Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Stress, psychological/psychology'

Little is known about neutrophil function, an important component of innate immunity, in relation to psychosocial factors. This thesis investigated the effect of acute and chronic psychological stressors on human neutrophil function among young and older adults. The first two studies examined the effects of an acute laboratory psychological stress task on neutrophil function in young and older adults, respectively. Blood samples to determine neutrophil function were taken at resting baseline, during acute stress and during recovery. In the first study (N=40), there was an acute increase in phagocytic ability and a reduction of superoxide production associated with the stress task relative to baseline. In study two (N =17), there was a significant reduction of neutrophil superoxide production associated with the stress task. Study three (N=48) examined the effect of chronic stress, a recent bereavement (<2 months), on neutrophil function in elders. Cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS) levels were determined in serum to assess potential mechanisms. Superoxide production was significantly reduced among the bereaved group when challenged with E. Coli; also, the bereaved had a significantly higher cortisol:DHEAS ratio compared to controls. Overall, this thesis shows that human neutrophil function is sensitive to both acute and chronic psychological stress exposures; however, more research is needed to determine the specific underlying mechanisms behind the observed alterations.

Increased levels of stress in the workplace have led the American Psychological Association to predict a looming public health crisis. Critical care nurses (CCNs) are highly exposed to stressors in the workplace, more than other nurses. Tens of billion dollars were reported lost in productive work time yearly due to ill health from depression alone. An important gap remains in understanding the relationships of stressors with the amount of stress. Supported by the biopsychosocial stress theory, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between frequencies of perceived stressors (IVs) as a source of perceived levels of stress (DV) or allostasis. The mixed-methods study included an online questionnaire and an e-mail interview of 400 hospital-based CCNs from professional nurses' associations in the United States. The Nursing Stress Scale was used to determine the kinds and frequencies of IVs, while the Psychological Stress Measure was used to assess the DV. Multiple regression analysis assessed the strength and direction of the relationships between IVs and DV. Interviews fell short of the minimum sample size for saturation and were not analyzed. Quantitative findings indicated workload as the most frequently perceived stressor, correlating positively with allostasis (p = .0005). Death and dying, conflict with other nurses, and lack of support for CCNs were also statistically significant (p < .05). Implications to practice and social change include promoting changes in policy with management support to reduce workload, death and dying, conflict with other nurses, and lack of social support for CCNs. Personal behavior changes like relaxation and physical exercises as coping methods may also reduce levels stress.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-64).
Based on the premise that the hippocampus is both affected by cortisol and intimately involved in episodic memory and spatial cognition, the general aim of this study was to investigate the effects of psychosocial stress (and consequent cortisol increase) on spatial cognition and verbal memory in men and women. One group of 33 participants (16 males and 17 females) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum, Pirke, & Hellhammer, 1993), a procedure designed to induce mild psychosocial stress. I used 3 different means to check the effectiveness of this stress induction: salivary cortisol, self-report via the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and heart-rate measurements. The measures all converged to suggest that the stress induction procedure was successful. A control group of29 participants (15 males and 14 females) was exposed to a relaxation period rather than the TSST. Following this part of the experimental protocol, all participants completed a virtual environment spatial navigation task and a word-list learning and recall task. Results showed that, on the spatial navigation task, females and males who were not exposed to the stressor located and relocated a hidden target equally well (Le., cognitive map-guided navigation was intact in unstressed participants). In addition, on the spatial navigation task the interaction effect of the gender and experimental condition approached statistical significance (p = 0.085), suggesting that females exposed to the stressor required more time to locate and relocate a hidden target than did the other participants (Le., they were disrupted in their cognitive map-guided navigation). On the verbal memory task, participants who showed larger cortisol increases following exposure to the TSST tended to recall fewer words than did those with smaller cortisol increases, with a slightly stronger negative correlation in males than in females. The data therefore confirm that stress impacts different memory systems in different ways, and, perhaps more importantly, that sex differences play a role in moderating those effects. This is the first demonstration, within a single study, of a possible double dissociation of sex differences in cognitive performance following induction of mild psychosocial stress.

This study used a parenting stress and coping model to identify predictors of symptomatology for 13 8 mothers of medically compromised children. This model proposed that: child characteristics (severity of the chronic illness and child related parenting stressors); parent characteristics (self-esteem, sense of competence, and parents' perceived stress/distress); and environmental characteristics (social support, general life stressor events, and demographic variables) contribute to psychological symptomatology for these mothers. Multiple regression analysis found a relationship between general life stressor events, severity of the children's chronic conditions, lower satisfaction with social support, lower self-esteem, and younger mothers' ages and greater symptomatology. Trends toward significance were found for more parenting stress and lower parenting sense of competence predicting greater symptomatology. Predicted relationships between family socioeconomic status and parenting daily hassles and symptomatology were not supported.

This investigation sought to identify differences in the human psychophysiological stress response when mediated by affiliation, by assessing heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), electrodermal activity (EDA), serum Cortisol (SC) concentration, interleukin-2 (IL-2) concentration, and state anxiety among subjects who underwent an anagram solution task. Thirty male subjects from the University of North Texas were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions and asked to solve a series of difficult anagrams either alone or with a companion. Subjects assigned to the control condition were asked to copy permutations of the anagrams. Before, and immediately after the anagram/copying tasks HR, SBP, DBP were measured, blood samples drawn, and The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) administered to all subjects. EDA was measured throughout all trials. Changes from baseline through the experimental period for all dependent variables were analyzed by employing difference scores derived from contrasting baseline and experimental measures. These scores were subjected to an analysis of variance (ANOVA) resulting in one significant between group effect among all dependent variables examined. Contrary to stated hypotheses, the alone condition significantly differed from the companion and control conditions by demonstrating a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure from baseline through the experimental period. It was concluded that the decrease in systolic blood pressure from baseline through the experimental period for the alone group was a result of chance sampling of individuals possessing unique psychophysiological response patterns. Appraisals of inter-group differences in response patterns across all dependent variables suggest that an insufficient stressor, and limitations in design, statistical analysis, and measurement may have contributed to this investigation's results. Implications of findings were discussed along with suggestions for future research.

The establishment of physiological norms for psychologically hardy vs. non-hardy individuals was attempted by examination of levels of salivary cortisol and urinary norepinephrine before and after a mid-term examination stressor. Normative data was collected on the reported frequency of stressors and their severity one week prior to the examination, and self-reported ratings of stress immediately prior to the examination. Performance on the examination as a function of hardiness was explored. Associations between demographic variables and psychological hardiness were also studied. Results from this study were inconclusive in establishing physiological norms for psychologically hardy individuals. Associations were found between: 1) hardiness and frequency of stressors; 2) hardiness and age; and 3) self-reported ratings of stress and anxiety as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

While considerable information exists regarding the independent effects of caffeine and psychological stress on cardiovascular activity, there is relatively little information on their combined effects. Since caffeine may enhance cardiovascular responsivity to psychological stress, research on hemodynamic responses to caffeine-stress combinations may help elucidate mechanisms of hypertension development. In a series of studies, regular consumers of caffeine were exposed to laboratory and naturalistic stressors with and without prior caffeine intake. Among the findings were (1) caffeine and stress produced additive increases in blood pressure, (2) caffeine appears to potentiate beta-adrenergic responsivity to active coping, but not passive coping, stressors, (3) caffeine enhanced emotional responses to stress, and (4) cardiovascular responses to caffeine and stress in a naturalistic setting were similar to those observed in the laboratory. These results indicate that caffeine may enhance cardiovascular and psychological responses to stress, and that these responses may contribute to risk for essential hypertension.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the western world. As accumulating evidence emerges that risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases with higher levels of blood pressure, the early detection of those with hypertension becomes an increasing priority. Blood pressure is influenced by numerous factors, including the properties of the large arteries. This thesis sought to examine the effects of acute physiological and psychological stress on indices of arterial function. During likely elevation of sympathetic outflow following isometric exercise, indices of conduit and central artery function indicated stiffening in excess of 10%. During and following acute mental stress the large arteries exhibited a similar stiffening response, despite decreased resistance in the peripheral vasculature. These decreases in arterial compliance resulted in increased amplitude and premature return of arterial pressure waves and lead to a 15% augmentation in central systolic pressure during both forms of stress. These findings may have important clinical implications as increased central pressure elevates left ventricular workload. During graded dynamic exercise, reduced arterial compliance was shown to have progressive influence on the interaction between the heart and the vasculature. These studies provide valuable insight into the cardiovascular response to physiological and environmental stress.

Stress is a major health concern of the 21st century. It has been shown to be associated with a host of negative health outcomes, from a spectrum of several psychopathologies to cardiovascular disease. However, the exact mechanisms resulting in these disease states have not yet been identified. There are two main physiological systems solicited during an acute stress response: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Both the SNS and HPA have been hypothesized to interact, but the precise nature of their relationship is still under study. In addition to the biological response, there also is the subjective emotional experience of stress. As it is hypothesized to be the trigger of the endocrinological and physical responses, a relationship between these three variables is expected, though, literature on this topic has yielded inconsistent findings. The work in this thesis attempted to understand the relationship between the endocrinological, physiological and psychological responses during an acute stressor. To do so, we combined a pharmacological approach with the most widely used laboratory stress task - the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). We suppressed these systems individually and together after which we exposed the participants to the TSST. Throughout the protocol a number of biomarkers of the SNS and HPA were assessed, including salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase, heart rate and blood pressure. State and trait subjective stress were also measured using questionnaires and visual analogue scales. Our first major finding suggested an inverse relationship between the biological systems, HPA and SNS. When one system was suppressed the other showed increased activity. Dysregulation of each of these systems have both been associated with adverse health consequences. Understanding how to keep an equilibrium between the HPA and SNS may thus be an important factor in the prevention of (psycho)pathologies like depression, or cardiovascular disease. We also observed a link between state subjective stress and the SNS. These findings were found to be in-line with the Two-Factor Theory of Emotion, which states that physiological arousal feeds back and contributes to the subjective emotion state. On the other hand, neuroticism was found to be associated with HPA axis activity. This may imply that neuroticism levels would be somewhat more of a threshold of threat detection. Logically it would not be associated with the SNS as it is a transient effect, but more with its biological analogue, the HPA axis. Future research in this field will surely yield interesting findings contributing to the understanding of its emotional component, inner workings and the etiology of its resulting disorders. Most importantly, it will broaden our understanding of this vast concept and hopefully contribute to the prevention of its associated negative health outcomes.
De nos jours, le stress est considéré comme un enjeu sociétal majeur qui continue de prendre de l'ampleur. Il a d'ailleurs été démontré qu'il a un impact néfaste considérable sur la santé et un lien direct avec plusieurs psychopathologies ainsi que les maladies cardiovasculaires. Cependant, les mécanismes par lesquels le stress cause un état pathologique n'ont pas encore été identifiés. Il y a principalement deux systèmes physiologiques sollicités au cours d'une réaction de stress : le système nerveux sympathique (SNS) et l'axe hypothalamo-pituito-surrénalien (HPS). Une hypothèse d'interaction entre les deux systèmes a été émise; par contre, la nature exacte de leur relation fait toujours l'objet d'études. En plus de la réponse biologique, il y a aussi l'expérience émotionnelle subjective du stress qui est considérée comme étant le déclencheur des réponses endocrines et physiques. Une relation entre ces trois variables semble donc logique, toutefois la littérature sur ce sujet récence plusieurs résultats contradictoires.Par conséquent, cette thèse tente de comprendre la relation entre les réponses endocrines, physiologiques et psychologiques lors d'une situation de stress.Pour ce faire, nous avons combiné une approche pharmacologique avec la tâche de stress psychologique la plus utilisée en laboratoire – le « Trier Social Stress Test » (TSST). Avant d'exposer les participants au TSST, nous avons inhibé les deux systèmes physiologiques, soit individuellement ou collectivement. Tout au long du protocole, plusieurs biomarqueurs des axes SNS et HPS, y compris le cortisol et l'alpha-amylase salivaires, la fréquence cardiaque et la pression artérielle ont été mesurés. Les différentes facettes du stress subjectif ont également été mesurées au moyen de questionnaires et d'échelles visuelles analogiques.Notre première constatation suggère une relation inverse entre les systèmes biologiques HPS et SNS. Lorsqu'un des systèmes est inhibé, l'autre montre une activité accrue. Le dérèglement de chacun de ces systèmes a été associé à des conséquences néfastes sur la santé. Le fait de mieux comprendre la façon de garder un équilibre entre les axes HPS et SNS peut donc être un facteur important dans la prévention des pathologies, comme la dépression et les maladies cardiovasculaires. Nous avons également observé un lien entre l'état subjectif du stress et le SNS. Ces résultats sont en accord avec la « Two-Factor Theory of Emotion » qui stipule que l'activité physiologique contribue à l'état subjectif du stress. D'autre part, l'inquiétude chronique a été associée à l'activité de l'axe HPS, ce qui suggère que le niveau de névrosisme pourrait agir comme seuil de détection du danger. Logiquement, il ne serait pas associé au SNS qui a un effet transitoire, mais plutôt à son analogue biologique, l'axe HPS.Les recherches futures dans ce domaine mèneront certainement à des résultats intéressants qui contribueront à la compréhension des composantes émotionnelles du stress, de son fonctionnement interne et de l'étiologie des troubles qui en résultent. Principalement, il permettra d'élargir notre compréhension de ce vaste concept et de contribuer à la prévention de ses effets néfastes sur la santé.

Educational Psychology
Ph.D.
Type-T behavior is a term coined by F. Farley (see McGraw-Hill, Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 2002) to reflect individual differences in risk-taking and thrill-seeking (T) behavior. This study was designed to explore and expand the understanding of Type-T behavior in relation to other individual differences of current psychological and educational interest, namely flourishing, mindset, psychological entitlement, creativity/innovation, and stress. The study used both a college student sample and a non-college adult sample to investigate whether the type of sample makes a difference in research of this type. The inclusion of the latter sample was prompted by the need to identify and examine psychological processes beyond the college undergraduate, given the over-representation of the latter participants in psychological research. Four hundred seventy- two participants including two hundred forty-eight students and two hundred twenty-four non-college adults completed an online survey designed to measure the aforementioned personality and psychological variables. Results of multiple regressions with pairwise deletion of missing data showed that college students and non-college adults with high risk-taking/thrill-seeking behaviors (Big T) reported higher levels of flourishing. Big Ts were also more self-entitled. Younger participants reported higher levels of Type-T than older participants. Additionally, males reported higher levels of Type-T behaviors than did females. The results of the Pearson correlations in non-college samples showed significant positive correlations of Type-T scores with malleable mindset, flourishing, and age; Type-T was found to be negatively correlated with fixed mindset, while the correlation for the college sample was non-significant. Those who reported higher levels of risk-taking/thrill-seeking behaviors were more likely to report a malleable mindset rather than a fixed mindset. The results of Pearson correlations among the scales in the college sample were somewhat different from the non-college sample. Type-T was significantly associated with entitlement, malleable mindset, flourishing, creativity, and gender. For the total sample, respondents with higher Type-T scored higher on entitlement, had a lower level of fixed mindset but a higher level of malleable mindset, a higher level of flourishing, more creativity, were younger, and were more frequently males. This study has expanded our understanding of Type-T behavior, enriching its description, bringing important new constructs into the discussion (e.g. mindset, self-entitlement, flourishing), and discerning provocative new relationships among some of the studied non-T variables themselves. If risk-taking and the responsiveness to change are signal qualities in human innovation and progress, then a focus on the personal representation of these features as in Type-T may be one key to personal and societal success in a rapidly evolving world.
Temple University--Theses

Recent studies have implicated acute reactivity to a psychological stressor as a potential marker in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. However, only very few well controlled prospective studies necessary to confirm this hypothesis have been conducted. Such studies would need to demonstrate that cardiovascular hyperreactivity is a stable, individual-specific predisposition which is not significantly affected by response habituation to repeated stressor exposures. In the present study the relationship between degree of cardiovascular responsiveness and response habituation as a function of number of stressor repetitions and length of interstressor interval was assessed. Responses to a mental arithmetic task were compared within trials (3 minutes), across trials (3 per session), and across experimental sessions (2 sessions with a 4-week interval) in high versus low cardio-reactive women. Ninety female, normotensive subjects (mean age 24.6 years) participated in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions: in Condition 1 (repeated exposure) a twenty minute adaptation period was followed by a series of three, 3 minute mental arithmetic tasks with a 90 db white noise interference during the first laboratory session. A three minute rest period followed each task period. Subjects in Condition 2 (single exposure) completed the twenty-minute adaptation period followed by a single 3-minute task and a subsequent fifteen-minute recovery period. During their second visit all subjects completed a series of three mental arithmetic tasks identical to those completed in Condition 1, visit 1. Throughout the experimental sessions heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were monitored at one minute intervals using an automated, digital Dinamap 845 Vital Signs Monitor. Subjects were classified into heart rate and SBP reactivity terciles on the basis of their response to the first stress task in the initial session. Only those subjects who fell into the lowest and highest reactivity terciles were included in subsequent analyses. Given that not all subjects received all trials three sets of analyses of covariance were necessary to fully examine the 2 (low versus high reactivity) X 2 (conditions) X 2 (visits) X 3 (trials) X 3 (minutes per trial) repeated measures factorial design. Age and respective baselines were employed as covariates. The results consistently indicated main effects (p < .001) for the reactivity groups, visits, trials, and minutes factors on each of the four dependent measures. These findings together with the results of subsequent trend analyses and Newman-Keuls post-hoc tests identified significant decreases in response levels within trials, across trials, and across the two experimental sessions. Decreases from minute 1 to minute 2 of each trial were greater than those from minute 2 to minute 3 on heart rate measures. The same pattern of decreases was observed for the trials factor. Blood pressure responses showed a delayed onset of decreases in response magnitude within experimental trials. All blood pressure measures showed evidence of response decreases from minute 2 to minute 3 of each trial. High reactors showed greater decreases in responses than low reactors across the experimental sessions. For the final stress task the HR, DBP and MAP responses of the high reactivity groups in the repeated stressor condition could not be discriminated from those of the low reactors. The notion of within-individual response specificity and the use of acute cardiovascular reactivity as both a classification and an outcome measure may therefore need to be re-evaluated.
Arts, Faculty of
Psychology, Department of
Graduate

Over the years stress has been a term lacking one clear and specific definition. In general, the term stress has been used mostly as an explanation of a response or reaction to a stressor. A stressor can be of both physiological and behavioral character. The experience of stress can occur both due to a real or a perceived stressor. In this literature review, the concept of stress is viewed with insights from biological, psychological, and social perspectives. The stress response is described biologically with the central nervous system (CNS), the brain, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Social and psychological stress are concepts related to how stress is perceived by the mind and due to social surroundings which is described in relation to social support, self-efficacy, the locus of control and cognitive appraisal. Dealing with stress can be done through coping which refers to the individual capacity to handle a stressor and has generally been divided into two categories, active/passive coping and problem-focused/emotion-focused coping. Depending on the individual resources to cope with a stressor and the ability to decrease the stress response when needed, the long-term effects of stress can therefore vary between individuals. It has been found that positive coping (known as reducing stress) can increase the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) volume and decrease anxiety and depression. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), the hippocampus, and the amygdala are closely linked to the ACC and affect emotions, learning, and memory related to the stress response.

Although recognition of the constellation of emotional and mental events that comprise trauma date back to the late 19th century, contemporary curative approaches are derived from World War II desensitization treatments for battle fatigue that appear today in exposure-based therapies. To bring trauma therapy up to date, application of a phenomenological research method to critique contemporary treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder requires a multisystemic approach to the mind–body constellation that is clinically informed by state-of-the-art neuroscientific research relating to the pathophysiology of trauma. Particularly important is understanding the necessity of cross-hemispheric integration of emotional and cognitive imprints that persist after traumatic events. Mindfulness-based therapies such as the metacognitive model, emotion-focused therapies, and breath training such as samatha meditation techniques as well as the incorporation of somatic and ecopsychological approaches such as saltwater immersion are all effective, long-term, compassionate solutions that create lasting recovery from trauma and its adverse consequences to the life and well-being of the trauma victim.

The negative impacts of discriminatory events to the physiological and psychological stress of the recipient has been thoroughly documented. However, there is little to no evidence about the impacts to bystanders of these events, particularly White bystanders. Psychological impacts may emerge through academic achievement, which has implications for educational institutions and their diversity initiatives. This study examined the impact of witnessing discriminatory events on academic achievement, biological markers of distress, and emotional distress. Academic achievement was negatively impacted for participants in the microaggression and blatant racism conditions when compared to a control condition. Study participants also experienced negative emotional impacts. These were evident through a decrease of positive emotion and an increase of negative emotion throughout the study. Counter to the stated hypothesis, biological markers of distress did not demonstrate a negative impact from the discriminatory event. Microaggressions, specifically, were not found to have negative impacts on academic achievement. There were also no differences in the relationship between biological markers of distress and academic achievement among the three conditions. These findings suggest that discriminatory behavior negatively impacts White bystanders emotional state and academic achievement.

Cancer affects nearly 15 million Americans, and is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. Persons with cancer, including those in recovery, are at increased risk for mental health difficulties; 15% - 25% experience clinically significant depressive symptoms and approximately 12% meet criteria for an anxiety disorder. Poor mental health may be due to heightened levels of stress related to the illness experience, such as uncertainty about the course of disease or adapting to functional impairments (e.g., cleaning, walking) and illness symptoms (e.g., pain). Lack of predictability regarding symptoms and physical limitations may lead to negative mood states, such as fear, worry, or sadness. However, not all persons living with or recovering from cancer, experience psychological distress, perhaps due to individual-level factors, such as social support. An available network of persons (e.g., friends, family) who can provide emotional (e.g., empathy), instrumental (e.g., health advice), or tangible (e.g., assistance with chores) support may lower levels of perceived stress and, in turn, may reduce the likelihood of experiencing psychological distress. Based on this, we examined the linkage between social support and symptoms of psychopathology, and the mediating role of perceived stress. At the bivariate level, we hypothesized that social support would be negatively related to stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety, and that stress would be positively related to both depressive and anxiety symptoms. At the multivariate level, we hypothesized that stress would mediate the relations between social support and symptoms of anxiety and depression, such that higher levels of social support would be associated with lower levels of perceived stress and, in turn, to fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. Our sample of persons living with, or in remission from, cancer (N = 236) was primarily White (91.5%; n = 216) and female (64.4%; n = 152). Participants completed self-report measures including the Modified Social Support Survey, Perceived Stress Scale, and Multidimensional Health Profile – Psychosocial Functioning. Bivariate correlations and multivariate analyses, per Hayes (2013), were conducted covarying age, sex, and ethnicity. In bivariate correlations, all variables were significantly related to one another in the hypothesized directions (p < .01). In serial mediation analyses, the total effect of social support on depressive symptoms was significant (t = -5.22, p < .001), and the direct effect was nonsignificant when stress was added to the model (t = -1.72, p = .09), indicating mediation. In the second model, stress also mediated the relation between social support and anxiety symptoms; the total effect was significant (t = -4.56, p < .001), and the direct effect was nonsignificant (t = -1.73, p = .09). Supporting hypotheses, our results suggest that to the extent one has available social support, illness-related stress may be lessened and, in turn, cancer-affected persons may experience fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. Therapeutic interventions focused on enhancing one’s social support network (e.g., cancer support groups) or lowering perceived stress (e.g., Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) may reduce experiences of psychological distress among persons living with, or in remission from, cancer.

Background: Internationally, high levels of stress and Psychological Distress have been identified in university employees. There have been calls to investigate stress over time and to include measures of coping and personality. This study provides the first longitudinal assessment of stress and Psychological Distress and examines the role of personality and coping in university employees during campus relocation Method: All 500 employees in Queen Margaret University were invited to complete standardised measures assessing Psychological Distress and sources of stress (HSE Indicator Tool) before (N = 143) and after relocation (N = 116). Participants also completed measures assessing Job Satisfaction, Personality, Coping and additional demographic information. Findings: High levels of Psychological Distress were identified before relocation (42%) and at 6 months (38%). Academic staff had a higher prevalence of Distress following relocation. Matched pair analyses (N = 48) showed the majority of stress sources remained stable from T1 to T2 with one significant decrease in reported levels of Control. Stressors explained 31.8% of the variance in Psychological Distress even when the effects of pre-specified variables (Neuroticism, Coping and age) were controlled. Employees with higher levels of Neuroticism and Emotion focused coping had significantly higher levels of Psychological Distress. Discussion and conclusions: Psychological Distress was higher than in population norms and other occupational groups. The primary stressors were identified and targets (based on national benchmarks) suggested. On-going monitoring and actions aimed at reducing stress and improving Psychological Distress are warranted. This is one of the first studies to assess the relationship between the management standards (indicated by the HSE Indicator tool) and stress outcome, and to use a matched participant design to assess change in the management standards. That the Management standards predict Psychological Distress lends support to the use of the management standards approach.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2007.
Title from first page of PDF file (viewed May 25, 2007). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 112-121).

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Burnout levels have been found to be high among nurses in both public and private hospitals in South Africa. Burnout is defined within the human services as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who work with people in some capacity. High levels of burnout have been linked to nurses’ intention to leave the profession, which places additional strain on an already struggling public health system characterised by a shortage of nurses in South Africa. The primary aim of the present cross-sectional correlational study was to determine the proportion of the variance in burnout among nurses accounted for by the linear combination of certain demographic characteristics and occupational stress factors. Secondary aims were to determine the relationship between such factors and burnout levels and to determine the average level of burnout and occupational stress factors reported. A convenience sample of 110 nurses was recruited from a public hospital located in the Western Cape. An analytical survey design for the collection of quantitative data was used. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that workload, interpersonal conflict at work, job status, organisational constraints, and HIV/AIDS stigma by association significantly predicted burnout levels. The linear combination of these variables accounted for 38% of the variance in emotional exhaustion, 32% of the variance in depersonalisation, and 12% of the variance in personal accomplishment. Death and dying-related stress and age did not predict burnout levels. Age was also the only predictor variable not significantly associated with burnout levels. Although burnout levels were not found to be high on average, 34% of the sample reported high levels of emotional exhaustion. A high average level of workload was also reported. It is recommended that future research should focus on the development and evaluation of interventions to ameliorate burnout among South African nurses.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoë vlakke van uitbranding is bevind onder verpleegkundiges in beide openbare en private hospitale in Suid-Afrika. Uitbranding word binne die menslike dienste gedefinieer as 'n sindroom van emosionele uitputting, depersonalisasie en verminderde persoonlike vervulling wat kan voorkom onder individue wat werk met mense in een of ander hoedanigheid. Hoë vlakke van uitbranding is gekoppel aan verpleegkundiges se voorneme om die professie te verlaat, wat bykomende druk plaas op 'n reeds sukkelende openbare gesondheidstelsel gekenmerk deur 'n tekort aan verpleegkundiges in Suid-Afrika. Die primêre doel van die huidige deursnee- korrelasionele studie was om te bepaal hoeveel van die variansie in uitbranding onder verpleegkundiges voorspel word deur die lineêre kombinasie van sekere demografiese eienskappe en beroepstresfaktore. Sekondêre doelwitte was om die verhouding tussen sodanige faktore en uitbrandingsvlakke te bepaal en om die gemiddelde vlak van uitbranding en beroepstresfaktore soos gerapporteer te bepaal. ’n Gerieflikheidsteekproef van 110 verpleegkundiges is gewerf uit 'n openbare hospitaal geleë in die Wes-Kaap. 'n Analitiese opname-ontwerp vir die insameling van kwantitatiewe data is gebruik. Die resultate van hiërargiese meervoudige regressie-ontledings het aangedui dat werkslading, interpersoonlike konflik by die werk, werkstatus, organisatoriese beperkinge , en MIV/VIGS stigma deur assosiasie uitbrandingsvlakke beduidend voorspel het. Die lineêre kombinasie van hierdie veranderlikes was verantwoordelik vir 38% van die variansie in emosionele uitputting, 32% van die variansie in depersonalisasie, en 12% van die variansie in persoonlike vervulling. Dood en sterfte-verwante stres en ouderdom het nie uitbrandingsvlakke voorspel nie. Ouderdom was ook die enigste veranderlike wat nie beduidend geassosieer was met uitbrandingsvlakke nie. Alhoewel dit bevind is dat gemiddelde vlakke van uitbranding nie hoog is nie, het 34% van die steekproef hoë vlakke van emosionele uitputting gerapporteer. 'n Hoë gemiddelde vlak van werkslading is ook aangemeld. Dit word aanbeveel dat toekomstige navorsing toegespits behoort te word op die ontwikkeling en evaluering van ingrypings om uitbranding onder Suid-Afrikaanse verpleegkundiges aan te spreek.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: This is a multidisciplinary investigation of stress in working males. The physiological aspect of the stress response is focused primarily on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; the health outcomes focus on cardiovascular risk and the psychological aspect focuses on both personality and state. Aims: To assess psychological and physiological measures of stress and determine if they are associated. To assess the effect of massage as a relaxation intervention on these measures. Abstract: Section 1 This study consisted of 16 working, stressed males. Certain measures of allostatic load were determined, on 2 occasions 1 week apart with appropriate control (serum cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAs), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein) as well as perceived stress levels (State Anxiety, Profile of Mood (POMS), Job Satisfaction (JS), Symptoms of Stress (SYMP». Measurements of personality (Trait Anxiety and Hardiness, with subs cores Commitment, Control and Challenge) and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Repeatability was assessed and then data was averaged. Correlation analysis was done between baseline physiological and psychological parameters. (All r values reported in this abstract have P<0.05, unless otherwise stated). Section 2 11 of the 16 subjects then had 1 week of intensive massage (5 x Ihr each), after which a 3rd measurement was taken. Findings: Section 1 Certain personalities had differing perceptions of stress (Commitment correlated positively with Vigour, r= 0.59; and negatively with Fatigue and POMS, r= -0.51 and r= -0.54 respectively). Certain personalities influenced JS (Commitment correlated positively to JS, r= 0.55; Trait Anxiety correlated negatively to JS, r= -0.54). Certain personalities manifested stress physiologically (Control correlated negatively with CortisollDHEAs, r= -0.53). Increased perception of stress also resulted in an increased likelihood of experiencing physiological symptoms of stress (e.g. State Anxiety correlated with SYMP, r= 0.50). In contrast, lower perceived stress was associated with increased job satisfaction (POMS correlated with JS, r= -0.64; PAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Hierdie studie is 'n multi-dissiplinêre ondersoek na stres in werkende mans. Die fisiologiese aspek van die stresrespons fokus primêr op die hipotalamo-pituitêre-adrenale as, terwyl die gesondsheidsuitkomste op die kardiovaskulêre risiko, en die psigologiese aspek op beide persoonlikheid en status fokus. Doel: Om psigiese en fisiologiese parameters van stress te bepaal, en om vas te stelof hulle met mekaar korrelleer. Om die effek van massering, as ontspanningsterapie, op hierdie parameters te bepaal. Afdeling 1 Sestien gespanne, werkende mans het aan hierdie studie deelgeneem. Sekere parameters van allostatiese lading (serum kortisol, dehidroepiandrosteroon-sulfaat (DHEAs), totale cholesterol, lae digtheid- (LDL) en hoë digtheid lipoproteïene (HDL) is twee maal bepaal, met 'n tussenpose van een week, met gepaste kontrole. Terselfdertyd is subjektiewe ervaring van stres (Toestand Angs, Profiel van Gemoedstemming (POMS), Werksbevrediging (JS), Simptome van Stres (SYMP», metings van persoonlikheid (Trekangs en Hardiness, i.e. Gebondenheid, Beheer en Uitdaging) en antropometriese metings ook verkry. Herhaalbaarheid is getoets en daarna is die gemiddelde van hierdie twee basislyn bepalings gebruik. Korrelasie analises is gedoen tussen basislyn fisiologiese en psigiese parameters. (Alle r-waardes gerapporteer in hierdie samevatting het P< 0.05, behalwe waar anders aangedui.) Afdeling 2 Elf van die sestien proefpersone het 1 week van intensiewe masseerterapie (5 x 1 uur elk) ondergaan, waarna 'n derde meting geneem is. Resultate: Afdeling 1 Sekere persoonlikhede het verskillende ervarings van stres getoon (Toegewydheid het positief gekorreleer met lewenslus, r= 0.59; en negatief met uitputting en POMS, r= -0.51 en r= -0.54 onderskeidelik). Sekere persoonlikhede het werksbevrediging (JS) beïnvloed (Toegewydheid het positief gekorreleer met JS, r = 0.55; Trait anxiety het negatief gekorreleer met JS, r= -0.54). Sekere persoonlikhede het ook fisiologiese geneigdheid tot stres getoon (Beheer het negatief gekorreleer met CIDHEAs, r= -0.53). Verhoogde ervaring van stres het 'n verhoogde waarskynlikheid vir ervaring van fisiologiese simptome van stres tot gevolg gehad (bv. Toestand Angs het positief gekorreleer met SYMP, r= 0.50). In teenstelling, is laer ervaring van stres geassosieer met verhoogde werksbevrediging (POMS het positief gekorreleer met JS, r= -0.64; P