THE EFFECTS OF A STRESS MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM ON SELF CONCEPT, PERCEPTION OF LIFESPACE EVENTS AND HEART RATE RESPONSE AMONG BACCALAUREATE NURSING STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HIGH VERSUS LOW LEVELS OF LIFE STRESS.
Contributors: University of Maryland, College Park.
Published: 1983
Number of pages: 219
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The highly competitive and demanding environment of baccalaureate nursing education may produce distressful situations for students, thereby interfering with their ability to make the role transition from student to professional nurse. This study examined the effects of the self-contained, audio-cassette Rakin-McEntee Stress Management Training Program (SMTP) on the self concept, appraisal of lifespace events and heart rate response to an aversive stimulus among baccalaureate nursing students. This applied stress management program contains instructions for neuromuscular relaxation, relaxation breathing, music, guided mental imagery and cognitive restructuring.

Eighty-two senior student volunteers enrolled in acute-care clinical courses were blocked according to level of life stress (Life Experiences Survey negative scores) and randomly assigned to four groups: High (n = 30) and Low (n = 31) Training; High (n = 11) and Low (n = 10) Control. The subjects were pretested/post tested on measurements of self concept (Tennessee Self Concept Scale), appraisal of lifespace events (Nursing Education Experiences Record) and heart rate response (anticipatory and orienting heart rate response to a starter pistol shot). The Training group received the sequential SMTP tapes, one each week for six weeks, and documented the frequency and perceptions of tape and technique utilization. All subjects returned seven weeks after pretesting for post test data collection.

Factorial analyses of covariance and partial correlations revealed no changes in self concept, appraisal of lifespace events and autonomic reactivity among the Training and Control groups. When the Training groups were compared, the High Life Stress subjects utilized the techniques more frequently in lifespace situations and had greater positive perceptions of their effectiveness; however, the Low Life Stress subjects demonstrated significant positive correlations among frequency and perception of technique utilization and self concept. These findings suggest that the level of life stress may have influenced the ability of the subjects to effectively utilize the SMTP. Additional findings included uniformly low self concept scores and a high frequency of students with multiple role demands.

Implications of this study include revision of the SMTP and collaboration between health and nurse educators in analyzing the milieu of the nursing education process to reduce stress levels and enhance self concept.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-05, Section: B, page: 1430.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, 1983.

School code: 0117.