

Roy identifies 3 classes of stimuli: Focal, the internal or external stimulus that most immediately confronting the person and contributing to behavior; Contextual, all other internal or external stimuli present; and Residual, are the beliefs, attitudes or traits having an indeterminate effect on the person’s behavior but whose effects are not validated. The model depicts that the role of the nurse is to promote the clients’ adaptive behavior by manipulating these stimulus.

According also to the Roy Adaptation Model, The person has coping mechanisms that are broadly categorized in the regulator or cognator subsystem. Adaptation is accomplished through these coping mechanisms that are innate, genetically determined and automatic process. The regulator subsystem functions through the automatic nervous system which “responds automatically through neural, chemical and endocrine coping responses.” The cognator subsystem enables the person the respond to stimuli through processing stimuli, learning, judgment and emotion. All input into the system (person) is chanelled through the regulator and cognitor subsystems. If the regulator or cognator subsystems fails, there is ineffective adaptation.

Furthermore, Dr. Hans Selye, an endocrinologist, developed a three-stage model of the body's response to stress. He called his theory the general adaptation syndrome (GAS). The first phase is an alarm reaction, the second stage is one of resistance or adaptation, and the final stage is one of exhaustion.

In the alarm stage the body responds to a stressor, which could be physical or psychological. Perhaps you are crossing the street and a car suddenly speeds toward you. Your heart begins to beat fast and the release of adrenaline makes you move quickly from the path of the oncoming car. Or another response might include butterflies in your stomach, a rise in your blood pressure, heavy breathing, dilation of your eyes, dry mouth, and the hair on your arms might even stand on end. To help you meet the sudden danger, your blood flows away from the organs not needed to confront the danger, to organs and tissues which are; for example, your heart races, your eyes dilate, your muscles


tense up, and you will not be able to concentrate on any kind of problem solving outside the danger confronting you.

During the resistance stage of a stress reaction, your body remains on alert for danger. When this part of the GAS is prolonged, your immune system may become compromised and you may become susceptible to illness. Even within days of becoming stressed and maintaining a stress alertness, changes take place that weaken your body's ability to fight off disease.

The final stage of Selye's GAS is the exhaustion stage. As your body readjusts during this period, hormones are released to help bring your body back to normal, to the state of balance called homeostasis. Until balance is reached, the body continues to release hormones, ultimately suppressing your immune system.

Conceptual Framework

Stress is a part of everyone's life. A certain amount of stress is to be expected in daily life, but too much stress may be harmful. A great deal of research has examined the effects of stress on variables such as adaptational outcomes (e.g. Lazarus, DeLongis, Folkman, & Gruen, 1985). The authors questioned a new theory that stress should be measured independent of psychological response variables such as appraisals or perceptions. In particular, they suggested that an individual's perceptions of a situation is a critical mediating variable. Further, the authors stated that self perceptions may have a role in the relation between stress and psychological well being. Thus, Lazarus et. al. (1985) concluded that appraisal process (i.e. personal perceptions of the events) should not be removed in the measurement of psychological stress. This idea has been supported by Varni, Katz, Colegrove & Dolgin (1994). They state that the meaning derived from the stressful event, not necessarily the event itself, may result in the perception of the event as being stressful.

Maio-Esteves (1990) in related work, found that self perceptions mediated the effects of stress on perceived health status. Using path analysis, the author found a significant negative relationship between stress as it relates to perceived health status through the variables of introspection and problem-focused behavior. Specifically, when stress increased, problem-focused coping ability decreased while emotion-focused coping ability increased. The author also found a significant direct effect of introspectiveness on perceived health status. In other words, the more one focuses on a problem, the more it affects one's health. The path analysis also indicated that the more the participants felt they were able to handle the everyday problems they faced, the better they felt physically. Maio-Esteves (1990) findings support earlier work done by Lazarus in 1966. Lazarus (1966) proposed that the appraisal processes, such as introspection and coping are intermediary in the relationship between stress and specific outcomes (e.g. well-being, social functioning, and somatic health). Thus, although Maio-Esteves'

http://science.jrank.org/pages/6544/Stress-General-adaptation-syndrome.html


(1990) work does not directly examine the relation between stress, self esteem and self concept, it does support the importance of self perceptions in mediating the effects of stress.

Conceptual Paradigm

Figure 1. Major Stressors that Can Affect the Academic Aspect of Freshmen Nursing Students in Lyceum of the Philippines University

The conceptual paradigm shows the relationship between the independent and dependent variable. The independent variable consist of the demographic profile in terms of the respondents’ gender, sibling position and monthly income while the independent variable is the assessment of the respondents with regard to the major stressors that can affect the academic aspect and effects of stress in terms of physical, emotional, psychological and social. At the end of the study, the results will be the basis for proposing a nursing intervention plan.

Methods

This part will include the design of the study, participants, instruments, data gathering procedure and data analysis.

Research Design

To determine the information needed regarding the major stressors that can affect the academic aspect of freshmen nursing students, the descriptive method will be used. A descriptive study consisted of a set of gathered data or information analyzed, summarized and interpreted long lines of thought for the pursuit of a specific purpose of study. (Tan, 2006). Descriptive research is something more and beyond just data gathering and deals with the presents existing condition.

The data were gathered with use of the questionnaires and personal interviews to get all the needed information.

Participants

The subjects of the study will be the 232 or 100% freshmen students enrolled for the SY 2009-2010 but only 119 or 51% participated and answered the questionnaire because during the conduction of the study, some students

Demographic Profile

GenderSibling PositionMonthly Income

Major Stressors that can affect the

academic aspect of freshmen nursing

students

Effects of StressPhysicalEmotionalPsychologicalSocial


stopped from studying and other transferred to other schools. These are the regular freshmen students who were new in the college.

Instruments

This study utilized a self made questionnaire which composed of three parts. The first part include the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of gender, civil status, monthly income and religion. The second part of the questionnaire determine the major stressors that can affect the academic aspect of the respondents and the last part of the questionnaire include the effects of major stressors to the students in terms of physical, emotional, psychological and social.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers drafted a letter approved by the thesis adviser and the Dean of College of Nursing requesting permission to conduct interview to the freshmen students for making them respondents in conducting this studies. With the request granted, the researchers personally distributed the questionnaire to the respondents to answer it objectively, kindly, and truthfully so as to obtain reliable data.

Books and journals were used as the major source of reference. Other data were derived from reading materials related to the study, before the making of the questionnaires, the researchers read books and unpublished thesis materials. After having the first draft the researchers presented it to then adviser for checking. They also asked help form some experts for comments, suggestions, and recommendation on the instrument to be used. With the refinements done and approved by the adviser, the questionnaire was ready for administration.

Data Analysis

The study used different statistical tools in analyzing the objectives of the study such as frequency and percentage distribution which was used in determining the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of gender, civil status, monthly income and religion. The weighted mean which was used in determining regard to the major stressors that can affect the respondents’ academics and the effects of stress in terms of physical, emotional, psychological and social. Eta2 was also used to determine the significant relationship between the profile variable and the sources and effects of stress.


Results and Discussion

This part presents the tabulation, analysis, and interpretation of gathered results in the study

Table 1Percentage Distribution of the Respondents’ Profile

N = 118Profile Variables Frequency Percentage (%)

GenderMale 39 33.10

Female 79 66.90Sibling Position

Eldest 43 36.40Middle 33 28.00

Youngest 42 35.60Family Monthly Income

5,000 and below 1 0.805,0001 – 9,999 3 2.50

10,000 – 14,999 11 9.3015,000 – 19,999 20 16.9020,000 – 24,999 24 20.30

25,000 and above 59 50.00

The table shows the distribution of the respondents’ gender, sibling position and monthly income. In terms of gender, majority of the respondents’ are females which obtained the highest percentage of 66.90 while male got only 39 or 33.10 percent. This only showed that nursing is still more appealing to female than males. Nursing profession is more likable to females than to males, aside for being a passive type of job that appeal to females, the nature of work to care is said to be core of being a woman.

With regard to sibling position, eldest and youngest position garnered almost the same frequency of 43 and 42. Out of 118 samples, thirty-three (33) got the middle position. This only showed that there were different stresses with regards to their position in the family.

Effects of birth order are notoriously difficult to study, and some critics are still dubious. Joseph Lee Rodgers (2009), a psychologist at the University of Oklahoma and a longtime skeptic of such effects, said the new analysis was not conclusive. “Past research included hundreds of reported birth order effects” that were not legitimate, Dr. Rodgers wrote in an e-mail message. “I’m not sure whether the patterns in the Science article are real or not; more description of methodology is required.”

With regards to family monthly income, majority of the respondents have the income of 25,000 and above as it got the highest frequency of 59 or 50

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/university_of_oklahoma/index.html?inline=nyt-org

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/university_of_oklahoma/index.html?inline=nyt-org


percent followed by 20,000 – 24,999 which got the frequency of 24 or 20.30 percent and monthly income of 15,000 – 19,999 got the frequency of 20 or 16.90 percent. There were 11 respondents or 9.30 percent who have monthly income of 10,000 – 14,999 and the least among the items were monthly income of 5,0001 – 9,999 which got the frequency of 3 or 2.50 percent.

This only showed that the respondents have no problem with regards to economic status. Furthermore, beyond academic and economic control, the first-year on-campus student may be less well prepared physical and psychologically for college. Privative institution and nursing course is expensive.vc vcvc vvvc nvvvvv bxc

Ultimately, being able to accurately predict which students are likely to experience personal, and social difficulties or leave college before they graduate, would allow for interventions to be designed and implemented to help them cope with physical and psychological health issues and persist until graduation. Thus, such information is needed to assess more fully the at risk potential of these first-year on-campus students for non completion of college due to physical or psychological health issues (Marcelo, 2009).

Table 2Major Stressors that Affect the Academics of Freshmen

N=118

ItemsWeighted

MeanVerbal

InterpretationRank

1. Since I started my college years, I carry certain expectations from my family.

3.35 Agree 2

2. I have no choice but to live away from my family.

2.89 Agree 10

3. My parents are much involved in my college life and studies.

3.26 Agree 3

4. I and my family try to cope with the constraint of meeting with high tuition fees.

3.13 Agree 8

5. I and my family try to cope with the constraint of assuring that the basic needs of the whole family are provided.

3.19 Agree 6

6. Miscellaneous expenses demanded in college such as for books, school supplies, cellphones, and clothe purchases, social outings, and other fees are burdensome.

3.14 Agree 7

7. Attending long hours of classes and preparing for exams can be a

3.20 Agree 5


heavy burden.8. The sudden amount of free time such as meeting classes for two or three times a week only tends to cause schedule problems.

3.12 Agree 9

9. I have to complete school requirements and projects at the same time.

3.48 Agree 1

10. I have to face roommate issues and peer pressure.

3.23 Agree 4

Composite Mean 3.20 Agree

It can be gleaned from the table that freshmen students experienced stress with regards to their academics as shown by the composite mean of 3.20 and verbally interpreted as Agree. All items were rated Agree by the respondents’. Among the major stressors cited, have to complete school requirements and projects at the same time got first in the rank with weighted mean value of 3.48. It was followed by since I started my college years, I carry certain expectations from my family and my parents are much involved in my college life and studies with 3.35 and 3.26 WM respectively.

The least among the items which has a little impact on their stress to academic performance were I and my family try to cope with the constraint of meeting with high tuition fees, the sudden amount of free time such as meeting classes for two or three times a week only tends to cause schedule problems and I have no choice but to live away from my family.

This only showed that the respondents consider many major stresses during their college years. Academic stress among college students has been a topic of interest for many years. College students, especially freshmen, are particularly prone to stress due to the transitional nature of college life. For example, many college students move away from home for the first time, which can necessitate leaving all previously learned support systems such as parents, siblings and high school friends. Students may need to develop entirely new social contacts and are expected to take responsibility for their own needs. They may have difficulty adjusting to more rigorous academic expectations and the need to learn to deal with individuals of differing cultures and beliefs. Thus, stress may result from being separated from home for the first time, the transition from a personal to an impersonal academic environment, and the very structure of the academic experience at the college level.

Significant changes in living conditions, the novel demands of the college academic environment, and the large change in social surroundings are just a few of the potential sources of stress for a college student. College students experience high stress at predictable times each semester due to academic commitments, financial pressures, and lack of time management skills.


Moreover, regardless of year in school, college students often deal with pressures related to finding a job or a potential life partner. These stressors do not cause anxiety or tension by themselves. Instead, stress results from the interaction between stressors and the individual's perception and reaction to those stressors. Other potential sources of stress for college students include excessive homework, unclear assignments, and uncomfortable classrooms. In addition to academic requirements, relations with faculty members and time pressures may also be sources of stress (Mchanon, 2006)


Table 3.1Physical Effects of Stress

N=118

ItemsWeighted

MeanVerbal

InterpretationRank

1. I develop excessive eating habits.

2.85 Agree 1

2. I always sleep. 2.79 Agree 23. I usually have a headache. 2.74 Agree 34. I experience sudden pain in my

stomach.2.58 Agree 4.5

5. I urinate frequently. 2.58 Agree 4.5Composite Mean 2.71 Agree

Based from the results, developing excessive eating habits was the most observed physical effect of stress since it obtained the highest weighted mean value of 2.85. They also experienced to always sleep and usually have a headache with weighted mean of 2.79 and 2.74. And the least among the items showed that they experience sudden pain in my stomach and urinate frequently got the same value of 2.58 and interpreted agree. The physical effect of stress obtained the composite mean of 2.71 and verbal interpreted as agree.

This only showed that students are physically affected by stress. The dynamic relationship between the person and environment in stress perception and reaction is especially magnified in college students.

The problems and situations encountered by college students may differ from those faced by their nonstudent peers. The environment in which college students live is quite different. While jobs outside of the university setting involve their own sources of stress, such as evaluation by superiors and striving for goals, the continuous evaluation that college students are subjected to, such as weekly tests and papers, is one which is not often seen by non-students. The pressure to earn good grades and to earn a degree is very high. Earning high grades is not the only source of stress for college students. Other potential sources of stress include excessive homework, unclear assignments, and uncomfortable classrooms. In addition to academic requirements, relations with faculty members and time pressures may also be sources of stress. Relationships with family and friends, eating and sleeping habits, and loneliness may affect some students adversely (Wright, 2007).


Table 3.2Emotional Effects of Stress

N=118

ItemsWeighted

MeanVerbal

InterpretationRank

1. I have mood swings. 2.88 Agree 12. I Lose enthusiasm on things. 2.75 Agree 53. I experience having low self

esteem.2.78 Agree 3

4. I become irritable. 2.77 Agree 45. I have the feeling that I want to

be alone.2.85 Agree 2


Table 3.2 shows the effects of stress of the respondents with regards to emotional. It shows that I have mood swings obtained the highest weighted mean of 2.88 followed by I have the feeling that I want to be alone which got the weighed mean of 2.85. I experience having low self esteem got the weighted mean of 2.78 in rank 3. Least among the items was I become irritable got the weighted mean of 2.77 and I lose enthusiasm on things which got the weighted mean of 2.75.

The effects of stress with regards to emotional got the composite mean of 2.81 verbal interpretation of agree.

Many times when we feel stress, our bodies respond with marked mood

swings due to the varying levels of hormone we are experiencing. Mood swings can associated with, sleeping problems or sleeping disorders are known to be one of the major factors in rapid mood changes ( www.speedsleep.com. ), and in our table 3.3, it is noticeable that the sleeping problem got rank 1. Being a loner is common also when experiencing stress; this is due to the fact that they generally work alone, so that they do not receive much feedback from others. Thus, rather than building relationships that can help support them, they tend to crawl into a shell and keep other people outside of it. People who experience constant stress often demonstrate feeling of anxiety, lack of self esteem and irritable.

Table 3.3Psychological Effects of Stress

N=118

ItemsWeighted

MeanVerbal

InterpretationRank

1. I have been into alcohol, and cigarette smoking.

2.06 Disagree 5

2. I have problems on concentration and focus

2.57 Agree 3


3. I have difficulty in memorization.

2.52 Agree 4

4. I cannot make instant decisions.

2.65 Agree 2

5. I usually wake up in the middle of the night.

2.78 Agree 1


Based from the results, I usually wake up in the middle of night got the highest weighted mean of 2.78. I cannot make instant decisions got the second highest weighted mean of 2.65. Least among the items got the weighted mean of 2.06 which is I have been to alcohol and cigarette smoking.

The effects of stress with regards to psychological got the composite mean of 2.52 verbal interpretation of agree.

One of the main reasons that stress affects sleep is that stress causes our

muscle to tense, preventing us from being in the relaxed state necessary for sleep ( www.sleep-deprivation.com ). When we are stressed, the more basic and primitive parts of the human brain take over. The middle and lower brain (the more primitive parts) which can react more quickly to threats by preparing you to fight or flee can be dominant. The logical, “thinking” part of upper brain (neo-cortex) shut down and good decisions are placed lower as survival priority. Since the respondents are nursing students, they are aware of the effects of alcohol and tobacco and they know that intake of alcohol and smoking may induce hallucinations and can cause illness that can lead to death, based on Kohlberg’s Moral Reasoning, college students have the highest stage of principled reasoning.

Table 3.4Social Effects of Stress

N=118

ItemsWeighted

MeanVerbal

InterpretationRank

1. I have no time for family and social life.

2.47 Disagree 5

2. I find it difficult to find someone to confide to.

2.58 Agree 2

3. I don’t enjoy active recreation. 2.51 Agree 44. I am not able to communicate

my needs to others.2.64 Agree 1

5. I don’t seek leisure activities to occupy my needs.

2.53 Agree 3



Based on the table, the result implies that the respondents agreed that they are no able to communicate their needs to others which got the highest weighted mean of 2.64 followed by they find it difficult to find someone to confide to with weighted mean of 2.58 and they don’t seek leisure activities to occupy their needs with weighted mean of 2.53. They don’t enjoy active recreation which got the weighted mean of 2.51. However, the respondents disagreed that they have no time for family and social life which got the weighted mean of 2.47. The social effects of stress obtained the composite mean of 2.55 and verbal interpretation of agree.

Research has reported evidence for the multidimentional nature of the time management construct. In this time management was conceptualized in terms of setting goals and priorities, the use of mechanics (like listing priorities), preference of an organized workplace, and the perceived control of time. These components of time management were taken from Macan, et al. (2006). Literature suggests that the tendency to structure one's time and leisure satisfaction may be an important factor in reducing academic stress.

Table 4Relationship Between Profile Variables and the Sources and Effects of

StressN=118;ά=0.05

Sources & Effects

Profile Variables

MajorStresso

rs

Physical

Effect

Emotional Effect

Psychological Effect

SocialEffect

Gender 0.257 0.917 0.441 0.693 0.283Sibling Position 0.771 0.394 0.127 0.276 0.803Monthly Income 0.440 0.194 0.249 0.960 0.989

Legend: p-value < 0.05 = Significant p-value > 0.05 = Not Significant

It can be noted from the table that all computed p-values were greater than 0.05 level of significance, thus we fail to reject the null hypothesis of no significant relationship between the profile variables and the sources and effects of stress. This means that the major stressors that affect the academics of freshmen students were not affects by their gender, sibling position and monthly income of the family. The same case is applied on the effects of stress.

College students are prone to stress due to the transitional nature of college life. High levels of stress are believed to affect students' health and academic functions. If the stress is not dealt with effectively, feelings of loneliness, nervousness, sleeplessness and worrying may result. Effective coping strategies facilitate the return to a balanced state, reducing the negative effects of stress.


Coping has been viewed as a stabilizing factor that may assist individuals in maintaining psychosocial adaptation during stressful events. The process of coping is a very complex response that occurs when an individual attempts to remove stress or a perceived threat from the environment. Thus, the actual reaction to an environmental event may be as important as the event itself (Bliss, 2007).

Conclusions

1. Majority of the respondents are females, eldest and have a monthly family income of 25,000 and above.

2. The respondents agreed that there were major stressors that affect their academics.

3. They also agreed that stress have physical, emotional, psychological and social effects to the students.

4. All computed p-values were greater than 0.05 level of significance, thus, the null hypothesis of no significant relationship between the profile variables and the sources and effects of stress

Recommendation

1. The college of nursing may include concepts on the different stresses that students may encounter in college during the orientation for freshmen students.

2. A seminar regarding how to cope with stress must be conducted for the freshmen students.

3. Support groups may be established especially form the Nursing Department. Through this, support groups can help the students share problems and express their feelings.

4. Future researchers may engage into studies, especially about the new trends on how to cope and manage college stress.