High Levels Of Stress Research Articles

The Evaluation of a Mindful Coaching Programme to Reduce Burnout in Social Workers in Hong Kong-A Pilot Study.

Social work professionals experience high levels of burnout, emotional exhaustion, and secondary traumatic stress (STS). This paper reports the findings of a pilot test of the Burn-Not-Out programme that aimed to reduce social workers' burnout, STS, and depressive symptoms and to enhance compassion satisfaction (CS), using the mixed methods evaluation methodology. Hong Kong social workers participated in the programme between December 2023 and March 2024 and completed pre- and post-programme self-administered online surveys including the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), healthy alongside self-constructed questions on boundary setting, and post-programme online focus group discussions. The results from 94 paired surveys revealed a concerning mental health profile of the participants at baseline, and, after programme participation, there were statistically significant reductions in burnout (Cohen's d = 0.73) and depressive symptoms (Cohen's d = 0.57) among the participants. The participants in the focus group reported that they valued the programme's emphasis on healthy boundaries, one-on-one coaching, and the sense of being cared for, which contributed to their mental health improvement. This study highlights the urgent need for more research on the role of psychological capital in social workers' resilience and calls for more empirical systemic interventions that can promote social workers' mental wellness, with sustainable policies that ensure manageable workloads and adequate workplace support.

Positive Effects of Two Interventions to Reduce Stress in Students of Different Courses of Study

Abstract: Background: Students report high levels of stress. Aim: Investigation of the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral and meditation interventions to reduce stress in students of psychology and dentistry. Method: In longitudinal control group comparisons, 262 students were divided into five groups: cognitive-behavioral training (IGcogPsy: n = 59 psychology; IGcogDent: n = 41 dentistry), mindfulness-based meditation (IGmedPsy: n = 63 psychology), measurement controls (CGPsy: n = 57 psychology; CGDent: n = 42 dentistry). 126 psychology students (IGcogPsy: n = 43; IGmedPsy: n = 47; CGPsy: n = 36) took follow-up tests 6 months after training. Results: ANCOVAs with repeated measurement factor (interactions group/time t1 to t2; co-variates: terms studied, gender, the stress in addition to studies) and contrasts over pairwise differences (alpha-error accumulation correction applied) showed stronger improvements for all IGs compared to CGs in coping strategies, self-efficacy, and learning strategies. IGcogPsy also improved more in test anxiety, and IGcogDent in test anxiety, trait and state anxiety. IGcogPsy and IGmedPsy reduced stress symptoms. At follow-up (simultaneous ANCOVAs t1, t2, t3; contrasts), more favorable development in test anxiety and some learning strategies resulted in both IGcogPsy and IGmedPsy compared to CGPsy. Limitations: Controls received feedback on concentration development but no alternative intervention. Confounding by self-selection cannot be ruled out. Conclusion: Cognitive-behavioral intervention had comprehensive impacts on all areas under investigation for both psychology and dental students; meditation was effective primarily in areas not directly related to action. Both interventions evoked some long-term effects.

Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Various Factors of the Job Demand-Control-Support Model Among Iranian Nurses: Structural Equation Modeling Modeling Study

Background: Stress at work is a significant occupational risk that diminishes performance and job satisfaction. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the relationship between job satisfaction and various factors of the job demand-control-support (JDCS) model among 840 nurses working in public hospitals affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Methods: The Job Content Questionnaire and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire were utilized to assess various aspects of the JDCS model and job satisfaction, respectively. The structural equation model (SEM) was employed to explore the relationships between variables. A significance level of P < 0.05 was considered. Results: The findings revealed that the highest average scores were for skill discretion (30.92 ± 10.34) and decision authority (30.82 ± 6.91), while the lowest mean scores were related to social support (21.37 ± 7.60) and job insecurity (7.78 ± 1.49), indicating high levels of job stress among participants. The study identified direct and positive relationships between demand and control (r = 0.58, P = 0.021), control and support (r = 0.51, P = 0.032), and demand and support (r = 0.87, P = 0.009). Social support had a positive influence on job satisfaction (standardized = 0.75, P = 0.008) and a negative effect on job insecurity (standardized = -0.56, P = 0.009). Control negatively impacted job insecurity (standardized = -0.1, P = 0.02) and positively affected job satisfaction (standardized = 0.012, P = 0.012). Additionally, "job insecurity" moderated the effect of "control" on "job satisfaction" (standardized = 0.02, P = 0.005). Conclusions: Higher job demands and control contribute to increased dissatisfaction and insecurity among nurses. Conversely, nurses who receive more social support feel more secure and satisfied. To enhance job satisfaction and reduce insecurity, efforts should focus on increasing support and managing control and demand, as these factors significantly influence job performance and satisfaction.

Towards the Development of Human Capital: Preliminary Results on a Study on Well-being Among Tertiary Students in Melaka, Malaysia

Economic development is intimately linked to human resource development. People who can improve themselves fast and efficiently successfully deal with life's problems and challenges, including those who are in tertiary education. Therefore, their stress level is an indicator of the well-being of our future leaders. This study investigates the various factors that can affect tertiary students' well-being. This preliminary research involves collecting data from higher education institutions in Melaka, with 191 completed responses. The findings were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, and correlation. Findings show that 62.8% of respondents experience low stress, while 37.2% report high stress. Key stressors include time pressure, academic dissatisfaction, and subject matter issues, with financial and social factors also contributing to stress levels. However, relationships and environmental factors appear to have a lesser impact on their stress levels. Based on the correlation coefficient, stress level (dependent variable) does not relate to single variables. Most variables have a moderate correlation with the other variables. The study's findings show that tertiary students in Melaka do not experience alarmingly high levels of stress, but several factors do affect them. Therefore, well-being must be prioritized to ensure the best human capital can be created, as it represents future leaders and a skilled workforce. Recommendations are made for policy adjustments to address stress factors, providing human capital development for sustained national progress.

Risk factors of type II diabetes among bankers of Kathmandu Metropolitan city: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Identifying the risk factors of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among the most vulnerable people is crucial as it helps to prevent complications and improve health outcomes. The job of bank employees is both sedentary and accompanies high levels of mental stress, making them more susceptible to non-communicable disease like diabetes. This study aims to identify the prevalence of risk factors of T2DM among bank employees. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 348 bank employees from selected banks of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the largest and capital city of Nepal from October to December 2020. Pre-tested, self-administered structured questionnaire based on the WHO STEP Instrument and Perceived Stress Scale was used for the data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 software. Results: The mean age of respondents was 34.8±8.9 years. At least, one risk factor was present among all the respondents, whereas 22.4% having had over four risk factors. The most common risk factor was improper dietary habits (99.4%). Similarly, 84.2% of the respondents had moderate to high levels of perceived stress. Factors like age, gender, level of education, marital status, socio-economic status, and family history were associated with the risk factors of T2DM. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that bankers were at high risk of T2DM. This study showed an urgent need to bring the attention of the concerned authorities to promote a healthy lifestyle, create a stress-free work environment, and awareness about the risk of T2DM among bankers, coming up with public health strategies for its prevention.

A parametric study of dynamic stress in acoustic black holes

Acoustic Black Holes (ABHs) make modifications to a structure that act to reduce the speed of a wave travelling through the ABH region. The reduced wavespeed has a corresponding reduced wavelength which increases the effectiveness of damping treatment applied to the ABH. A common way in which the reduction of wavespeed can be achieved is by gradually reducing the thickness of a structure. This is commonly implemented as a beam termination, which results in a thin tip. In this case, the energy focusing effect of the ABH causes high amplitude vibrations to occur in the thin section of the structure, raising concerns about high levels of dynamic stress that could result in fatigue failure. This paper presents an investigation into the effect of changing the ABH taper length, tip height and power law on the dynamic stress in an ABH terminated beam. This is achieved via numerical model of the structure, which enables a full parametric analysis to be carried out. For each ABH parameterisation, the performance is also quantified in terms of reflection coefficient so that trade-offs between performance and stress can be observed.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, maladaptive coping behaviours and protective factors in undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: The purpose is to examine the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), protective factors, and select maladaptive coping behaviors in postsecondary students. Participants: Undergraduate students attending Dalhousie University. Methods: An online anonymous survey was conducted. Zero order one-tailed correlations were computed to measure relationships between ACEs, levels of maladaptive coping behaviors and protective factors. A structural equation mediation model examined direct and indirect pathways between measures. Results: 42.5% of respondents (n = 327) reported ≥3ACEs. Higher ACEs were associated with higher expression of maladaptive coping behaviors. Respondents with high ACEs and low levels of protective factors reported lower levels of hope and forgiveness and higher levels of stress and rumination. Conclusion: Higher levels of protective factors were associated with lower levels of maladaptive coping behaviors in students with high ACEs.

The health action process approach to promote regular physical activity among people with disabilities: A hierarchical regression analysis.

People with disabilities continue to cope with high levels of stress, such as disability-related stress and sociopolitical stress. Helping people with disabilities engage in regular physical activity to improve health and reduce stress is more important than ever. This study evaluated demographic covariates, the health action process approach (HAPA) constructs (action self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, risk perception, intention/commitment, maintenance and recovery self-efficacy, and action and coping planning), and positive person-environment variables (autonomous motivation, resilience, hope, and social support) as motivators for regular physical activity in a sample of people with disabilities. People with disabilities participated in an online study (N = 266). Hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine the incremental variance in physical activity scores accounted for by variables in the regression model. Demographic covariates, HAPA constructs, and positive person-environment variables accounted for 38% of the total variance in physical activity scores (a large effect size). Low income was a risk factor that significantly and negatively associated with regular physical activity, while self-efficacy, action and coping planning, and social support were significantly and positively associated with reular physical activity after controlling for other variables. Autonomous motivation, resilience, and hope were significantly associated with regular physical activity at the zero-order correlation level, but not significant in the regression model. This study provides strong empirical support for the HAPA constructs, which can be used to inform the development of theory-driven and empirically supported physical activity interventions to improve health, stress management, and well-being of people with disabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Career development and foreign language teacher well-being: Mediating effect of career satisfaction

High levels of stress are consistently reported in the teaching profession, making it crucial to identify factors that influence teachers' mental health and well-being. This study examined a conceptual model of well-being in teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL), incorporating career satisfaction as a mediating factor in the relationship between career development and teacher well-being. I conducted a survey of 305 Chinese EFL teachers using standardized scales. The results of structural equation modeling showed significant and positive relationships between career development and career satisfaction, and between career development and well-being. Further, career satisfaction mediated the relationship between career development and wellbeing. These findings have important implications for improving practices in the teaching field and provide valuable directions for future research.

Hydration Considerations to Improve the Physical Performance and Health of Firefighters.

Background/Objectives: Firefighters are exposed to a high level of stress as they often perform physically challenging work in hazardous environments while responsible for rescuing and keeping those around them safe. To add to this stress, they are also required to work in heavy, unbreathable personal protective equipment which promotes dehydration. These occupational demands paired with dehydration may lead to increased core temperatures, cardiac strain, and overall risk for sudden cardiac events. Thus, it is important to include hydration assessments and determine fluid needs when firefighters are on shift to ensure their personal safety as well as the safety of those around them by optimizing physical performance by maintaining adequate hydration. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to identify markers of hydration, classifications of hydration status, current hydration recommendations, and hydration interventions that may contribute to the overall clarity of hydration protocols that may optimize performance and health of firefighters. In addition, the impact of common medications, exercise training, and health conditions on hydration status related to firefighters will be discussed. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to discuss the purpose statements. Results: Hydration recommendations for firefighters include (1) assessing hydration status with multiple measurements including body mass, urine specific gravity and thirst sensation, and (2) following general hydration recommendations on rest days and exercise hydration protocols during firefighting activities which may be altered according to hydration status measurements. Conclusion: Randomized controlled trials in firefighters are needed to determine the impact of maintaining adequate hydration on health markers.

Validation and psychometric evaluation of the French version of the recovery experience questionnaire: internal consistency and validity assessment.

Entrepreneurs often experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout due to the demanding nature of their professional activities. Therefore, recovery from work-related stress is a relevant activity for entrepreneurs. The Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ) is a widely used 16-item self-reported measure covering four recovery factors: psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery, and control. The present study addresses the validation of a French version of the REQ. A total of 1,043 French entrepreneurs from various sectors participated in this study. Internal consistency and correlations were examined to assess the psychometric properties of the French version of the REQ. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to validate the four-factor structure of the REQ, with seven error covariances added to improve model fit. The French version of the REQ demonstrated good internal consistency (psychological detachment: α = 0.88, relaxation: α = 0.91, mastery: α = 0.90, control: α = 0.91). CFA supported that the four-factor structure was confirmed based on the following data: RMSEA = 0.071 (95% CI [0.066, 0.077]), CFI/TLI = 0.955/0.950, SRMR = 0.050, and χ2 (108) = 593.861, p < 0.001. Significant correlations were found between REQ scores and health indicators such as stress, loneliness, physical health, mental health, and sleep quality. The results confirm that the REQ is a valid and reliable measure for assessing recovery experiences among French entrepreneurs. We conclude that the REQ is a valid measure and a useful tool for research on entrepreneurs' general health. Additionally, the validated French version of the REQ can be applied to other working populations, making it a versatile instrument for evaluating health and recovery in diverse occupational settings. To support this claim, we conducted the same validation analysis on a sample of 1,231 French agricultural employees, again showing that REQ is a valid and reliable measure for assessing recovery experiences.

A Structural Equation Modelling Approach to Examine the Mediating Effect of Stress on Diet in Culturally Diverse Women of Childbearing Age

Background: Stress has been shown to be associated with poor nutrition among young women. However, studies around the topic have major limitations in their methodologies and the role of confounding factors within this association remains unclear in the literature. Objective: To investigate the associations between stress and dietary quality/patterns in a culturally diverse population of childbearing-aged women. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from two studies conducted in UK and Lebanon was performed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to explore the role of country context, socio-economic status, and physical variables. Participants were healthy women of childbearing age (n = 493). Variables measured were dietary intake, stress, physical activity, sociodemographic variables, and Body Mass Index. These were included in the SEM analysis to examine the mediating effect of stress. Results: The results showed that, among all variables, only country had a significant effect on dietary quality and patterns through the mediatory effect of stress. Participants from Lebanon were found to have higher stress levels compared to participants from the UK, and this contributed to a lower adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Conclusions: This study shows that for women of childbearing age, having a good diet quality/pattern is dependent on stress levels and country context.

Impact of childhood exposure to traffic related air pollution on adult cardiometabolic health: Exploring the role of perceived stress

BackgroundLittle is known about how childhood exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and stress interact to affect adults' cardiometabolic health. We examined this interaction and assessed the impact of over 10 years of childhood TRAP exposure on cardiometabolic health. MethodsFrom 2018 to 2023, 313 young adults from the Southern California Children's Health Study were enrolled in a follow-up assessment. Using CALINE4 line source dispersion model, average childhood TRAP exposures (from pregnancy to age 13) were estimated for nitrogen oxides (NOx) from all roads. Traffic density was calculated within a 300-m residential buffer. Cardiometabolic health was assessed in adulthood (mean age 24 ± 1.7) based on blood lipids (total cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein [HDL, LDL], triglycerides), glucose metabolism (fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c), body composition (BMI, android/gynoid ratio [AG ratio], percent body fat), and blood pressure. A PDAY (Pathobiologic Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth) score was generated to evaluate overall cardiometabolic health. Participants' perceived stress was assessed in childhood and adulthood (ages 13 and 24 years, respectively). ResultsResults of mixed effects linear models, adjusted for demographics and smoking status, suggested that each standard deviation increase in childhood exposure to traffic-related total NOx was associated with 0.62 increase in PDAY score (95% Confidence Interval [CI]:0.10,1.14), 0.09% increase in HbA1c (95%CI: 0.04, 0.15), 1.19% increase in percent body fat (95%CI: 0.18, 2.20), and 0.96 kg/m2 increase in BMI (0.11, 1.80) in adulthood. Among participants with higher childhood stress levels, we observed significant associations of traffic-related total NOx with total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, HbA1c, insulin, and BMI. None of these associations were significant among people with lower stress levels. We observed similar statistically significant associations of traffic density. ConclusionLong-term childhood exposure to TRAP in childhood may have lasting adverse impacts on cardiometabolic health, especially for children with higher stress levels.

Low-cycle fatigue properties and fracture location transition mechanism of dissimilar steel welded joints in towers of wind turbines

This study investigates the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of two types of dissimilar steel welded joints (DSWJs): AISI 1035 & S550Q and AISI 1020 & S550Q. Digital image correlation (DIC) and finite element analysis (FEA) were used to analyze the heterogeneous strain distribution. The results reveal that the location of maximum strain, which is load-dependent and related to strength mismatch, corresponds to the fracture location of the LCF specimens. Specifically, the crack initiation site shifts from the weld toe to the base metal as strain increases. Moreover, the weld reinforcement of the DSWJs significantly affects the failure site transition, introducing strain concentration at lower stress levels while enhancing deformation resistance at higher stress levels, as evidenced by DIC strain measurements and FEA. These findings highlight the importance of joint reinforcement profile, strength mismatch and external load level in designing DSWJs for wind turbine towers against LCF failure.

Stress-dilatancy behavior of marine coral sand incorporating non-plastic fines

The existed understanding of stress-dilatancy behavior is predominantly based on experiments conducted with clean quartz sand, with limited research focusing on coral sand. Particularly, impacts of fines and density state on stress-dilatancy response of marine coral sand is of significant concern. This work presents a systematic investigation into these issues through meticulously controlled geotechnical tests, coupled with corresponding discussion and interpretation. Results show that at a high stress level, both pure coral sand and its mixtures consistently undergo shear contraction regardless of fines proportion and density state. However, mixtures with minimal fines experience shear contraction initially, followed by dilatancy under a medium-low stress level. Friction angle at peak state (φps) and critical state (φcs), excess friction angle (φex), and maximum dilatancy angle (ψmax) decrease powerfully as increasing fines content. Besides, the lower and upper limits of variation for φps, φcs, φex concerning ψmax were presented. Correlation between φex and ψmax highlights that Bolton's stress-dilatancy equation, developed for pure sand, remains applicable provided that fines content remains below the threshold value. Additionally, gray correlation result suggests that fines post the dominant influence on above behaviors, followed by density state and stress level. Finally, potential mechanism behinds the influences of fines and density state was explored from the view of particle column buckling.

Study on the time delay failure characteristics of sandstone unloading under dynamic disturbance

The rockburst caused by underground engineering excavation exhibits a significant lag effect. Studies have shown that the occurrence of lag-type rockburst is closely related to the delayed failure of rocks. This paper focuses on the delayed failure characteristics of unloading-damaged sandstone under the combined action of static load and dynamic disturbance. Numerical simulations are utilized to analyze the delayed failure evolution characteristics and failure mechanisms of sandstone. The results indicate that in triaxial unloading delay failure tests, the duration of loading decreases exponentially with the increase of initial unloading damage. Compared to static load conditions, the duration of loading under dynamic disturbance decreases by more than 43 %, and the average strain rate significantly increases. The number of cracks at the endpoint of triaxial unloading delay failure increases as initial unloading damage decreases, with a substantial increase in the number of cracks under dynamic disturbance. These findings provide a valuable reference for the timeliness and delayed rockburst analysis and interpretation of rock damage and failure under high-stress levels.

Comparison of embryologist stress, somatization, and burnout reported by embryologists working in UK HFEA-licensed ART/IVF clinics and USA ART/IVF clinics.

What is the prevalence of occupational stress, somatization, and burnout reported by UK and US, embryologists and the impact of work conditions on these well-being outcomes? Surveyed UK and US embryologists reported moderate perceived stress, low somatic symptom severity, high levels of burnout, and overall stressful work conditions, but with differences that could be due to country-specific occupational and employment characteristics. Spanish, UK, US, and international surveys have identified high levels of occupational stress, somatization, burnout, and occupational health issues among embryologists. These issues have been attributed to embryologists' occupational challenges and work conditions. A cross-sectional web-based survey was sent to 253 embryologists working in UK ART/IVF clinics and 487 embryologists working in US ART/IVF clinics. Participants self-reported their stress levels, somatization, burnout, and work conditions. Proportions across the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), a single-item work unit grade (A-F), and customized occupational and sociodemographic questionnaires were calculated using descriptive statistics. Welch's t-test was utilized to compare PSS and PHQ-15 scores between groups. Risk ratios were calculated using log-binomial regression for all models except for levels of anxiety related to performing cryostorage tasks, for which Poisson models were used. In total, 50.6% (128) of the embryologists in the UK and 50.1% (244) in the US completed the survey. Both groups self-reported moderate PSS and low PHQ-15 scores, although fewer UK embryologists scored high on the MBI cynicism dimension than their US colleagues (43% UK vs 60% US embryologists, P < 0.05). The UK and US embryologists did not differ on the MBI exhaustion dimension with both scoring high for exhaustion (59% UK vs 62% US). Although 81% and 80% of UK and US embryologists, respectively, reported working overtime, more embryologists in the UK reported being adequately compensated. Increasing levels of anxiety-related to cryostorage showed a dose-dependent increased risk of burnout on at least two MBI-GS dimensions only in the UK group, and, a dose-dependent likelihood of higher PSS and PHQ-15 scores in both groups. Since the two groups were surveyed 9 months apart and were self-reporting, the study is limited by the differences in responsibilities, scheduling, and workload specific to the time of year. Work-related health issues and occupational challenges shared by UK and US embryologists could be addressed by organizational enhancements and technology. Lower levels of stress and burnout among UK embryologists might be due to the HFEA-provided structure/certainty. This study was supported without any external funding by TMRW Life Sciences Inc., which is developing and commercializing an automated platform for embryology. M.G.C. and M.S.L. are full-time employees and stockholders/shareholders with TMRW Life Sciences, and A.M. of Novavax, Inc. was an employee of TMRW Life Sciences. G.P. is a consultant for TMRW Life Sciences. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest. NCT05326802; NCT05708963.

College Women’s Establishing of Peer Social-relationships and Communicating about Pandemic-related Political Identities and Topics

This mixed-methods study examines two research areas concerning whether U.S. women college students, compared with men, enrolled in online classes during the pandemic suffered from stress regarding their ability to socialize and negotiate a community/national political issue(s) affecting them negatively academically in terms of their grade point average and course outcomes, as well as whether the women would experience a sense of belonging and camaraderie with classmates by discussing topics impacting their identities and circumstances in terms of their individual and communal, social-relational, health, and financial pandemic contexts, which might also influence them negatively academically as stressors linked to their course outcomes and progress. Conducted in a rural, geographically marginalized area, the study implements survey and short-answer question instruments and utilizes an exploratory case-study design and a convergent-parallel strategy assessing 188 women and 188 men participants, including racial/ethnic minority and low socio-economic status (SES) women, with women’s median age of 23. of women and men surveyed, the former reported statistically significantly higher stress levels than men connected to the women’s need to socialize and tackle pandemic-oriented community and national political issues affecting their lives and statuses, which subsequently influenced their academic progress. Overall, the pandemic damaged women, especially racial/ethnic minorities, more than men, with women having higher stress rates revolving around their need for socializing (59% versus 33%) and addressing political issues (54% versus 32%), stressors hampering the women’s academic outcomes and status, as well as some experiencing additional stress regarding health and financial concerns. In response to these settings, 21% of women (n = 40) desired to discuss controversial topics, such as their pandemic stressors and related experiences in the classroom, including the pandemic’s political consequences for themselves, to promote self-expression, forge bonds, and seek and provide assistance in addressing all classmates’ academic, personal, and community needs.

Career Related Stress among Adolescents

Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental development that occurs between childhood and adulthood. This transitional involves biological, social and psychological change . Choosing a right career during adolescence is very important. Career development and career plans in adolescence are related to both mental and physical health and can have long-term outcomes. The study Career Related Stress among Adolescent was undertaken purposively in Faizabad city of Uttar Pradesh state. The study was conducted on a sample of 100 adolescent, which are randomly selected for the study. The major objectives were :- . To Check and analyze level of career related stress among adolescent. . To Check and analyze the factors responsible for career related stress among adolescent. . To analyze various stress reducing strategies adapted by adolescent. In the process of investigation, a Scale of Vocational Stress( SVC, from Bisht Battery of Stress Scale ), and a stress coping strategy scale were used. Results highlight that most of the adolescent respondents experienced moderate stress followed by low level of stress and high level of stress. Most of the adolescents adopted moderate to low level of negative coping styles and moderate to high levels of positive coping strategies.

Young student’s views of NAPLAN: impact on wellbeing through drawn responses

Standardized testing of academic knowledge is common in many developed countries. In Australia, the process implemented is the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). The stand-alone tests were introduced in 2008 for several educational and political reasons, and since that time, the results of this assessment have been used beyond their initial purpose and brought about an unintended consequence of making the tests high-stakes. The pressure of these assessments has the potential to impact student’s wellbeing, but little research has been done in this area and even less where the student’s perspectives are considered. This research examined the impact of NAPLAN testing on the wellbeing of 1,015 students in Years 3 and 5 across 23 school sites within metropolitan Perth in Western Australia through three iterations. This research gave students the opportunity to draw or write how they felt about NAPLAN as a participatory approach to hearing children’s voices in research. This paper reports on the two-stage analysis of the 917 drawn images provided. Stage 1 analysis by two researchers categorized the images as initially positive, negative, or mixed/neutral and identified the impact across the cohorts of students was not significantly negative with an average of 22.5% of the images coded as negative. Stage 2 involved detailed systematic content analysis examining the actors, locations, and emotions of the drawings, which indicated high levels of stress and anxiety for a small number of these students. It was evident that the tests can have a negative impact on the wellbeing of some students and this finding requires consideration by policymakers and curriculum teams engaged with writing, implementing, and assessing NAPLAN as well as those using the results for both intended and unintended purposes.