Relative Stress Levels Research Articles

Factors that influence stress in caregivers of 5-year-old children with hearing loss wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants

ObjectiveStress levels among caregivers of children with hearing loss could influence caregiver-child interactions and ultimately, children's developmental outcomes. Given the limited understanding of stress levels among caregivers of Australian children with hearing loss, the present study aimed to examine stress in caregivers of 5-year-old children with hearing loss wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants and to identify factors associated with greater stress levels. MethodsA total of 99 caregivers of 70 hearing aid users and 29 cochlear implant users participated in the study. Caregivers' stress was measured using the 68-item Pediatric Hearing Impairment Caregiver Experience (PHICE) questionnaire that examines caregivers’ context-specific stress levels in relation to caring for a child with hearing loss. Factors contributing to stress were identified in relation to eight domains including communication, education, emotional well-being, equipment, financial, healthcare, social, and support. ResultsAcross domains, the three most common predictors of increased stress were the use of cochlear implants over hearing aids, use of sign and oral language (mixed) over oral language as the communication mode at home, and increased behavioural difficulties of the child. ConclusionOverall, reported stress levels among Australian caregivers were low. Identified factors influencing stress levels can inform service provision improvement.

Influence of particle crushing on the critical state line of rockfill materials

The mechanical behaviour of rockfill materials is strongly affected by particle breakage, which causes a continuous variation of the grain size distribution (GSD) until a stationary condition. Although the evolution of grain crushing caused among others by the initial grading, the relative density and stress level has been extensively studied, the relationship describing the influence of the current GSD on other soil properties such as the critical state line is not uniquely defined. In this study, a series of triaxial compression tests with various stress paths under monotonic loading were performed on a rockfill to examine the effect of particle breakage on the position of the critical state lines (CSLs) in the compression plane. Specimens were prepared with the same initial grading and relative density to investigate the evolution of the GSD as a result of grain breakage determined by different stress paths applied in a large triaxial apparatus. In addition, a recently proposed simplified procedure is employed to capture the evolution of the CSLs of the tested crushable rockfill as a function of a breakage parameter related to the breakage index Bg. Experimental results obtained for the tested rockfill demonstrate that the abovementioned procedure is capable to predict the position of the CSL linked to the GSD reached at the end of the triaxial test, also when the critical state condition, defined as the ultimate condition in which shearing could continue indefinitely without changes in volume or effective stresses, is not reached.

Understanding the Effect of Rajyog Meditation on Biomolecular and Behavioural Co-relates of Stress in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Background: The role of psychological health in impacting the risk factors for heart disease is well recognized. Patients undergoing corrective surgery for Coronary Artery Disease undergo much anxiety and depression that negatively impact the overall health of the heart. Higher levels of biomarkers that promote atherosclerosis is frequently found in individuals with negative psychological health. Improving psychological health can lead to healthier surgical outcome. Various relaxation techniques including meditation are used to relax and reduce a person’s stress and anxiety and are gaining importance in peri-operative stress management procedures. Aim: It was the aim of present study to evaluate the role of Rajyog meditation in bringing down surgery related stress levels in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery. This was sought to be achieved by measuring the variations in their circulating plasma endothelin-1 levels (molecular stress marker) after being imparted with relaxation therapy in the form of meditation followed by association analysis with subjective indicators of stress. Design: Randomized controlled Trial Setting: A total of 60 patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery, thirty each in non-intervention and intervention groups and fulfilling the inclusion criterion were enrolled in the study. Intervention: Relaxation therapy in the form of Rajyoga Meditation was imparted for one month to patients only in the intervention group, before they underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery. Main outcome measures: Blood samples were collected before meditation, post-meditation/before surgery, post-meditation/after surgery and circulating plasma Endothelin-1 levels measured by sandwich ELISA. Clinical parameters were determined based on analysis of compiled questionnaires. Results: The sleep quality improved and anxiety levels reduced after meditation (p = 0.002 and p= 0.005 respectively) in the intervention group as a whole. There was a drop in median plasma Endothelin-1 levels from 1.68 pg/ml to 1.38 pg/ml after meditation in the intervention group and a concomitant rise of median plasma Endothelin-1 levels from 1.0 pg/ml to 2.05 pg/ml in the non-intervention group. Conclusions: The findings suggest that Rajyog meditation can bring about a beneficial difference in the subjective clinical parameters of patients and also a drop in plasma Endothelin-1 levels distinct from a rise in its levels in the non-intervention group.

Analysis of Parent Stress Levels Toward Children in the Online Learning Process During New Normal

The purpose of this study was to analyze the level of stress faced by parents in the online learning process during the new normal era. The research method used was descriptive qualitative, with a case study approach. The research subjects were parents who have early childhood and elementary school, with a total of 10 mothers. The data collection techniques used were observation and interview data analysis, reduction strategies, data display, data interpretation, and data verification. The study findings indicate that parents face various challenges when it comes to online learning at home during the current era of the new normal. These challenges contribute to heightened levels of stress in relation to their children's education. One such challenge is the lack of comprehension among parents regarding the lessons and learning materials provided by the school. Parents often exhibit impatience when assisting their children, and time constraints further exacerbate the situation. Furthermore, parents struggle to motivate their children to engage enthusiastically in learning. Lastly, parents also lack proficiency in utilising electronic devices such as cell phones and laptops.

Size effect on the flexural fatigue behavior of high-strength plain and fiber-reinforced concrete

This paper studies the size effect on flexural fatigue in concrete. In particular, the main objective is to evaluate how the addition and content of steel fibers affect this size effect. For this purpose, four types of concrete have been produced: plain and reinforced concrete with fiber contents of 0.3%, 0.6% and 1%. Two prismatic specimen sizes were considered: 75×75×300 mm, named S, and 150×150×600 mm, named L. All specimens were subjected to 3-point bending fatigue at the same relative stress levels up to failure. The results reveal very interesting conclusions. The fibers mitigate the size effect on fatigue life, going from a difference of three orders of magnitude in PC, to practically zero in SFRC. Furthermore, it is observed that fibers do not necessarily improve fatigue life; in fact, the trend changes depending on specimen size. Finally, it is shown that the secondary crack opening rate dCMOD/dn has a good correlation with fatigue life, explaining the dispersion of N in general and the size effect in particular.

Developing a prognostic model for stress reduction in patients with prolonged work-related stress.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a 9-session group-treatment programme for managing stress. Research suggests variability in the outcomes of MBSR among participants. This prognostic (not causal) study develops a multivariable model that may support clinicians in forecasting expected MBSR outcomes. We used data of 763 patients collected from MBSR programs conducted between October 2015 and March 2022. Candidate prognostic factors at baseline included psychosocial work environment, sociodemographic, and clinical information. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data (imputations=200). Important prognostic factors were backward selected in ≥5% of the imputed datasets. The final prediction model including the selected prognostic factors was evaluated using linear regression with a four-fold internal cross-validation procedure. Reductions in perceived stress from baseline to end of the MBSR programme were predicted by a lower General Severity Index (β=2.00, p<0.01), higher baseline levels of stress (β=-0.88, p<0.01), and somewhat by having managerial responsibility in the latest job (vs. no; β=-2.53, p=0.07). The remaining prognostic factors were weaker predictors, for example, gender and income. Internal validity of the final model was indicated by consistent results from four randomly folded subsamples. This study developed a prognostic model predicting changes in stress levels in relation to the MBSR programme. A reduction in stress level was particularly predicted by milder psychological symptoms and higher baseline levels of perceived stress. These predictions cannot be taken as evidence of causal associations. Forecasting of the illness course should be cautiously practiced using clinical judgement regarding individual patients.

Fatigue behaviour of closed-cell polyurethane rigid foams

This paper investigates the compression-compression fatigue behaviour of polyurethane rigid (PUR) foams of three relative densities (RDs): 0.0854, 0.1239 and 0.2564 respectively. Preliminary tensile and compression tests were performed in order to obtain the stress–strain characteristics of the investigated materials and to determine the yield stresses in compression, required for the establishment of the relative stress levels used in the fatigue tests. It was observed that the failure mechanism during fatigue consisted in the collapse of a region of the specimens, which was characterized by a sudden increase in strain. In consequence, stress–strain cycles were recorded at various cycle intervals in order to narrow the degradation cycle interval. The resulting compression-compression fatigue curves show a similar behaviour between the RDs of 0.0854 and 0.1239 (with the latter exhibiting the best fatigue strength of the three investigated RDs), that can be described by a single trend line for each, while the foam at 0.2564 RD showed the lowest fatigue strength, the curve being characterized by two regions.

Maternal Perinatal Stress Trajectories and Negative Affect and Amygdala Development in Offspring.

Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy is a common risk factor for psychiatric disorders in offspring, but little is known about how heterogeneity of stress trajectories during pregnancy affect brain systems and behavioral phenotypes in infancy. This study was designed to address this gap in knowledge. Maternal anxiety, stress, and depression were assessed at multiple time points during pregnancy in two independent low-risk mother-infant cohorts (N=115 and N=2,156). Trajectories in maternal stress levels in relation to infant negative affect were examined in both cohorts. Neonatal amygdala resting-state functional connectivity MRI was examined in a subset of one cohort (N=60) to explore the potential relationship between maternal stress trajectories and brain systems in infants relevant to negative affect. Four distinct trajectory clusters, characterized by changing patterns of stress over time, and two magnitude clusters, characterized by severity of stress, were identified in the original mother-infant cohort (N=115). The magnitude clusters were not associated with infant outcomes. The trajectory characterized by increasing stress in late pregnancy was associated with blunted development of infant negative affect. This relationship was replicated in the second, larger cohort (N=2,156). In addition, the trajectories that included increasing or peak maternal stress in late pregnancy were related to stronger neonatal amygdala functional connectivity to the anterior insula and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in the exploratory analysis. The trajectory of maternal stress appears to be important for offspring brain and behavioral development. Understanding heterogeneity in trajectories of maternal stress and their influence on infant brain and behavioral development is critical to developing targeted interventions.

Inflammation-responsive molecular-gated contact lens for the treatment of corneal neovascularization

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) badly damages the corneal transparency, resulting in visual disturbance and blindness. The frequent administration of glucocorticoid eye drops in clinical increases the possibility of side effects and reduces patient compliance. Considering CNV is often accompanied by an increase in ROS production, a ROS-responsive monomer 2-(methylthio)ethyl methacrylate was introduced into the matrix as a “gating switch”. The prepared dexamethasone contact lenses (MCLs@Dex) showed a significant H2O2-responsive release for 168 h. To avoid corneal hypoxia and neovascularization caused by long-term wearing, high‑oxygen-permeability fluorosiloxane materials were incorporated. The oxygen permeability of MCLs@Dex was 4 times that of commercially available hydrogel contact lenses and had ultra-low protein adsorption, which meets the requirements of long-term wearing. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies showed that MCLs@Dex increased the mean residence time by 19.7 times and bioavailability by 2.29 times compared with eye drops, validating the ROS response and sustained release properties. More importantly, MCLs@Dex had satisfactory effects on reducing inflammation and decreasing the related cytokines and oxidative stress levels, and demonstrated significant inhibition of neovascularization, with a suppression rate of 76.53% on the 14th day. This responsive drug delivery system provides a promising new method for the safe and effective treatment of ocular surface diseases.

The Detection of State of Mental Health using Recurrent Neural Networks

In the recent days, the number of people affected by Mental Depression Disorder (MDD) is on the rise with age, occupation related stress levels and several other factors. Depression has been identified as the main cause behind various diseases in individuals. In most cases, mental depression disorder is diagnosed with the help of counselling given by psychiatrists. However, even after the counselling and clinical diagnosis, the symptoms of depression persist. Social stigma associated with depression results in reluctance on the part of individuals to consult psychiatrists to diagnose mental illness. Also the existing techniques or methods do not guarantee accurate prediction of the level of depression. In order to overcome these problems, a new emotional model is designed to analyze the depression in individuals. A set of questionnaires called Personal Survey Questionnaire (PSQ) is framed to collect responses from the tweeters to understand about their mindset and depression level. Based on the PSQ answers, E-Ranking is calculated and compared with the polarity value generated by the PSQ answers. The performance of the proposed questionnaire-based model is compared with seven existing model based on parameters such as estimate and P-Value. Finally, the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) is combined with Rule Based model (RB) to define the level and symptoms of depression. The blended RNN is compared with NLP process (Nature Language Processing) and it is proved that the Hybrid RNN and RB models give the best classification model for depression analysis.

Longitudinal Associations Between Community Violence Exposure and Mental Health Problems in Inner-City Youth: Ethnicity and Gender Perspectives.

There is a lack of agreement on whether children and adolescents with different cultural/ethnic backgrounds react to trauma in a similar fashion. This study adds to the existing literature by providing ethnicity and gender perspectives on the longitudinal associations between the degree of community violence exposure (CVE) and mental health problems in U.S. inner-city youth. The study was conducted on a representative sample of predominantly ethnic minority youth (N = 2,794; 54.1% female; age 11-16 years old (M [SD] = 12.77 [1.29]); 60.0% African-American, 26.1% Hispanic American, 13.9% White). Self-reported information was obtained on CVE in year 1 and on mental health problems (depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress, alcohol use, and conduct problems) in year 1 and year 2. Multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA) were used to compare mental health problems in youth from the three ethnic groups in relation to the different degrees of CVE experienced one year prior, while controlling for their baseline mental health problem levels, age, and socio-economic status. Mental health problems in year 2 increased in a similar fashion in relation to the degree of severity of CVE in year 1 in all three ethnic groups. The interaction effects suggested a gender-specific response to CVE, where girls in the three ethnic groups reported higher levels of depression and posttraumatic stress in relation to the same degree of CVE, as compared to boys. Adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds respond similarly to differing degrees of CVE with an increase in mental health problems over time. In response to a similar degree of exposure, girls tend to experience greater levels of internalizing problems than boys. Timely recognition of traumatic exposure and associated mental health problems is important for early prevention and intervention strategies.

Evaluation of Potential Low-stress Handling Methods in Crl:CDSD Rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Low-stress handling methods have been studied in detail in mice, but relatively little research exists concerning preferred handling methods in rats. Most recommendations for low-stress handling of rats have been extrapolated from the mouse literature, despite known differences in handler interaction between the 2 species. The goal of the current study was to evaluate common methods of handling in rats, including application of recognized, low-stress handling methods from other species to rats, in order to determine relative stress levels associated with the handling methods. Seventy male and 70 female, 8-wk-old, Crl:CDSD rats, were housed either individually or in pairs, and were handled weekly or daily using one of the following methods: encircling of the torso (standard thoracic hold), handled using a tunnel, handled using a protective bite glove, handled using a soft paper towel, or tickled prior to being handled by the torso ( n = 10 per sex per treatment group). Body weight and clinical observations were scored at each handling session, abbreviated functional observation batteries were performed every other week, and an interaction test and hematology were conducted prior to study and on the day of study termination. Rats that were socially housed and handled weekly using the standard thoracic hold showed the least evidence of stress, while those that were singly housed and handled weekly using a protective bite glove or tunnel showed the highest level of stress. These effects were predominantly seen in males. This study suggests that standard low-stress handling methods used for other species may not be optimal for rats, and that additional research is needed to identify alternative methods to the standard thoracic hold that would further reduce stress during handling in rats.

Assessing the relaxation of recycled aggregates concrete from free and restrained shrinkage tests

Recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) lead to higher shrinkage of concrete than natural aggregates because of two main reasons: lower elastic modulus and possible shrinkage of RCA. The study aims at quantifying the effects of both phenomena, thus Trisphere model has been chosen as it takes into account the influence of aggregates modulus and shrinkage on the properties of concrete. The existing model has been adapted to determine the elastic modulus and shrinkage of recycled aggregates from the modulus and shrinkage of concrete. The shrinkage of coarse RCA was much lower than the shrinkage of fine RCA, thus the increase in the shrinkage of concrete can be mainly attributed to the reduction in aggregate modulus and variations of composition parameters (W/C, volume of paste). The model also allows estimating the delayed elastic modulus of concrete. The obtained values are compared with the numerical determination of viscoelastic-aging Young's modulus from restrained shrinkage tests (ring tests). The long-term moduli provided by both approaches are consistent for most of studied materials. The relaxation increased with the content of coarse recycled aggregates, but the variation was lower than reported in creep studies. This could be due to lower relative stress level as recycled aggregates also induce lower elastic modulus thus lower stress for a given restraint.

Long-COVID and comorbid depression and anxiety two years into the COVID-19 pandemic

Long-COVID, or the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms for months after initial infection, has been shown to impact the lives of those affected. The current study sought to investigate the relationships between long-COVID, COVID-19 related stress, depression, anxiety, and comorbid depression and anxiety outcomes. Data were collected in Winter 2021-2022 from a population of adults enrolled in at least one course across multiple City University of New York (CUNY) campuses. Frequencies and chi-square tests were computed to assess for demographics and relationships to probable diagnoses of depression and anxiety, and binary logistic regressions were computed to assess for the odds of probable comorbid depression and anxiety based on demographics, stressors, and long-COVID. Women participants reported higher odds of probable depression outcomes, and stressor levels were significant correlates of probable anxiety outcomes. Women participants, 3.2 [1.5-6.9], as compared to men, lower-SES participants, 2.16 [1.1-4.2], as compared to higher-SES participants, participants with higher COVID-19 related stress levels, 4.8 [2.0-12.0], as compared to those with low levels, and participants with long-COVID, 3.7 [1.9-7.0], as compared to those without, all had higher odds of probable comorbid depression and anxiety. Findings highlight the importance of social location, stress, and long-COVID, in tandem, as correlates of psychological health during the shifting pandemic.

Influence of sloping ground conditions on cyclic liquefaction behavior of sand under simple shear loading

An experimental program of undrained cyclic simple shear tests was undertaken on Ticino sand, covering a broad range of initial relative densities and static stress levels, to investigate the effect of an initial static shear stress on failure mechanism, cyclic resistance, and pore water pressure generation. The results indicated that two types of failure mechanisms occurred, namely cyclic mobility and plastic strain accumulation, depending on the magnitude of the initial static shear stress with respect to the applied cyclic shear stress. Test results showed that the cyclic resistance of Ticino sand may either increase or decrease with an increasing initial static shear stress depending on the density state of the sand. The Kα correction factors measured under cyclic simple shear loading were compared with the values reported in the literature based on both cyclic triaxial and simple shear tests, suggesting that Kα could be dependent on the particle gradations and grain shape for a given depositional mechanism. Finally, it was verified that the initial static shear stress has a remarkable impact on the development of cyclic pore-water pressures (PWP) of the sands so that a modified PWP generation model has been effectively proposed in the present study.

4-Phenylbutyrate Mitigates the Motor Impairment and Dopaminergic Neuronal Death During Parkinson's Disease Pathology via Targeting VDAC1 Mediated Mitochondrial Function and Astrocytes Activation.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive motor neurodegenerative disorder significantly associated with protein aggregation related neurodegenerative mechanisms. In view of no disease modifying drugs, the present study was targeted to investigate the therapeutic effects of pharmacological agent 4-phenylbutyric acid (4PBA) in PD pathology. 4PBA is an FDA approved monocarboxylic acid with inhibitory activity towards histone deacetylase andclinically treats urea cycle disorder. First, we observed the significant protective effects of 4PBA on PD specific neuromuscular coordination, level of tyrosine hydroxylase, α-synuclein level and neurotransmitter dopamine in both substantia nigra and striatal regions of the experimental rat model of PD. Further results revealed that treatment with 4PBA drug exhibited significant protection against disease related oxidative stress and augmented nitrite levels. The disease pathology-related depletion in mitochondrial membrane potential and augmented level of calcium as well as mitochondrion membrane located VDAC1 protein level and cytochrome-c translocation were also significantly attenuated with 4PBA administration. Inhibited neuronal apoptosis and restored neuronal morphology were also observed with 4PBA treatment as measured by level of pro-apoptotic proteins t-Bid, Bax and cleaved caspase-3 along with cresyl violet staining in both substantia nigra and striatal regions. Lastly, PD-linked astrocyte activation was significantly inhibited with 4PBA treatment. Altogether, our findings suggest that 4PBA exerts broad-spectrum neuroprotective effects in PD animal model.

PFAPA flares observed during COVID outbreak: can emotional stress trigger PFAPA attacks? A multicenter cohort study

ObjectiveIt is common knowledge among clinicians who treat PFAPA (Periodic Fever, Aphthous Stomatitis, Pharyngitis, Adenitis) patients that emotional stress can trigger PFAPA attacks similarly to other autoinflammatory diseases. However, it has never been proved scientifically. Our aim was to examine whether emotional stress serves as a trigger for PFAPA attacks.MethodsPatients aged 3-12 years, with active PFAPA, from two Israeli medical centers were enrolled to this study. Patient's parents were reached via phone calls in two occasions: a stressful period related to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and a less stressful period. In both times they were asked to report occurrence of PFAPA attacks in the preceding 2 weeks. The relative stress levels of the two periods were validated by an emotional distress scale questionnaire. The significance level was set at 0.05.ResultsMean age was 7.28 ± 2.7 for the 99 paediatric patients enrolled in the study. Scores for the mean emotional distress questionnaire were statistically significant higher in the stressful period compared to the less stressful period (35.6 ± 8.1 vs. 32.1 ±7.7, respectively, P = 0.047). In the stressful period, 41 (38.7%) reported at least one attack during the preceding 2 weeks, compared to 24 (22.6%) in the less stressful period (p = 0.017).ConclusionPFAPA flares during COVID-19 outbreak are described. This study is the first to suggest that emotional stress is associated with PFAPA attacks.

An experimental investigation challenging the thermal collapse of sand

Currently, highly contradictory knowledge characterises the thermally induced deformation of sands and the occurrence of the thermal collapse phenomenon: a volumetric contraction of such granular materials upon heating, which has been observed in some laboratory studies as opposed to a volumetric expansion. In this context, the effects of applied stress level and relative density, which seem to account for the inconclusive findings, remain disputed. A key challenge inherent to investigations of the thermally induced deformation of sands is the requirement for tremendous measurement accuracy (i.e. trueness and precision) and the ability to minimise measurement errors. This paper addresses this challenge and the conflicts presently characterising this subject by reporting a laboratory experimental campaign that accurately and repeatedly measures the thermally induced deformation of sand for different relative densities, stress levels and particle shapes by means of temperature-controlled oedometer tests. The results of this study show a monotonic volumetric expansion of sand upon heating and contraction upon cooling, with an irreversible contractive deformation remaining after one heating–cooling cycle. Specifically, irrespective of the stress level, relative density or particle shape, no thermal collapse is observed, challenging the actual occurrence of such a phenomenon in sands.

Transient dynamics of the thermally induced deformation of sands

AbstractCurrently, inconclusive evidence characterizes the thermally induced deformation of sands. In this context, the role of the transient nature of heat diffusion on the thermally induced deformation of sands has remained largely disregarded. This paper presents a theoretical and computational investigation of the transient dynamics characterizing the thermally induced deformation of sands under oedometric conditions. The study shows that heating rates determined by the pore fluid pressure dissipation timescale to ensure drained conditions can cause an important temperature nonuniformity and a breakdown of quasi‐static conditions. Under these dynamic conditions, the differential expansion between the sand and the confining oedometer ring uniquely characterizes the response and is broken down into two characteristic regimes. For slow heating rates and low‐expansion ring materials, a mathematical analysis shows that expansion and only expansion can occur, regardless of relative density and stress level. For fast heating rates and high‐expansion ring materials, a parametric analysis establishes the possibility of a very small initial volumetric contraction for loose materials under high stress levels. In the light of the existing literature, the study shows that the intrinsic volumetric response to heating loads of sand, as a material, is only expansive; volumetric contraction may only be observed under transient conditions. This work supports a conceptual shift in the framework of analysis of thermally induced deformation of sands, from a temperature‐dependent material response to a rate‐dependent response of a finite volume under nonuniform conditions.

The Correlation between Stress Levels among Undergraduate Medical Students and Their Motivation for Studying Medicine

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between undergraduate medical students’ motivations to study medicine and their stress levels in Saudi Arabia. This relationship has not previously been investigated in depth but is urgently required to help improve the academic performance of such students and protect them from academic burnout. Method. A questionnaire was created and shared on the official social media platforms of the Faculty of Medicine, Umm Alqura University, Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. A total of 572 students currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in medicine were recruited. Cross tabulation to determine the distribution of students’ stress levels in relation to their personal data and motivation to study medicine was conducted, using a Pearson chi-square test to assess significance. Results. A significant ( P = 0.049 ) relationship between two types of motivation among undergraduate medical students and their levels of stress was found. Students driven by intrinsic motivation had lower levels of stress than their colleagues and counterparts, whereas extrinsic motivation resulted in increased levels of stress. Furthermore, older female students and those in the advanced stages of their studies (years 4 and 5) were more likely to be stressed. Conclusion. Stress levels among undergraduate medical students were found to correlate with their motivation to study medicine. Intrinsic motivation needs to be promoted, which would help students view their accomplishments more positively and help protect them from burnout.