Stress Perception Research Articles

Do Virtual Reality Relaxation Experiences Alleviate Stress in Parents of Children with Autism? A Pilot Study

Psychotherapeutic interventions such as cognitive training and psychoeducation tend to be effective for alleviating stress in caregivers of children with autism. However, these interventions are often time consuming and take place outside the home, posing challenges for accessibility. Technology, especially virtual reality (VR) technology, can be used to support a range of digital interventions at home. VR headsets, when used to simulate relaxing experiences, have already been linked with stress relieving effects for some caregiving groups. This study builds on this, exploring whether VR simulated relaxing environments engender positive psychological changes for caregivers of children with autism. A total of 18 caregivers were exposed to VR simulated natural environments (e.g., beach, forest) for 15 min in a single session. State mood, captured with POMS, was measured at baseline and immediately post intervention. Perceived stress (PSS) was captured at baseline and, to explore intervention effectiveness, at three- and seven-days post intervention. POMS scores for tension, anger, depression, fatigue and confusion were lower, and scores for vigour higher, immediately post intervention. PSS scores at three-and seven-days post intervention, while comparable with one another, were lower compared with baseline. Interacting with simulated natural environments in VR seems effective for improving caregivers’ state mood and reducing their perceived stress for up to seven days. Future research should aim to consolidate and expand on these findings with larger samples and longer follow up periods.

Gene-environment interaction between gaming addiction and perceived stress in late adolescents and young adults: A twin study.

The association between perceived stress (PS) and gaming addiction (GA) is well documented. However, the mechanism for explaining this association remains unclear. Using a genetically informative design, this study aims to distinguish between the diathesis-stress and bio-ecological models of gene by environment interaction (G x E) to explain the underlying mechanism of the relationship. In total, 1,468 twins (mean age = 22.6 ± 2.8 years) completed an online survey including the GA and PS scales. Twin correlations for GA and PS were computed and univariate model-fitting analysis was conducted to determine genetic and environmental influences on GA and PS. The bivariate G x E model-fitting analysis was performed to determine the best G x E interaction model. Additive genetic, shared environmental, and non-shared environmental effects were 0.70 (95%CI = 0.61, 0.77), 0.00, and 0.30 (95%CI = 0.26, 0.33), and 0.38 (95%CI = 0.24, 0.55), 0.35 (95% CI= 0.18, 0.51), and 0.22 (95%CI = 0.20, 0.26) for GA and PS, respectively. Bivariate G x E model-fitting analysis supported the diathesis-stress model, where genetic influences on GA were greater in higher levels of PS, whereas environmental influences on GA were small and constant across levels of PS. The evidence for the diathesis-stress model for GA is consistent with the etiological process of many forms of psychopathology. The findings should be incorporated in clinical settings to improve the treatment of GA, and used in developments of intervention and prevention methods for GA.

Dynamics of Perceived Stress, Stress Appraisal, and Coping Strategies in an Evolving Educational Landscape.

In the evolving landscape of education, college teachers often find themselves at the crossroads of myriad stressors, ranging from institutional demands to personal challenges. Understanding the factors that influence their stress perceptions and coping mechanisms is pivotal, not just for their well-being, but also for the overall quality of education imparted. This study sought to investigate the intricate relationships between gender, marital status, institutional affiliation, and their collective impacts on perceived stress, stress appraisal, and coping strategies among college teachers. A sample of 300 college teachers, evenly split with reference to gender, was engaged. Employing tools including Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM), and Brief COPE, the analysis of the study used independent samples t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation to derive insights. Findings revealed pronounced gender disparities in stress perception and appraisal, with women teachers manifesting heightened levels. Marital status emerged as a significant modulator of stress and coping, with married teachers depicting nuanced stress and its appraisal with reported coping strategies compared to their unmarried peers. Furthermore, a significant variance in perceived stress and coping was observed between teachers of private and governmental institutions, with private institution teachers displaying elevated stress levels. The study underscores the multifaceted nature of stress experiences among college teachers in Pakistan, influenced by a blend of personal and institutional determinants. These insights are pivotal for institutions aiming to enhance the well-being and effectiveness of their teachers. However, given the specific cultural context of the study, there is an imperative for more global, comparative research, ensuring holistic support mechanisms for teachers worldwide.

Association of self-leadership and epidemic risk perception on quality of life in post-pandemic mainland of China: a cross-sectional study.

Self-leadership has proven to adjust individual psychological states and promote active behaviors to mitigate stress perception and negative lifestyle. This study aims to investigate the relationship between self-leadership, epidemic risk perception, and quality of life among the general public in post-pandemic mainland of China. Two online self-reported questionnaire surveys were carried out with 3,098 and 469 people in the Chinese mainland in February 2021 and December 2022, respectively. The univariate analysis, structural equation modeling, and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis were used to analyze the data which was collected by Revised Self-Leadership Questionnaire, Perceived Risk of COVID-19 Pandemic Scale and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Scale. The Self-leadership was directly, moderately, and positively correlated with quality of life (Standardized path coefficients: 0.383 and 0.491, respectively; p < 0.05), and epidemic risk perception was negatively correlated with quality of life (Standardized path: 0.068 and 0.120, respectively; p < 0.05). The structural equation model for self-leadership, epidemic risk perception, and quality of life had a good fit (CFI = 0.957, 0.939 > 0.9; RSMEA = 0.058, 0.064 < 0.08, respectively) and was consistent across genders, educational levels, and types of occupations (Delata-CFI < 0.01). The core condition for achieving a high quality of life lies in maintaining a low level of self-punishment and a high level of self-cueing or a high level of self-punishment and a low level of self-cueing. In the post-epidemic era, the public can adjust their attitude toward stress by enhancing their self-leadership skills. Among various self-leadership skills, self-punishment or self-cueing may have the most significant impact on the quality of life.

Determinants of Perceived Stress among Indian Adults during Second Wave of COVID-19

The present study was conducted from June–July, 2021 in online mode and a questionnaire was designed at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Community Science, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The study aims to find an association of perceived stress with socio-demographic factors, health profile and physical activity among Indian adults during the second wave of COVID-19. Data on perceived stress was collected through an online cross-sectional survey of 1933 Indian adults based on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Multivariate ordinal regression was conducted to identify the predictors of perceived stress. Indian adults were moderately stressed, with a mean PSS score of 19.7±5.5 during the crisis time of COVID-19. The study population remained moderately active (59.3%) during the lockdown period. Perceived stress was negatively associated with age, education, income, and physical activity and positively associated with random blood sugar levels and sitting time. Odds of perceived stress increased with female gender, separated marital status, having one child or adolescent in the family, graduate or postgraduate as the educational status of the family’s head, and increased sitting time. High educational status, retirement, regular employment, middle or lower-class social class, and high physical activity level were negative predictors of perceived stress. The current investigation highlights the role of multiple factors in the perception of stress and the need for tailored interventions for vulnerable groups focusing on education and physical activity.

Robots as Mental Health Coaches: A Study of Emotional Responses to Technology-Assisted Stress Management Tasks Using Physiological Signals.

The current study investigated the effectiveness of social robots in facilitating stress management interventions for university students by evaluating their physiological responses. We collected electroencephalogram (EEG) brain activity and Galvanic Skin Responses (GSRs) together with self-reported questionnaires from two groups of students who practiced a deep breathing exercise either with a social robot or a laptop. From GSR signals, we obtained the change in participants' arousal level throughout the intervention, and from the EEG signals, we extracted the change in their emotional valence using the neurometric of Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA). While subjective perceptions of stress and user experience did not differ significantly between the two groups, the physiological signals revealed differences in their emotional responses as evaluated by the arousal-valence model. The Laptop group tended to show a decrease in arousal level which, in some cases, was accompanied by negative valence indicative of boredom or lack of interest. On the other hand, the Robot group displayed two patterns; some demonstrated a decrease in arousal with positive valence indicative of calmness and relaxation, and others showed an increase in arousal together with positive valence interpreted as excitement. These findings provide interesting insights into the impact of social robots as mental well-being coaches on students' emotions particularly in the presence of the novelty effect. Additionally, they provide evidence for the efficacy of physiological signals as an objective and reliable measure of user experience in HRI settings.

Phytaspase Does Not Require Proteolytic Activity for Its Stress-Induced Internalization.

Phytaspases differ from other members of the plant subtilisin-like protease family by having rare aspartate cleavage specificity and unusual localization dynamics. Phytaspases are secreted from healthy plant cells but are re-internalized upon perception of death-inducing stresses. Although proteolytic activity is required for the secretion of plant subtilases, its requirement for the retrograde transportation of phytaspases is currently unknown. To address this issue, we employed an approach to complement in trans the externalization of a prodomain-less form of Nicotiana tabacum phytaspase (NtPhyt) with the free prodomain in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cells. Using this approach, the generation of the proteolytically active NtPhyt and its transport to the extracellular space at a level comparable to that of the native NtPhyt (synthesized as a canonical prodomain-containing precursor protein) were achieved. The application of this methodology to NtPhyt with a mutated catalytic Ser537 residue resulted in the secretion of the inactive, although processed (prodomain-free), protein as well. Notably, the externalized NtPhyt Ser537Ala mutant was still capable of retrograde transportation into plant cells upon the induction of oxidative stress. Our data thus indicate that the proteolytic activity of NtPhyt is dispensable for stress-induced retrograde transport of the enzyme.

The impact of telecom industry employees’ stress perception on job burnout: moderated mediation model

BackgroundThe rapid development of the telecommunications industry in the post-COVID-19 era has brought tremendous pressure to employees making them a high-risk group for job burnout. However, prior research paid less attention to the burnout of employees. Furthermore, social support and gender have separate effects on job burnout. This study explores the mechanism of stress perception on job burnout and examines the roles of social support and gender amid it.MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2023 to August 2023 in mainland China. A total of 39,507 were recruited by random sampling and online questionnaires, and 28,204 valid questionnaires were retained. SPSS (version 26.0) and PROCESS (Model 4 & 7) were used for correlation analysis, mediation analysis, and mediated moderation analysis.ResultStress perception can positively predict the level of job burnout of employees in the telecommunications industry, and social support plays a partial mediating role, accounts for 8.01% of the total effect, gender moderates the first half of the path in this mediation model. At the same pressure level, female can perceive more social support than male.ConclusionsUnder high pressure background, employees’ job burnout varies depending on gender and the perception of social support. Therefore, telecommunications industry managers should adopt decompression measures and targeted social support resources for different groups.

The interaction of anthropometric measurements, stress, and fatigue among cancer survivors

Cancer, one of the most prevalent conditions globally, stands out as a significant cause of death, especially breast cancer, which affects millions of women. This article explored the connection between anthropometric measurements, stress levels and fatigue in survivors of breast cancer. Twenty women undergoing treatment took part and their physical characteristics, stress (using the Stress Perception Scale) and fatigue (using the FACIT-F Fatigue Questionnaire) were assessed. The results revealed inverse associations between body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body fat percentage (%BF) with fatigue, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy anthropometric profile. The regular practice of physical exercise has proved fundamental in mitigating the side effects of treatment and improving the quality of life after cancer. These findings highlight the need for integrated approaches in the treatment of breast cancer, taking into account physical and psychological factors to optimize treatment outcomes.

Exploring the interplay of Emotional intelligence and stress

This review delves into the intricate relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and stress, drawing insights from 18 scientific articles. It examines the impact of EI on stress perception, physiological responses, and stress management across diverse contexts. Findings reveal a multi-dimensional relationship, highlighting the importance of emotional regulation, social support, and resilience in mitigating stress. The validation of physiological markers, such as salivary cortisol, offers valuable insights into stress dynamics, while contextual factors and biological underpinnings underscore the complexity of EI's influence on stress. Implications for future research and practice advocate for tailored interventions and gender-sensitive approaches to harness the potential of EI in stress management.

Understanding Outdoor Cold Stress and Thermal Perception of the Elderly in Severely Cold Climates: A Case Study in Harbin

This study collected data through microclimate monitoring, surface temperature measurements, and questionnaire surveys, and used indicators, such as the universal thermal climate index (UTCI), surface temperature (Ts), and wind chill temperature (tWC), to determine the thermal comfort threshold of the elderly in severely cold climates and evaluate their cold stress. The results indicated that (1) the neutral UTCI (NUTCI) for elderly individuals in winter was 13.3 °C, and the NUTCI range was from 1.4 to 25.2 °C; (2) the intensity of elderly individuals’ physical activity affected the magnitude of risk of whole-body cooling, with duration-limited exposures corresponding to 0.5, 3.3, and over 8 h for light, moderate, and vigorous activity levels, respectively; (3) the tWC in all four spaces was below −10 °C, potentially inducing discomfort or even frostbite in the elderly; (4) for a 10 s touch, the maximum Ts (−17.2 °C) of stone was lower than the numbness threshold (−15.0 °C), while that (−15.1 °C) of steel materials remained below the frostbite threshold (−13 °C), posing risks for the elderly during physical activity. This study’s results will provide valuable insights and theoretical references for the landscape design of urban park activity spaces for elderly individuals in cold climate regions.

Audiovisual Perception of Lexical Stress: Beat Gestures and Articulatory Cues.

Human communication is inherently multimodal. Auditory speech, but also visual cues can be used to understand another talker. Most studies of audiovisual speech perception have focused on the perception of speech segments (i.e., speech sounds). However, less is known about the influence of visual information on the perception of suprasegmental aspects of speech like lexical stress. In two experiments, we investigated the influence of different visual cues (e.g., facial articulatory cues and beat gestures) on the audiovisual perception of lexical stress. We presented auditory lexical stress continua of disyllabic Dutch stress pairs together with videos of a speaker producing stress on the first or second syllable (e.g., articulating VOORnaam or voorNAAM). Moreover, we combined and fully crossed the face of the speaker producing lexical stress on either syllable with a gesturing body producing a beat gesture on either the first or second syllable. Results showed that people successfully used visual articulatory cues to stress in muted videos. However, in audiovisual conditions, we were not able to find an effect of visual articulatory cues. In contrast, we found that the temporal alignment of beat gestures with speech robustly influenced participants' perception of lexical stress. These results highlight the importance of considering suprasegmental aspects of language in multimodal contexts.

The positive and negative consequences of stress and its relationship with coping in medical students: A qualitative study

Rates of mental health problems among medical students have prompted efforts to reduce stress during medical training. However, stress can be motivating and is a feature of clinical work. This qualitative study explores what makes an experience stressful, and how medical students respond to such experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 medical students. Experiences were distressing when they threatened students’ self-perception, goals or coping mechanisms, or when they reminded the student of distressing past events. Moderate stress was motivating and could build resilience. Students selected coping mechanisms based on their availability, acceptability, likely outcome and their previous experience of using these mechanisms. Social support, extra-curricular activities and exercise were helpful. High levels of distress, poor self-esteem and course factors, including remote placements, impaired engagement with coping strategies. Perception of stressors as being insurmountable or beyond one’s control, led to increasing distress and the adoption of avoidant coping strategies. University strategies need to consider the beneficial effects of stress and seek to bolster coping resources as well as minimising unnecessary sources of stress.

Stress perceived levels among Crohn’ disease patients according to sampling characteristics and difficulties occurring in their daily life

Background. The diagnosis of a chronic disease represents a turning point in patients’ lives, which inevitably marks them. The aim of this study was to analyze perceived stress levels among Crohn’ disease (CD) patients depending on sampling characteristics and several difficulties occurred in their daily life in order to better address stress management interventions to increase their quality of life as patients who should cohabitate with CD for all their lives. Materials and methods. An on-line, multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study was carried out through social Internet pages. Specifically, through the Facebook and Instagram groups belonging to the CD patients. Results. A total of 785 CD interviewers were achieved in this study, 597 were female and 188 were male. Significant higher stress perceived levels were assessed among females (p &lt; 0.001) and CD interviewers who knew their disease until 10 years (p &lt; 0.001). Higher levels in stress perceptions were reported in all the difficulties proposed, in which CD interviewers reported a quite level of difficulties occurred on them (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions. This study demonstrated that patients with Crohn’s disease live in a condition of high stress and that this condition implies changes in the quality of life with considerable difficulty.

Subjective Stress Appraisals Over Time: the Evolving Structure of the COVID-19 Stressor Scale.

The COVID-19 Stressors Scale measures individuals' appraisals of stressors related to the pandemic. Measurement of perceptions of stressors is necessary to understand the socioemotional impacts of not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but other disasters. The study examined the factor structure of the scale among adults in the U.S. over six time points. A shortened version was used, and the fit was examined over time. The results of the study show contextual appraisals change over time and offer important implications for the measurement of stressfulness of disasters, a critical step in designing and assessing impacts of social programs aimed to reduce the deleterious effects of disasters.

Identifying higher education students’ profiles of academic engagement and burnout and analysing their predictors and outcomes

A review of research on the relationship between academic engagement and burnout reveals three research gaps as most of the research was conducted: i) without analysing all its multiple dimensions; ii) from a variable-centred perspective; and iii) in educational contexts other than higher education. We seek to address these gaps and thus enhance our understanding of the nature of the mentioned relationship. Adopting a person-centred perspective, a latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify how all the dimensions of academic engagement and burnout combine in different profiles of higher education students (n=430). Additional analyses were used to validate these LPA profiles by relating them to a set of auxiliary variables (i.e., predictors and outcomes), grounded on theoretical models relevant to higher education. LPA revealed three ordered profiles (burned-out, moderately engaged and engaged) and the additional analyses detected statistically significant associations between predictors (e.g., perceptions of academic quality, perceptions of stress) and profile membership; and between these and outcomes. The latter tended to be ordered from the least to the most desirable in learning strategies (e.g., self-regulation, deep processing) and learning outcomes (e.g., generic skills, satisfaction), with the most desirable generally being associated more with the two engaged profiles than with the burned-out profile.Taken together, the findings i) expand our understanding of the nature of academic engagement and burnout in higher education, suggesting that they are related but independent constructs at different levels (high/low and weaker levels), and ii) hold implications for theory, methodology and educational practice (adjusted to the distinctiveness of the detected profiles).

Exploring the impact of sleep on physical performance among junior soldiers in Army basic training

Good quality sleep is essential for optimal cognitive and physical performance during basic training (BT), reducing risk of injury and preventing musculoskeletal injuries. Research shows junior soldiers (JS) still experience inadequate sleep duration and poor sleep quality throughout BT. Traditional military culture often normalises sleep restriction, being perceived as a method to ‘harden’ recruits during BT. However, evidence highlights poor sleep's negative consequences on recovery, wellbeing and performance, emphasising the need to prioritise sleep health in military training. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between sleep duration and physical performance among JS in BT. This was achieved by investigating the effects of extended morning wake-times on JS behaviour and performance during their 40-week course. A two-arm clustered, parallel trial with baseline data (recorded from week 1 - 10 of training) was employed to quantify the effects of extended-morning wake times of JS performance. Approved by the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee, data was collected from JS from the Army Foundation College, Harrogate (AFC(H)). Morning wake time was extended by ~90 min (07:00) in the intervention group (EXP; n 221, age: 16.9 ± 0.5 years) from week 11. The control group (CON; n 255, age: 17.1 ± 0.2 years) followed typical wake-times (05:30). Pseudo-objective sleep-wake indices were collected using wrist-worn actigraphy (Actigraph wGT3X-BT) each night. Online surveys captured perceptions of sleep quality, stress and daytime sleepiness during BT, which were descriptively analysed. Actigraphy sleep characteristic data was extracted using ActiLife software, processed using Excel and analysed in SPSS (v2.9). This was a preliminary analysis covering the first cohort. AFC (H) provided discipline reports and physical performance data from role fitness tests at entry (RFT(E)) and the end of BT (RFT (BT)). There were no significant differences in total sleep time (TST) or perceptual outcomes between groups at baseline (average TST EXP: 06:40 ± 0.38 mins; CON: 06:32 ± 0.36mins). Sleep duration was inadequate, and when grouped, 85% and 95% reported “poor” sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness, respectively. We hypothesise that extending-morning wake times will positively impact sleep duration, associated perceptual outcomes of stress and sleepiness; and result in better disciplinary and physical performance outcomes of EXP compared to CON. The baseline data supports recent literature that JS experience insufficient, poor quality sleep during training. Regarding the intervention, it is expected that extended wake-times will improve RFT performance, stress, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness.

Promoting Positive Thinking and Reducing Perceived Stress Using the Be Aware of Stress Smartphone Application among At-risk Adolescents: A Quasi-experimental Study.

It is estimated that globally, millions of adolescents experience mental health problems, especially anxiety and depression. Adolescents with high perceptions of stress often encounter mental issues, have negative thoughts or are dissatisfied with daily life events. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with two groups and repeated measures to test an innovative nursing intervention, the Be Aware of Stress Smartphone Application. This application aims to increase positive thinking and reduce perceived stress among at-risk adolescents aged 13 to 16, and we sought to determine their satisfaction with its usability. The study was conducted with 44 junior high school students from an opportunity expansion high school in Eastern Thailand, who were randomly assigned to experimental and comparison groups (22 each). Data were collected between December 2023 and February 2024 using the General Information Questionnaire, Positive Thinking Test, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, and Satisfaction of Application Usability scale. The outcomes were measured at baseline, after completing the program at week 4, and at week 8 after using the application. The chi-square test and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. The results of this study have important implications for future research. They indicate a significant improvement in positive thinking and a reduction in perceived stress within the experimental group, compared to the comparison group, at weeks 4 and 8. Moreover, the experimental group reported high satisfaction with the application’s usability. These findings suggest that the Be Aware of Stress application is beneficial for community nurses and others to prevent adolescent stress. The study also highlights the need for future research to enhance the application’s functionality and compatibility with various phone operating systems to ensure widespread and effective use.

Clinical and Psychological Factors Influencing the Perceived Stress among Patients with Anxiety and Depression in Remission during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Background and objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has turned into a crisis with serious direct medical influence, and also with enormous indirect socio-psychological consequences. The study, which is part of a larger one, aimed to assess the perceived stress after the first COVID-19 wave in patients with depression and anxiety in remission and healthy controls and to evaluate clinical-psychological factors as predictors for moderate/high Perceived Stress (MH-PSS-10). Methods The study was cross-sectional, with 120 participants, grouped into four categories: anxiety in remission, depression in remission, healthy controls, and healthy first-degree relatives to patients with depression/anxiety. Self-assessment scales for depression and anxiety – Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), The UCLA Loneliness Scale – 3-point scale (UCLA-LS3), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the State – Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T, STAI-S) were used. Results The groups did not differ in the level of PSS-10. Using the ROC curve analysis, significant threshold values for HADS-A (≥ 6.50), HADS-D (≥ 2.50), STAI-T (≥ 38.5), STAI-S (≥ 39.5) (p &lt; 0.001), and UCLA-LS3 (≥ 3.50) (p = 0.007) were determined. Using the multiple binary logistic analysis, depression (OR = 2.42), loneliness (OR = 2.36), STAI-S (OR = 6.55), and STAI-T (OR = 3.43) significantly increased the risk of MH-PSS-10. Conclusion Patients with complete remission of anxiety and depressive disorders did not differ from healthy controis in stress perception during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subthreshold values of depression, anxiety, and loneliness increased the feeling of moderate/high stress irrespective of the psychiatric history.

The prediction of stress perception based on cognitive flexibility, perceived social support and metacognitive beliefs with the mediation of emotional cognitive regulation in Corona survivors

The prediction of stress perception based on cognitive flexibility, perceived social support and metacognitive beliefs with the mediation of emotional cognitive regulation in Corona survivors