Diane de Anda

Stress, stressors and coping among high school students

Abstract A sample of 333 tenth and eleventh grade students in the Los Angeles area were surveyed to determine the degree of stress experienced, the stressors encountered most frequently, and the frequency with which specific coping strategies were employed along with their perceived effectiveness. The respondents scored above the norms for their age on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and up to one third of the sample reported high levels of daily stress. The stressors highest in frequency reflected concerns about ones future goals followed by several school-related items. No gender differences were found in degree of stress or most frequent stressors. White students reported experiencing personal and school-related stressors more often than African American or Latino students. Latino students experienced family stressors more often than their cohorts in other ethnic groups. The frequency with which coping strategies were employed was low, with no ethnic differences and females employing adaptive coping strategies more often than males. Gender and ethnic differences were found with respect to specific adaptive coping strategies. Comparisons with regard to stressors and coping strategies were also made between students reporting high levels of stress and those reporting moderate to low levels of stress.

Support Networks for Adolescent Mothers

A comparative study of Hispanic and white adolescent mothers in California indicates that the persons most supportive of them were their mothers and their husbands or boy friends. It also shows differences in support networks of Hispanic mothers who speak English and those who speak Spanish.

The Evaluation of a Stress Management Program for Middle School Adolescents

A pretest posttest control group design was employed to determine the effectiveness of a ten-week stress management program for middle school adolescents. Thirty-six adolescents participated in the experimental groups and 18 served as controls. The experimental subjects, in contrast to controls, reported a significant increase in the use of cognitive control coping strategies, in the effectiveness of adaptive coping strategies, and in the ratio of the use of adaptive relative to maladaptive coping strategies. The adolescents in the experimental group reported a significantly lower degree of stress than those in the control group. A 67.5 percent reduction in muscle tension following the use of relaxation procedures was reported by the experimental group members. The program appears to have been successful in developing stress management skills in two major areas emphasized in the intervention, cognitive control coping strategies and relaxation methods.A pretest posttest control group design was employed to determine the effectiveness of a ten-week stress management program for middle school adolescents. Thirty-six adolescents participated in the experimental groups and 18 served as controls. The experimental subjects, in contrast to controls, reported a significant increase in the use of cognitive control coping strategies, in the effectiveness of adaptive coping strategies, and in the ratio of the use of adaptive relative to maladaptive coping strategies. The adolescents in the experimental group reported a significantly lower degree of stress than those in the control group. A 67.5 percent reduction in muscle tension following the use of relaxation procedures was reported by the experimental group members. The program appears to have been successful in developing stress management skills in two major areas emphasized in the intervention, cognitive control coping strategies and relaxation methods.

Stress and Coping among Pregnant Adolescents

To obtain information regarding the responses to stress and the degree of stress experienced by pregnant adolescents, a sample of 120 pregnant adolescents was given three measures of stress: the State TraitAnxiety Inventory (STAI), the Sources of Stress Inventory, and the Pregnant Adolescent/Adolescent Mother Stress Measure. A majority of the respondents reported experiencing dysphoric affect in response to stress. Those ivithin the sample who reported experiencing the highest degree of stress also reported a greater degree of anger andfrustration as well as dysphoria. Specific coping strategies for dealing with stress were employed infiequently and were viewed as minimally effective. When coping strategies were used, however, those employed were more often adaptiv e (e.g., relaxation, distraction) than maladaptive (e.g., substance abuse, aggression). The only individual reported to be afrequent source of stress was the unborn childs father, a source of great stress for 43.3% of the pregnant adolescents.

Stress management for pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers: A pilot study

A five week stress management program for pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers emphasizing deep muscle relaxation and cognitive control methods was pilot tested with 23 experimental and 12 control subjects. The experimental group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in cognitive and affective manifestations of stress and an increased belief in their ability to deal with stress. While the differences between the groups did not reach statistical significance with respect to changes in overall stress levels or use of specific coping strategies, a consistent trend was demonstrated in the data for more positive changes in the experimental group. Recommendations were made for an expanded program, the inclusion of incentives, and the programs inclusion in the school schedule.

Pregnancy in early and late adolescence

A sample of 130 pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers was surveyed to determine the factors that discriminate between girls who become pregnant in early versus late adolescence. The younger group had begun dating and particularly steady dating at a significantly earlier age than the older group. Fewer of the younger group used birth control measures, and both groups used birth control only sporadically. Pregnancy created more dependence upon their mothers for the younger adolescents.

Stress and coping in adolescence: A comparative study of pregnant adolescents and substance abusing adolescents

Abstract To examine the interaction of stress and specific problem constellations, a sample of 142 pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers and 52 nonpregnant, substance abusing adolescents were compared with respect to levels of stress experienced, manifestations of stress, sources of stress, and coping measures used to deal with stress. No significant differences were found between the groups with regard to levels or manifestations of stress, although high levels were reported by substantial proportions of both samples. Family members proved greater sources of stress for the substance abusing adolescents. Significant differences were found between the two groups on use and perceived effectiveness of coping measures. The pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers found adaptive coping strategies effective significantly more often than the substance abusing adolescents, and the latter found maladaptive coping strategies effective significantly more often than the pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers.

Reflections on Introducing Students to Multicultural Populations and Diversity Content.

SUMMARY The aim of this article is to identify factors the author feels facilitate learning in introductory courses focused on multicultural populations and related issues. These are reflections based on observations of patterns over a number of years, in a variety of teaching settings and structures, and with a very diverse body of students, and include the characteristics and behavior of the teacher and the students, the course structure, and important considerations with regard to course content and methods.

Latino Parents' and Adolescents' Perceptions of the Needs and Issues of Adolescents in Their Community.

Data from The Community Needs Assessment Survey were examined to understand the issues parents and adolescents felt were most important to address for the adolescents in their community. The sample of 1,784 Latino respondents consisted of 892 parent/adolescent dyads. Factor analyses found parents and adolescents identified and prioritized the same six factors: education and career planning, abuse and victimization, adolescent behavior problems, adolescent sexuality, socioeconomic stressors, and relationships. However, parent ratings for all factors were higher, indicating a higher level of concern. The article analyzes differences by age/generation (parents versus adolescents), by immigrant versus native status, and by type of dyad based on the latter (i.e., US born adolescent/US born parent, US born adolescent/immigrant parent, immigrant adolescent/immigrant parent). The authors discuss the complex interaction of these factors and the implications for practice and research.

Teaching Social Work with Multicultural Populations: A Holistic Approach to Learning

Describes teaching an undergraduate social work course on work with multicultural populations; uses a particular pedagogical approach which structures learning‐teaching as a holistic process, viewing both intellectual and emotional sources of knowledge. Integrates the intellectual and emotional with a variety of educational devices including experiences within and beyond the classroom. Includes philosophy and aims, overview of content, structure and methods of instruction, and content. Assignments are discussed in terms of past implementation. Concludes with a summary of the impact on students.Describes teaching an undergraduate social work course on work with multicultural populations; uses a particular pedagogical approach which structures learning‐teaching as a holistic process, viewing both intellectual and emotional sources of knowledge. Integrates the intellectual and emotional with a variety of educational devices including experiences within and beyond the classroom. Includes philosophy and aims, overview of content, structure and methods of instruction, and content. Assignments are discussed in terms of past implementation. Concludes with a summary of the impact on students.