Effects of Stress on College Students

Presenter

Name: Andy Brewer
Topic Focus: Effects of stress on college students, particularly exploring reasons and main causes of stress.

Emotion and Motivation: Stress can lead to depression if individuals view themselves and the world negatively.
Depression Schema: Stressful events may trigger depression by activating negative perception schemas.

Objective: Explore depression indicators through word choice.
Findings:
- Participants: Depressed and formerly depressed students used negative words and "I" more often than never depressed students.

Participants:
- 29 women, 2 men currently depressed.
- 20 women, 6 men formerly depressed.
- 47 women, 20 men never depressed.
Tool Used: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Findings:
- Depressed individuals used more negative emotion words and fewer positive words.
- Word choice can indicate depression in friends and family.

Study Aim: Understand impact of stress on well-being and life satisfaction.
Participants: 159 students, ages 20-56.
Method:
- Survey on stressors (work hours, class expectations, relationships).
- Rating agreement levels (1 = never, 5 = always).
- Coping strategies rated 1 to 4 (action planning, sharing feelings).
- Life satisfaction measured 1 to 7.
- General well-being measured 0 to 3.
Findings:
- Work stress is greatest for adult students.
- School stress has less impact on life satisfaction and well-being.
- Lack of control over work increases stress.

Recommended Solutions:
- Manage interference between work and school to reduce stress.
- Use stressors, appraisals, and coping methods to control stress impact on well-being.

Question: Which part of students' lives causes the most stress?
- Options: Work, school, home, life.
- Answer: Work.