High Level Of Academic Stress Research Articles

The Invisible Labor of UCLA Southeast Asian Student Organizations: Investigating the Work That Goes Behind Enacting Diversity

This research combines the frameworks of campus climate and invisible labor to investigate th eannual Southeast Asian (SEA) Admit Weekend programat the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). This research explores campus diversity work by asking how the SEA Admit Weekend program contributes to UCLA’s campus diversity and how UCLA as an institution continues to overlook SEA student diversity work. By utilizing campus climate, invisible labor, and interviews with UCLA students and staff affiliated with the SEA Admit program, this research uncovers the sociopolitical and cultural implications of student diversity work.The findings show that student diversity work, as demonstrated by the SEA Admit program, dismantles institutionalized racism, while UCLA as an institution overlooks the imposed student labor that this diversity work necessitates. As a result, SEA students face higher levels of academic stress, time constraints, and economic hardship. This research provides suggestions for how universities can further work with under represented student groups on campus to meet diversity goals.

Academic Stress and Its Contributing Factors among Faculty Nursing Students in Alexandria

Academic stress is a particularly important issue in education because it has the potential to decline learning and performance. Nursing education is challenging and places heavy demands on the students creating high level of stress affecting their health and wellbeing as well as their academic performance. Objective: Assess faculty nursing students' academic stress level and identify its contributing factors. Setting: The study was carried out at Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University. Subjects: Subjects of the study were 600 baccalaureate nursing students. Tools: Two tools were used for data collection. The first tool was nursing students’ basic data structured interview schedule to identify data related to students’ personal and socio-demographic characteristics in addition to their academic performance data. The second tool was Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to assess the nurse students' academic stress levels. Results: Findings of the present study revealed that more than three quarters (79.7%) of the students had high academic stress which is mainly related to patients' care, assignments and work load. The academic stress was significantly correlated with the students’ sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, residence, social level as well as academic performance and regular attendance. Conclusion: The study concluded that baccalaureate nursing students experience high levels of academic stress during their nursing education which reflected on their performance. Recommendations: Stress management and healthy coping skills as well as life style modifications are required to empower nursing students to control their academic stress and stressors.

Estrés académico y valores de cortisol en estudiantes de medicina.

El estrés constituye uno de los problemas de salud más generalizado actualmente. Con el objetivo de determinar la influencia del estrés académico (EA) sobre los niveles de cortisol, se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal que incluyó 113 estudiantes (49 hombres y 64 mujeres) del primer ciclo de medicina de la Sede Azogues de la Universidad Católica de Cuenca, a los cuales se aplicó el inventario SISCO al concluir el último examen final, procediendo posteriormente a extraer muestra de sangre para la determinación de los valores de cortisol. Los principales resultados muestran que el total de estudiantes tuvieron niveles medio (13.3% hombres, 15.9% mujeres) y alto (30.1% hombres, 40.7% mujeres) de EA. El nivel de EA alto se presentó en un porcentaje significativamente superior de estudiantes y en mujeres. Los valores de cortisol fueron significativamente más elevados en los hombres que en las mujeres en el nivel de EA medio y similares en el alto. En ambos géneros y en general los estudiantes con niveles de EA alto presentaron valores de cortisol significativamente más elevados. Concluyendo, la totalidad de los estudiantes manifiestan niveles medios y altos de EA, constituyendo el cortisol una hormona cuyo incremento desempeña mediación química clave en la respuesta al mismo.
 ABSTRACT
 Stress is one of the most widespread health problems today. The main objective of this research was to determine the relation between levels of academic stress (AE) perceived and the concentrations of cortisol in blood, a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out that included 113 students (49 men and 64 women) from the first cycle of medicine at the Catholic University of Cuenca (UCACUE)-Ext. Azogues, to which the SISCO inventory was applied at the conclusion of the last final examination, proceeding subsequently to extract a blood sample for the determination of cortisol values. The main results show that the total of students had average levels (13.3% men, 15.9% women) and high (30.1% men, 40.7% women) of academic stress. The high level of academic stress was presented in a significantly high percentage of students and in female gender. Cortisol values were significantly higher in men than in women at the level of average academic stress and similar in the high level. In both genders and in general, students with high academic stress levels had significantly higher cortisol values. In conclusion, all the students manifest medium and high levels of academic stress, being cortisol a hormone whose increase plays a key chemical mediation in response to stress.
 
 

The study for sources of stress and management among medical students

Background: In recent years there has been a growing appreciation of the issues of quality of life and stresses involved medical training as this may affect their learning and academic performance. This study was carried out to assess the prevalence of sources and severity of stress and coping strategies among medical students.Methods: A questionnaire-based study was carried out among the undergraduate medical students of Himalayan Institute of medical sciences, Jolly grant, Dehradun from July July 2015 to January 2016. The questionnaire consisted of questions on the basis of Academic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Social Related Stressors and also various methods adopted by them to overcome stress.Results: Out of 150 students only 136 (90%) responded. All the participants were of first and second professional MBBS course. Overall 56% Students felt studies are contributing to stress followed by 26% due to college, 18% due to friends and 9% due to family pressure. Due to academic stress performance anxiety for upcoming examinations was felt by 59% of the students. Among the personal stressor 58% experienced health related issues and their effect on level of fitness. Stress relievers like 67% of the total students preferred watching movies, while their preference for listening to music was observed in 38% to relieve stress.Conclusions: It was concluded that students have a high level of academic stress followed by the social and personal stress. Since the stressors cannot be permanently eliminated, authors have to necessarily devise efficient methods for managing them.

Resilience and well-being of university nursing students in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundUniversity nursing students experience higher levels of academic stress than those of other disciplines. Academic stress leads to psychological distress and has detrimental effects on well-being. The ability to overcome such adversity and learn to be stronger from the experience is regarded as resilience. Resilience is found to have an impact on learning experience, academic performance, course completion and, in the longer term, professional practice. Resilience and positive coping strategies can resist stress and improve personal well-being. However, the relationship between resilience and well-being remains unexplored in nursing students, which are significant attributes to their academic success and future career persistence.MethodsThe study was a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design. Inclusion criteria for recruitment was students studying pre-registration nursing programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) and World Health Organisation-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5) were used to measure resilience and psychological well-being respectively.ResultsA convenience sample of 678 university nursing students was recruited from a university. The mean score of CD-RISC-10 was 24.0. When comparing the resilience levels of undergraduate and postgraduate students, the total scores were found to be 23.8 and 24.9 respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = .020). With regard to perceived well-being, the mean score of WHO-5 was 15.5. There was no significant difference between undergraduates and postgraduates (p = .131). Bivariate analysis showed that self-reported resilience had a medium, positive correlation with perceived well-being (r = .378, p = .000), and senior students had significantly higher level of perceived well-being than junior students (16.0 vs 15.1, p = .003). Multivariable regression analysis on perceived well-being indicated that self-reported resilience emerged as a significant predictor of perceived well-being (regression coefficient B = 0.259; p < .001).ConclusionsThe results demonstrate that nursing students with a high level of resilience have better perceived well-being, and the level of resilience of postgraduates was significantly higher than that of undergraduates. Therefore, educational strategies should be developed in the nursing curriculum and a supportive learning environment should be created to foster resilience in the students.

중학생들의 학업스트레스와 학업소진이 스마트폰 중독에 미치는 영향

This study was performed to investigate the effects of academic stress and academic burnout on smartphone addiction in junior high school students. A survey was conducted using a convenient sample drawn from 306 students at six junior high schools in Seoul. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 program. The results show that 21.6% of students were at risk of smartphone addiction. The high risk of smartphone addiction group used smartphone longer during weekdays and weekends. In addition, the high level of academic stress and academic burnout groups showed higher smartphone addiction scores compared to the lower level of academic stress and academic burnout groups. Smartphone addiction was positively correlated with academic stress and academic burnout. Furthermore, the results show that academic achievement and attending class, academic stress and disengagement, and academic burnout affected smartphone addiction. Therefore, to prevent smartphone addiction in adolescents, academic stress should be reduced in adolescents as well as develop educational programs to help students release or control their academic stress.

Perfectionism is related with academic stress in medical student

ObjectiveEspecially medical students set high academic standard, and try hard to achieve because they are requested to studying medicine perfectly. Multidimensional perfectionism scale (MPS) is used to measure perfectionism in medical student. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships between stress and various factors including perfectionism.MethodsWe enrolled 159 medical students from University of Ulsan college of Medicine. We used the Medical Stress scale (MSS), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale(MPS), the patient health questionnaire-9(PHQ-9), the academic motivation scale (AMS), the insomnia severity scale(ISS), and The revised neo personality inventory.ResultTo analyze data, we used Pearson's correlation and logistic regression analysis. In the first step- Pearson's correlation analysis, a motivation, PHQ-9, ISI, perfectionism and neuroticism traits of NEO-PI significantly correlated with stress level (P &lt; 0.001). In the second step, logistic regression analysis indicated that students who feel high level of academic stress (MSS score ≥ 28) are also related to a motivation, insomnia, perfectionism and neuroticism traits of NEO-PI (R2 = 0.389, P &lt; 0.05).ConclusionStudent who tend to be perfect feel more academic stress. The high level of stress related to insomnia and a motivation in medical student. Moreover, personality trait also can influences their psychological stress level.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Stress among Nursing and Midwifery Students Offering a Top-Up Module in the University of Health and Allied Health Sciences, Ho

Previous studies have posited that students studying in medical-related fields are particularly susceptible to high levels of academic stress with implication for both psychological and physical health. This study set in the environment of a newly established public university in Ghana, seeks to evaluate the levels and component stress among students offering nursing and midwifery in the top-up module in the University of Health and Allied Science, Ho. In descriptive study using a modified version of the pre-validated College Undergraduate Stress Scale, 315 second and third year Midwifery 82 (26.03%), Nursing 155 (49.21%) and Public Health Nursing 78 (24.76%) students obtaining bachelors degree in top-up module were surveyed for this study. Among the total study population, 109 (34.60%) experienced high stress level, 106 (33.65%) experienced moderate stress level and 100 (31.75%) experienced less stress level. Stress levels were higher among the female participants. Participants with children under 13 years and female participants with breastfeeding babies showed higher levels of stress. A majority of students in the sandwich top-up bachelor degree programme experience moderate to high stress mostly due to curriculum overload. Therefore, innovative means should be sought to lessen the level of stress among this category of students. For example, pre-recorded video lectures could be incorporated into the module to lessen the overload in school work.

Psychological characteristics of self-harming behavior in Korean adolescents.

Recently, self-injury is drawing the attention of researchers and clinicians. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and psychological characteristics of adolescents who engage in self-harm and to examine the risk factors for engaging in this harmful behavior among Korean mid-adolescents. Participants were 784 adolescents aged 13-15 years. They completed self-report questionnaires that assessed (1) Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: the Self-Harm Questionnaire, Toronto Alexithymia Scale; (2) depression: Children's Depression Inventory; (3) adolescent-parent relationship: Parental Bonding Instrument; (4) peer attachment: Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment; and (5) academic stress. Overall, 12.4% (n=97) of participants reported engaging in self-destructive behavior at least once in their lives. The primary reason for engaging in self-harm was to regulate negative emotions such as anger and sadness. As expected, the self-harm group showed statistically significant higher levels of academic stress, alexithymia, depression, and poor relationships with their parents and peers. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that alexithymia, depression, and peer relations were significant predictors of self-harming behavior. Given that the primary reason for engaging in self-harm is to cope with negative emotions, mental health professionals in school settings should regularly evaluate self-injurious behavior and provide prevention programs for adolescents at risk.

Psychophysiological Manifestations Associated With Stress in Students of a Public University in Mexico

Academic stress is defined as a physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral activation reaction to stimuli. This stress can impact students' ability to cope with the school environment. To identify the psychophysiological manifestations associated with high-level academic stress in public university students in Mexico. A representative random sampling of 527 students was evaluated during 2012. The Academic Stress Symptom Inventory and the Rossi classification were used; data were analyzed with a binary logistic regression analysis to estimate association between psychophysiological manifestations and the high level of academic stress in public university students. Results indicated a meaningful association between high levels of academic stress situations and psychophysiological manifestations such as concentration and memory problems, mental blocks and chronic fatigue, drowsiness, and despair. Identifying academic stress situations and students' maladaptive responses may help promote timely attention to psychophysiological manifestations before they exacerbate and become harmful to college students' health.

Stress in Portuguese Middle School Transition: A Multilevel Analysis

Transition from elementary to middle school is commonly seen as a period of stress, impacting students' school adjustment. The present longitudinal study aimed to analyze the difference in stress levels between the end of 4th grade and 5th grade, while also analyzing gender differences and 5th grade retention. Two hundred fifty-eight 4th grade students (M age = 9.55; SD = 0.77) from six Portuguese public schools, from the municipality of Torres Vedras, participated in this study. Self-report questionnaires were administered at the end of the 4th and 5th grades, and 5th grade school records were also collected. Results showed that 5th graders present higher levels of Academic Stress (d = .29) and Teacher/Rules Stress (d = .28). Girls had a greater increase of Peer-related Stress with the transition (p < .01). Students who were retained at the end of 5th grade showed higher increases of Teacher/Rules Stress (p < .05). Intervention programs that aim to support the transition from elementary to middle school are needed, in order to reduce the increase of stress levels at 5th grade and to promote a better school adjustment in the first year of middle school.

Contingent self-esteem and vulnerability to depression: academic contingent self-esteem predicts depressive symptoms in students.

Low self-esteem has been established as a vulnerability factor for depression. In line with recent research, we suggest that a full understanding of the role of self-esteem in depression requires consideration of contingent self-esteem as well. For most people, competence is an important source of self-esteem. Students in particular link their self-esteem to academic competence. To test the hypothesis that academic contingent self-esteem (aCSE) predicts depressive symptoms (DS), two studies were conducted. Preceding the investigation of our hypothesis, the first purpose of Study 1 was to describe the development of aCSE, self-esteem (SE) level, and DS in adolescence in a sample of German students aged 10–16 (N = 1888) in order to provide a foundation for further analyses. Then, to address the main question, age and gender differences in aCSE, SE level, and DS as well as their relations were investigated. The results show that (1) gender differences emerged after the age of 10/11. Girls scored higher on aCSE and DS and lower on SE level than did boys, and aCSE and DS decreased and SE level increased over time in boys, while the rather disadvantageous pattern in girls remained stable. (2) After controlling for SE level and aCSE, the effects of gender and age × gender interaction on DS disappeared, suggesting an influence of aCSE on DS. (3) aCSE predicted DS over and above SE level. Since the results of Study 1 did not allow for causal conclusions, a longitudinal study (N = 160) was conducted to further investigate the causal role of aCSE. According to the diathesis-stress model, aCSE was expected to serve as a diathesis for developing DS in the face of academic stress (daily hassles) during an academic semester at university. The results of Study 2 revealed that aCSE interacted with corresponding hassles to predict increases in DS. High levels of academic stress led to increases in DS only among students who strongly based their SE on academic competence. Implications for prevention and intervention of depression are discussed.

MARKETING PERSPECTIVE ON COMPULSIVE BUYING: A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

INTRODUCTION:In the past few years, the sarcasm, expression and diversion of thoughts towards retail therapy and its extreme implications has become a topic of discussion in not just one but many countries. Statements such as I am compulsive shopper, When the going gets tough, the tough goes shopping are seen to be applicable and used extensively in the different economic strata of the society. According to (Magee, 1994, Black 1996; 2007) there are about 18 million people in America whose life has become out of their control largely because of getting entangled in the cobweb of the process of shopping. They are no less than substance abusers as they do not have any control over their buying behaviour. They get a different kind of high by buying merchandise, whether they need it or no.In the history of research, it is a very recent development where researchers have attempted to investigate the detrimental social, psychological and financial consequences of the ever increasing compulsive buyers in the world around (Bragg, 2009).According to (Kerin et al., 2011), this is a marketing era which focusses upon social responsibilities like never before. In this scenario, if marketers divert their focus deliberately or unintentionally towards increased consumption among the already trapped compulsive buyers who are stuck in a financial web where they cannot pay for their purchases, it may not be a very pleasant outcome. Potential harms in terms of personal, psychological and financial health could be seen. The financial institutions have simplified their credit policies. The interconnected impact has brought the retail institutions, consumers as well as the economy of the country subject to this increasing debt by the financial institutions that is multiplying and is non collectable (Bragg, 2009).A lot of recent surge and discussions have gained momentum worldwide over the issue of the mounting debt of the college students. The housing crisis that was the cause of the global recession in the year 2012 has brought to the surface the negative consequences of hoarding and compulsive buying. In a recent research by Pham, Yap and Dowling (2012) it has been found that high level of academic stress , excessive use of credit card (Lo and Harvey, 2011) and high credit card debt(Brougham, Jacobs - Lawson, Hershey, & Trujillo, 2011; Joireman, Kees, & Sprott, 2010) by have a strong link with compulsive buying. It is a normal routine behaviour for a normal person to buy day to day routine products as per need or desire but the case does not remain the same with a compulsive buyer. In their case they face severe inability to control their desire to make purchase irrespective of their circumstances. This may lead to most dire consequences. What is important to note here is that reason for purchase by a compulsive buyer is not utility of the purchase but the temporary psychological elation one receives from the process of owning a product.The past two decades have been a witness to array of researches specific to consumer behaviour that have brought forth the phenomenon of compulsive buying in a negative light not just for an individual but for the society on a larger perspective. (O'Guinn & Faber, 1989; Weaver, Moschis, & Davis, 2011).The consequences that are mostly seen are that compulsive buyers, irrespective of the nature of purchase are under insurmountable debts that become the cause for financial as well as psychological problems. They don't just trap themselves in this cobweb but also end up entangling their families. It becomes a vicious circle and they end up causing a problem for their creditors. This problem expands and spreads out from an individual problem to a larger case of concern. It is thus important to go into the depth of this devising intervention mechanism and find ways and means by which it c ould be not just managed but also controlled. In an analysis to focus towards compulsive buying as a serious concern and its various causes a lot of literature has been found centred on the contribution made by the forever developing marketing techniques by companies to augment their sales. …

Academic stress in Chinese schools and a proposed preventive intervention program

AbstractWhile American educators fret about the mediocre educational performance of American students in international contests (e.g. the Program for International Student Assessment) and wonder why the Chinese education system produces such high-achieving students, educators, journalists, and public officials in China want to know what causes and how to prevent the high levels of academic stress that Chinese students, their families, and their school systems experience. So far, much of the blame for these toxic levels of stress has been directed to the Gaokao, the Chinese national college entrance exam that takes place in June each year. But to date, top-down Chinese educational reforms have been ineffective in reducing the problem. In this article, we build a case for strengthening bottom-up efforts at the school level in China and propose an evidence-based approach for addressing the challenge of academic stress experienced by Chinese students.

Academic stress experienced by the undergraduate students and its influencing factors

A sample of 200 undergraduate students in the age range of 18-23 yrs of five colleges of Parbhani town of Marathwada region, Maharashtra State were studied. The data pertaining to the study were collected by personally interviewing the sample students based on open ended interview schedule and by administering on them the Battery of Academic Stress Scale (BASS) and Socio-Economic Status Scale. Irrespective of gender, 90 per cent of the students rated to have high level of academic stress followed by average level of it. Socio-economic status of both the male and female students and inter–personal relations maintained by female students with peers, teachers and neighbors were found to have significant negative correlation with their academic stress. Types of family of the male students and the parenting practices adopted for the students also recorded to have significant negative correlation with their academic stress. Academic frustration was significantly higher in male students as compared to their female counterparts. Therefore, it becomes the prime responsibility of the parents, teachers and institutional authorities to come up with the appropriate strategic action to reduce stress of the students and also enable them to manage academic stress at ease without affecting their development and mental health.

Academic-related stress among private secondary school students in India

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of academic stress and exam anxiety among private secondary school students in India as well as the associations with socio-economic and study-related factors. Design/methodology/approach – Participants were 400 adolescent students (52 percent male) from five private secondary schools in Kolkata who were studying in grades 10 and 12. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique and were assessed using a study-specific questionnaire. Findings – Findings revealed that 35 and 37 percent reported high or very high levels of academic stress and exam anxiety respectively. All students reported high levels of academic stress, but those who had lower grades reported higher levels of stress than those with higher grades. Students who engaged in extra-curricula activities were more likely to report exam anxiety than those who did not engage in extra-curricula activities. Practical implications – Private high school students in India report high levels of academic stress and exam anxiety. As such there is a need to develop effective interventions to help these students better manage their stress and anxiety. Originality/value – This is the first study the authors are aware of that explores the academic stress levels of private secondary school students in India. The study identifies factors that may be associated with the experience of high levels of stress that need to be explored further in future research.

Stress, gender and compulsive buying among early adolescents

PurposeDespite growing concerns over the increasing incidence of compulsive buying among young consumers, scant research attention has been focused on this darker side of consumer behavior among adolescent consumers. The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of compulsive buying as a coping mechanism in early adolescents.Design/methodology/approachThe present study is the first to experimentally manipulate a common and important stressor in the lives of adolescents, academic stress, and measures its impact on compulsive buying among a sample of 12‐13 year old seventh graders. Next, the authors investigate whether gender moderates the stress‐compulsive buying relationship.FindingsThe present study finds that early adolescents increasingly turn to compulsive buying in an attempt to cope with heightened levels of academic stress. Surprisingly, gender was not found to moderate this relationship. Both boys and girls were found to respond to higher levels of academic stress with higher incidences of compulsive buying. Results suggest that compulsive buying is a common coping strategy for adolescents from both genders.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study suggest that compulsive buying is a common coping strategy in early adolescents. Additionally, both boys and girls were found to use compulsive buying as a means to cope with stress associated with school. Whether compulsive buying can be considered an adaptive or maladaptive coping strategy when dealing with stress requires further study be conducted in this area of research.Originality/valueThe paper makes several unique and important contributions to the literature. First, it describes one of few studies to investigate compulsive buying in early adolescents – a hard to reach population. Second, it is the only study to experimentally manipulate stress levels to investigate its impact on compulsive buying. Third, the study's findings in regard to gender's impact (or lack thereof) on the stress‐compulsive buying relationship suggest that compulsive buying begins early in adolescence and is a common coping strategy for both boys and girls. How young people cope with common stressors such as school has important implications for their mental and physical well‐being.

Academic stress as a risk factor for dental caries

To evaluate the associations between dental caries classified according to the index for decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and stimulated salivary flow, salivary capacity for oxidation reduction and academic stress in undergraduate dental surgery students aged 18-22 years. This research was performed at three time-points: March 2010, September 2010 and March 2011. The sample was composed of 73 students, including 15 male and 58 female subjects. Data were obtained using the DMFT index to detect incident dental caries, the RD test Showa for salivary capacity for oxidation reduction, the Sisco academic stress inventory, and sterile polyethylene to stimulate salivary flow. Logistic regression analysis showed that: subjects with stimulated salivary flow of <1 ml/min are at increased risk for developing caries compared with those with stimulated salivary flow of ≥1 ml/min; those with moderate or high levels of academic stress are at greater risk for developing carious lesions than those with low academic stress; women are at greater risk for developing carious lesions than men, and, of the subjects studied, younger students were more likely to develop caries. Moderate to high levels of academic stress, younger age and lower salivary flow rate represent risk factors for the development of dental caries in students.

Very low CD19+ B‐lymphocyte percentage is associated with high levels of academic stress among healthy graduate students

AbstractElevated chronic psychological stress is associated with weakened immune response to vaccines. B‐lymphocyte development may provide a pathway by which psychological stress can weaken immune response to vaccines. The current study examined the effect of chronic psychological stress on B‐ and T‐lymphocytes among doctoral students, after their qualifying exams, and matched community controls. Blood was drawn from 10 doctoral students immediately after their 3‐day qualifying exams and from 10 age‐ and gender‐matched community controls. B‐ (CD19+) and T‐ (CD3+) lymphocyte percentages were enumerated with flow cytometry. Psychological stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The mean PSS score was higher for the graduate students compared with the control group (p &lt; 0.01). Mean CD19+ lymphocyte percentage for the students (5.82 per cent) was dramatically lower than the control group (15.32 per cent, p &lt; 0.0001). CD3+ lymphocyte percentage did not differ between the two groups. There was a significant negative correlation between CD19+ lymphocyte percentage and PSS score (r = −0.60, p = 0.003). Chronic psychological stress is associated with significant reductions in B‐lymphocytes among doctoral students undergoing qualifying exams and community participants. B‐lymphocyte decrements are a potential mechanism linking psychological stress and reduced antibody response to vaccines. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

A relação entre o stress e os estilos de vida nos estudantes de medicina da Faculdade de Medicina do Porto.

Different studies have demonstrated that there are significant changes in the health and habits/life-style of university students, and it seems that Medical students also reveal a significant vulnerability to the adoption of health risk behaviours. The present study aims to (1) characterize the main sources of academic stress of the Medical School students of the University of Porto as well as the intensity with which they are experienced, (2) investigate the variations in academic stress and psychosocial variables, due to gender, year of course and displacement from home and (3) contribute, for the first time, to the understanding of stress and life-style of medical students in Portugal. The empirical study included a sample of 251 students from all 6 years of the course (160 females and 91 males), evaluated by the following instruments: (1) The Inventory of Sources of Academic Stress in Medical Education (ISASME), and the Portuguese versions of (2) the Brief Personal Survey (BPS), (3) the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12), and (4) the Interpersonal Behaviour Survey-Brief (ICIBrief). In terms of overall levels of stress (GHQ-12), a prevalence of 58.2% of clinically significant stress symptoms was found, with the students from the basic cycle and those who are living away from home, presenting higher levels of stress. In terms of life-style, 47% of the students revealed health risk behaviours, with eating habits, physical exercise, alcohol and drug consumption, and body image being the main problem areas. Gender and year of course seem to have a significant influence on the variables studied, being the female students those who present higher levels of academic stress, stress responses (pressure/overload, physical distress, anxiety, anger/frustration, inefficiency, depression and loss of control), and low levels of coping confidence; the students of the basic cycle reveal higher levels of stress in managing their life-style (academic stress), general stress symptoms and stress responses. This study calls attention for the need of preventive intervention with medical students in order to prevent negative consequences of stress and improve their life-style by promoting individual and social resources.