Table of Contents I. Rationale .......................................................................................................................

A. Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................2 B. Significance of the Study .....................................................................................................2 C. Scope and Limitations..........................................................................................................3 D. Definition of Terms..............................................................................................................3 II. Review of Related Literature ......................................................................................5

A. Definition ............................................................................................................................5 B. Causes ..................................................................................................................................6 C. Effects ..................................................................................................................................7 D. Stress Among Teens ............................................................................................................7 E. Reasons for Teenage Stress .................................................................................................9 F. Teens Response to Stress ..................................................................................................10 G. Coping Processes and Defense Mechanisms .....................................................................11 H. Stress Management ............................................................................................................13 I. Ways of Reducing Stress ...................................................................................................17 J. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder .........................................................................................21 K. Time Management: An Important Way of Reducing Stress ..............................................22

III. Presentation and Interpretation of Data........................................................................25 A. Table 1.....25 B. Table 2.25 C. Table 3.26 D. Table 4.27 E. Table 5.....29 F. Table 6.....30 G. Table 7.31 H. Table 8.32 IV. Summary, Recommendation and Conclusion ...............................................................34 A. Summary ............................................................................................................................34 B. Recommendation ..............................................................................................................35 C. Conclusion .........................................................................................................................36 Bibliography .....................................................................................................................38 Appendix ...........................................................................................................................42

Chapter 1 Rationale

The researchers chose the study of stress for the reason of making adolescents understand the stress that they are going through. Hans Selye, a pioneer in stress research, defined it as the nonspecific response of the body to any demands made upon it. Stress can evoke feelings of frustration, fear, conflict, pressure, hurt, anger, sadness, inadequacy, guilt, loneliness, or confusion. Everyone has a built in gauge that controls our reaction to stress because some stress is absolutely necessary in some living creatures. Stressful events help to satisfy our need for stimulation and challenge. Thus, most people would experience a suffocating level of boredom if they lived a stress-free existence. Stress fulfills a basic need for human organism. Stress can promote personal growth or self-improvement. Stressful events sometimes force people to develop new skills, learn new insights, and acquire new strengths. The adaptation process initiated by stress may lead to personal changes that are for the better. However, too much stress is harmful. It can set one up for general poor health, as well as physical and psychological illness like infection, heart disease, and depression. Twenty years ago, depression in children was almost unknown. Now, the fastest rate of increase in depression is among young people. The adolescent years are among the most stressful times in a persons life. Teens are pressured to conform to their peers, to perform well at school, and to meet the challenges of becoming competent in an adult world. The majority of young people faces the stress of negative life events, and finds internal or external resources to cope and move on. But for others, the events pile up and the stressors are too great that they would engage

in unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol and drug intake. Stress can result in physical, psychological, and behavioral responses. There are many stress effects to human health and behavior. Just as there are many sources of stress, there are many possibilities for its management. The respondents of this study are the high school students of Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus. The researchers chose to do the study for the reason that in doing so, hopefully; it will help the researchers as well as the respondents understand how stress can affect ones life.

A. Statement of the Problem This study aims to gather salient information on Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus High School Students view on stress and management. Specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions: 1. 2. stress? 3. What are the different ways or mechanisms in which students use to cope with the stress What are the causes and effects of teenage stress? How does time management play a big role in helping the students lessen their amount of

they are facing?

B. Significance of the Study This study will benefit the following: a) To students. The proposed study will help the students know how to cope with the stress they are experiencing. The study would make them understand the importance of stress in ones life.

b) To parents. The proposed study will help the parents understand their children who are experiencing stress. The study would let the parents know how to help their children cope with the stress. c) To future researchers. The proposed study will serve as the guide for future researchers. The proposed study can also open for the development of the study of stress and management.

C. Scope and Limitations This study will cover mainly the background profile of the respondents. It will present mainly the causes of stress in the respondents life and the ways on how they cope with the stress. The respondents are the high school students of Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus. This study was conducted in Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus in school year 2011-2012. The data gathering was conducted mainly in Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus. The main references of the researchers are books, encyclopedias, and the internet. This proposed study does not include doctors prescriptions and interviews.

D. Definition of Terms For a clearer and better understanding of the study, the ff. terms are operationally defined: 1. Anxiety This is an uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.

2. Burnout

It is a state of exhaustion that results from repeated emotional pressure.

3. Depression It is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a persons thoughts, behavior, feelings, and physical well-being. 4. Diffuse This means widely spread or scattered

5. Dissipate This means to break up and scatter or vanish.

6. Ward off This means to avert, turn away, or repel.

7. Despondency It is a state of feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless.

8. Psychotherapy This refers to the treatment of mental and emotional disorders through the use of psychological techniques designed to encourage communication of conflicts and insight into problems, with the goal being relief of symptoms, changes in behavior leading to improved social and vocational functioning, and personality growth. 9. Constraints It is the state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds.

10. Discretionary It means being left to or regulated by one's own discretion or judgment.

Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature Definition The psychology of stress dictates that it can be self-generated by the inability to accept uncertainty, pessimism, negative self-talk, and other outside factors. This leads a person to put high demands on himself and forces them to adjust to a certain situation which leads them to have a hard time coping. (www.helpguide.com/mental/stress_signs) Stress changes a person; it alters how their body works and indirectly, their brain as well. They may respond to stress as they do an allergy; they can become sensitized, or acutely sensitive to stress. A stress of high magnitude when you are young may permanently rewire the brains circuitry. It may throw the system askew and leave it less able to handle normal, everyday stress. (www.physcologytoday.com) Stress is a descriptive term that our culture uses to normalize unconscious anger, a fear of love, a lack of forgiveness, a desperate clinging to a vain identity and an absence of spiritual life. It is the typical reaction to the changes happening in ones life. Change may lead to stress seeing as how it contains within it the demand that we have adapt to a certain situation. How we perceive change really determines how we manage to adapt to it; positive change leads to relief, while negative change sees it as a threat with a variety of physiological responses. (www.guidetopsychology.com/stress)

Causes of Stress A common mistake many make is to blame stress symptoms or illness on things unrelated to stress. What may be a stress signal for one individual may be a sign of disease for another or even a normal response for someone else. Stress symptoms or signals can be divided into 3 main categories: physical, emotional and behavioral. (Breaking the Stress Habit, 1987 p. 33) Short term stress like a job interview, taking a test or run a race is normal. Long-term stress is caused by stressful situation or events that last over a long period of time, like conflicts at work or family. Some examples of personal problems that can cause stress are bad health, emotional problems, relationships with others, major life changes, conflicts with beliefs and values, stress in your family, job issues, social situations, and financial situations. (www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management) Noise, bad weather, pollution and natural disasters are all sources that create stress through environmental factors. Gloomy skies can mean more depressed moods; and for some, high noise levels can be more insidious. By learning to appreciate improvements when they do occur, you will be able to develop a greater ability to retain realistic expectation and avoid stressmaking disappointments. The fact that major stressful events can affect a persons physical and mental well-being has been well known for some time. Cumulative effect of a number of small stresses can cause the same amount of damage. (Health and Healing the Natural Way: The Stress Factor 1998, p. 42)

Effects of Stress Major psychological reactions to stress include anxiety, burnout, traumatic reaction, and post traumatic stress disorder. Among the major source of stress in our lives are life changes, hassles, job settings, home life and acculturation. There are two main types of stress, acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is defined as the fight or flight response; it is the bodys immediate reaction to a significant threat, challenge or scare. Chronic stress, on the other hand, can spur you into action. It can motivate and energize you to face a situation, seeing as how problems occur when acute stressors pile up and stick around. (Psychology of Stress, 1998 p. 560) The degree to which people respond to stress and the extent to which they are affected depend on the intensity and the duration. There is no easy way to predict how much stress is too much because stressors often work together to magnify our response and increase the intensity of reactions. According to doctors, even pleasant changes or experiences can create stress and make one more susceptible to resulting illness. Stress response is really a group of reactions set off during any kind of stressful event. What is upsetting for one person may concern someone else very little. There are certain events, however, that seem to be universally stressful for people throughout the world. (Breaking the Stress Habit, 1987 p. 21)

Stress Among Teens Stress overload can cause depression, anxiety and affect the young adults performance in school and in social situations. The pressure to get good grades and choose the right extracurricular activity can cause stress on a daily basis. Relationships that center on

infatuation, jealousy and sadness can accompany young and immature relationships towards frustration. Busy schedules with job, school and family obligations may overwhelm teenagers and lead them to burn out. Arguments in the family are a major cause of stress; firm rules and guidelines are important to help your teen know what to expect in the family. Self-esteem may also be affected because of school or social status, which leads them to face stress with less strength. (www.livestrong.com)

Pressure put on teens are a risk factor for the development of depression or other serious conditions that carries an increased risk of suicide. The presence of intact and strong social support networks among friends and family can help reduce the subjective experience of stress during the teenage years. The same mechanism that turns on the stress response can turn it off. Teenagers generally have the reaction of fight, flight or freeze. The relaxation response and other stress management skills feel less helpless and have more choices when responding to stress. (www.medicinenet.com) The presence of good stress is when it can help keep one on their toes, and ready to rise to a challenge. Bad stress may come from on going or long term events, like coping with a divorce or moving to a new school. Long term stressful events can wear out a bodys reserves and overwhelm or even weaken a person. It depends on what contexts the child moves in and what expectations are for him or her. Changes of adolescence, family issues, school, social issues, college applications, transitions, fear, and responsibility are the main causes of stress among teenagers. (www.kidshealth.org)

Young people must balance the need to develop apart from their families with the desire to retain their childhood security. Teenagers are pressured to conform with their peers, to perform well at school, and to meet the challenges of becoming competent in an adult world. The adults in teenagers lives need to be alert for signs of irritability, aggression or withdrawal, and to make it clear that they are always available for their teen. At difficult times, perhaps when a relationship goes bad, adolescents are best taught to deal with emotional upset by example. The major challenge of this period in an adolescents life is to take full responsibility for finding ones own direction in the world. For an individual who does not know what he/she would like to do, schools often have guidance counseling, which may help. (Health and Healing the Natural Way: The Stress Factor 1995, p. 95)

Reasons for Teenage Stress Together with the difficult transition from the dependency of childhood to the independence and autonomy of adulthood, adolescents are faces with new challenges psychologically. Adolescents develop new relationships with their families and culture that surrounds them in light of these challenges. Adolescents who have not developed successful coping skills may suffer stress related disorders. Expression of these disorders is often related to social pressures (e.g. depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse). (Childhood Stress, 1990 p. 248) The young adult experiences numerous quantitative shifts that take place, at this time, which at times assume the character of a radical break with previous interests, routines, and relationships. Teenagers begin to have sharpened sense of his/her own dignity, he/she sees

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himself as someone who may not be coerced, humiliated and deprives of the right to independence. (www.pysplexus.com) Illustrated by feelings of nervousness, irritation, anxiousness, dimness, and extraction that commonly lasts for a few our or a few days characterizes the period of stress in an adolescents life. Depression is viewed by extreme stress and feelings of hopelessness, sadness, frustration, etc. Emotional stress has been recognized among many aspects that can degenerate a persons health stability. The risk that teens will smoke, drink, get drunk, and use illegal drugs increases sharply if they are highly stressed. A teen suffering from depression, learning disability, drug abuse, etc. can often be found in those with high stress levels. (www.troubledteensparents.net/teen_issues/teen_stress)

Teens Response to Stress For the young adult, it is important to remember that regular exercise, a healthy diet and a good nights sleep help cope with problems and with any stress that they are currently experiencing. For teenagers who does not routinely handle stress well, mental health professions, i.e. guidance counselors and psychiatrists, can be helpful. Parents are advised that a pediatrician can be a good source if they need help managing their childs level of stress. (www.pediatrics.about.com) A frequent reaction to stress is when an individual becomes angry at the person or object that is causing him stress, and he may express his anger openly. This reaction is known as anger-out. Another reaction to stress known as anger-in puts the individual in a situation where in he is angry with himself and blames himself for his predicament. Another reaction to

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stress would be not to react to the stressful stimulus with evidence of strain, people who respond on this manner could not properly be said to have experienced stress at all. (Psychology and Human Problems 1967, p. 523) Adolescents who react to stress with anxiety tend to view their mother as the primary source of all three influences: authority, role model and affection. Those who react by anger-out mechanism tend to view their fathers as the primary authority figures and role models in their families, but they regard their mother as the primary source of affection. Those who react by anger-in had much the same view of their parents, but there was simply less differentiation in the views, i.e. mother and father are viewed as sharing authority. (Psychology and Human Problems, 1967 p. 525) The first level of help for teens is simply having a way to express what is going on. Having both a language to name the feelings and safe place to vent out ones feelings would be the best way to deal with the situation. Parents are the main support system, second support may be provided by siblings, friends, or even a journal. Teenagers should exercise and eat regularly, avoid excess caffeine and illegal drugs intake, learn practical coping skills, decrease negative self talk, learnt to feel good about doing competent jobs, and take a break from stressful situations. (www.familyfirstaid.org)

Coping Processes and Defense Mechanisms The first reaction to a stressful situation is not coping but the use of defense mechanisms. The two major changes the individual can readily make are to modify the environment that he is in or to change his own behavior. Changing the environment involves a forthright attempt to

12

modify the external situation in a constructive way that has a reasonable high probability of success. It is viewed that a person might attempt to cope with her situation by changing her own behavior. (Psychology Science and Understanding, 1995 p.556-557) An individual response to stress is influenced by what they learn, how they act, and how often they do things whenever they encounter stressful events. Almost from the start your body automatically begins to respond to stress of a certain situation without you even being aware of it. If you are an over responder, your response quickly builds until your body signals the stress with some kind of symptom that lets you know something is wrong. A slow responder may not get the signal until he/she is at home or going to bed. (Breaking the Stress Habit, 1987 p. 16) When confronted with stress, people sometimes give up and withdraw from the battle. This response of apathy and inaction tends to be associated with emotional reactions of sadness and dejection. People learn helplessness involving behavior produced by exposure to unavoidable aversive events. In some cases, people tend to deal with a situation through aggression. Aggression is always due to frustration; people often lash out at others who had nothing to do with their frustration usually because they cannot vent out their anger at the real source of frustration. Defense mechanisms are largely unconscious reactions that protect a person from unpleasant emotions such as anxiety and guilt. Defense mechanism shield one from the emotional discomfort elicited by stress. The main purpose of this reaction is to ward off unwelcome emotions or reduce their intensity. People use defenses to suppress dangerous feelings of anger or anxiety so that they do not explode into acts of aggression or even depression. (Psychology Applied to Modern Life, 1997 p. 106)

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The two major coping mechanisms are palliation and direction action. Palliation is a defensive process in which an individual alters their reaction to emotional events. Direct action, on the other hand, works on solving the problem that is currently being faced. These are actions directed, or probable solutions to a problem or stressful situation. Coping may be observed in defensiveness and the degree of attempted personal control. (Psychology, Science and Understanding 1998, p. 482) Sometimes people have to face anxiety and depression in line with stress. Some degree of anxiety and fear is a natural human response to challenge. In the right circumstance, they will help you spring into action. Constantly heightened levels of anxiety and fear can lead to physical as well as emotional problems especially if they are caused by situations in which you are powerless or have impossible schedules or deadlines that you can not meet. Sometimes stress is so intense that it precipitates a panic attack. This is a brief period of acute anxiety, characterized by profuse sweating, light-headedness, palpitations, tight feeling in the chest and a sinking feeling in the stomach. These reactions usually happen when faces with a stressful event. (Health and Healing the Natural Way: The Stress Factor 1998, p.54)

Stress Management There are three distinct stages of stress: Alarm When stress occurs, the adrenal hormone production increases to combat it. If it becomes successful, adrenal functions returns to normal. Resistance When you do not get any relief from the first stage of stress, you slowly start feeling a reduction in your energy levels.

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Exhaustion - When stress continues beyond the second stage and you do not adhere to remedial measures, the final stress stage of exhaustion settles in. You are now totally tired and drained out of all energy. (Philippine Daily Inquirer 27 February 2006) The fact that stress is not always negative should be kept in mind. A number of studies

have shown that some degree of stress is important for human development. Researchers have discovered that increased stress can sometimes lead to improved performance and efficiency. At certain times and at certain conditions, stress helps to improve your self-esteem and competence, enhance your personal development and relieve boredom. In many activities, you may need some level of stress to perform well and meet new challenges. An area in which stress has been shown most clearly to help performance is athletics. Researchers have discovered that batters who showed both high and low levels of anciety did not perform as well as batters who displayed a moderate amount of stress. (Managing Stress from Morning to Night, 2001 p. 9) People need a certain amount of stress to perform at their best. However, too much stress produces many negative effects. Therefore, many people look for ways to better manage the stress in their lives. Some people practice relaxation techniques. Stress can be produced by thinking about stressful things in a different way. (World Book Encyclopedia, 1996 p. 355) We too can develop the kind of stress tolerance these people have without changing our personalities and without having to be preoccupied all the time in order to feel good. The way in which we perceive and interpret events and situations is what makes us either tolerant of or prone to the effects of stress reactions. Learning to do this is one of the most critical elements in stress management.

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We sometimes hear people say, I work better under pressure. or I thrive on competition. These teenagers perform much better when theyre under the gun. They seem to be more satisfied when theyre meeting deadlines ore doing anything else that enhances the excitement of their lives. (Stress Tolerance, 1987 p. 66) Because prevention is the best cure, its best to be aware of personal stress levels before they become too high. Keeping a daily diary of stressful times may enable you to pinpoint those situations that you find most troublesome. Once you have identified them, you can take steps to eliminate them from your life, perhaps by changing your situation or simply organizing your time better. You may at least diffuse problems by learning to relax. (Health and Healing the Natural Way: The Stress Factor, 1998 p. 20) There are three major approaches which can be used to manage stress: Action-oriented in which you seek to confront the problem causing the stress, changing the environment or the situation Emotionally-oriented in which you do not have the power to change the situation, but you can manage stress by changing your interpretation of the situation and the way you feel about it Acceptance-oriented where something has happened over which you have no power and no emotional control, and where you focus is on surviving the stress (Health Psychology (Fourth Edition), 1999 p. 26) By anticipating stressful situations, you can prepare for them. By making sure of your facts and getting a complete understanding of the situation, you ensure that you are properly

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prepared and that t you are not wrong-footed by predictable situations and events. (Health Psychology (Fourth Edition), 1999 p. 26) Psychologists believe that people who actually manage stress are less likely to develop infectious diseases and perhaps even cancer. It appears that the way in which teenagers handle stress has an important influence on their immune system. (Managing Stress from Morning to Night, 2001 p. 20) Turning Negative Stress into Positive Experiences Turning negative stress into positive experiences requires that we make adjustments in the way we act. Conditioning ourselves to cope with stress through changes in our attitudes and behavior is the key element in developing a stress-tolerant lifestyle. Somewhere within all of us, however, lies the ability to bring out the best in ourselves. We have the power to turn bad stress into good. How we perceive life events, how we behave in response to stress encounters, and how we condition ourselves to look at negative situations in a positive way all determine how quickly and easily we can begin to break the stress habit. (Breaking the Stress Habit, 1987 p. 66) We can fight stress by changing our attitudes in order to perceive negative events in a positive way. Another way is to modify some of our behaviors pattern, so it becomes easier for us to change these attitudes and make them fit our own personality. Our attitudes and behavior are closely linked; behavior can control our attitudes and attitudes can certainly drive our behavior. Changing some of our behavior patterns is critical in

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stress management and can make the different between our being able to develop stress tolerance or not. (Turning Bad Stress into Good through Behavior Modification, 1987 p. 61)

How Can Stress by Reduced? A few behavior changes which can help reduce stress are the ff: -Talk to yourself in a positive way. This helps relieve tension and promotes relaxation. -Value positive stress results and not negative ones. -Be flexible enough to change. Through this, we can find a better method of accomplishing our goals and organizing our lives. -Never try to be perfect as long as youre the best you can be. (Breaking the Stress Habit, 1987 p. 61) Regular exercise Of all the natural stress beaters, regular exercise is one of the best. It helps dissipate tensions, makes you sleep better and can aid concentration. Moderate exercise also has a beneficial effect on the heart and circulation, helping to ward off illness. When stressful situations arise, you will be better able to relax and take them your stride if you are fit. If you quickly become exhausted in everyday situations, you will almost certainly benefit from exercise. Then, when you face additional challenges, you will have the energy to handle them better. (Managing Stress from Morning to Night, 2001 p. 30) Crying

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Tears, in theory, may help remove chemicals that build up during an emotionally stressful situation, thereby restoring the bodys chemical balance. Crying is an effective way to reduce psychological tension. Seventy-three percent of the men and eighty-five percent of the women who were questioned asserted that they felt better after crying. Another study compared a group of men and women with stress-related disorders to a group of healthy teenagers of similar age and background. Researchers discovered that one difference between the two groups was that subjects who were ill tend to regard crying as a sign of weakness or loss of control while members of the healthy group were not ashamed to cry. Although crying wont entirely remove the source of stress, it aids relaxation and helps clear the mind so that we can begin to cope with stressful events. (Managing Stress from Morning to Night, 2001 p. 22) Laughing Subsequent research has shown that laughing can indeed be thought of as internal jogging. Laughing increases respiratory exchange, heart rate, muscular activity and body temperature, and it stimulates the production of beta-endorphins, the chemicals which some of the researchers believe are responsible for what is known as runners high. Recent studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara found that laughter was an effective in reducing stress as complex biofeedback training programs. Researchers also noted that laughter requires no special training or equipment just a sense of humor. (Managing Stress from Morning to Night, 2001 p. 21-22) Exposure to Nature

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Studies have found that even brief exposures to nature can reduce stress. One may not be lucky enough to have a view of the grass and trees from where they re, but one can get the same benefit by looking at a picture of nature scenes. They can be in the form of a calendar, wall painting, computer screen saver, aquarium, etc. Playing a CD or tape with the sound of waves, birds or whales is also relaxing. Even if you cant take the afternoon off for a round of exercise, take regular nature breaks throughout the day right at your desk. (Philippine Daily Inquirer 28 March 2001) Social Support

Social support from teenagers family, relatives and friends can greatly contribute to helping them reduce the stress being experienced in their life. The ff: are the different types of social support: Emotional support when others provide comfort, concern, reassurance and love to the individual Tangible support direct assistance to the needy person Information support occurs when the individual receives guidance or advice that helps her cope with the problem Esteem support the kind of social support that increases an individuals confidence and sense of competence Network support comes from the feeling of belonging to a group that shares similar interests (American Psychological Association, 2001 p. 214)

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD is a mental illness that follows a markedly distressing and often physically injurious event. Examples of such events include severe beatings, rape and car accidents. Characteristic features include re-experiencing of the trauma, psychic numbing and increased arousal. Traumatic re-experience involves recurrent memories and nightmares. Psychic numbing involves withdrawal from social activities, loss of interest in ordinary activities and restricted ability to experience emotions. The course of PTSD may be divided into three stages. First is response to the trauma, including extreme anxiety and preoccupation with the event. After about a month, feelings of helplessness, restricted emotionality and nightmares can occur. The third stage can involve demoralization and despondency. (Colliers Encyclopedia, 1995 pp. 338-339) Ordinary events can serve as reminders of the trauma and trigger flashbacks or intrusive images. A flashback may make the person lose touch with reality and reenact the event for a period of seconds or hours, or very rarely, days. A person having a flashback, which can come in the form of images, sounds, smells or feelings, usually believes that the traumatic event is happening all over again. Most people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in the form of nightmares and disturbing recollections during the day. The nightmares or recollections may and go, and a person may be free of them for weeks at a time, and then experience them daily for no particular reason. They may also experience sleeping problems, depressions, feelings of detachment, numbness or being easily startled.

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They may lose interest in things they used to enjoy and have trouble feeling affectionate. They may feel irritable, more aggressive than before, or even violent. Seeing things that remind them of the incident may be very distressing, which could lead them to avoid certain places or situations that bring back those memories. Anniversaries of the traumatic event are often very difficult for teenagers who are experiencing this type of disorder. The ff. are symptoms of PTSD: Re-experiencing symptoms ways in which the person persistently re-experiences the traumatic event, include intrusive memories of the traumatic events, reluctant dreams about the event and mental and physical discomfort when reminded of such event Avoidant symptoms person tries to avoid anything associated with the traumatic event, numbing effect, include avoiding thoughts or certain people associated with the traumatic event, reduced interest or participation in significant activities, feeling disconnected from others, showing a limited range of emotion Symptoms of increased arousal similar to symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks, include difficulty in concentrating, exaggerated watchfulness and wariness, irritability or outbursts of anger, difficulty falling or staying asleep PTSD can be treated, usually with a combination of psychotherapy and medications. People with PTSD should seek out a therapist or a psychologist with specific experience and background in treating PTSD. (Performance Psychology in Action, 2009 p. 101) Consequences of PTSD

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The event may be re-experienced in the form of unprompted memories. There may be disturbed sleep or nightmares, or even vivid flashbacks during waking hours, when sufferers feel and react as if the events were taking place all over again. The traumatic events could become unreal to them, seeming like dreams, and they may begin to feel detached from the rest of the world. Personal relationships suffer, often as a result of the victims desires to avoid anything that symbolizes or recalls the traumas they have endured. As a consequence, they may begin using or increasing their consumptions or alcohol or narcotics. (Health and Healing the Natural Way: The Stress Factor, 1998 p. 148) How Does PTSD Affect Teenagers? Unpleasant physical sensations, such as headaches and abdominal pain, are common too. In addition, there may be periods of palpitations, trembling, breathing difficulties, dizziness, tightening in the chest, menstrual disorders, nausea or diarrhea. As symptoms can occur sometime after the actual even has triggered them, the link between the symptoms and trauma may not be obvious. If they remain unrecognized and untreated, these symptoms have the power to destroy lives by changing the sufferers personality and damaging social and family relationships. It is important to seek immediate help from health professionals and support groups when symptoms of stress from a traumatic event first begin to surface. (Health and Healing the Natural Way: The Stress Factor, 1998 p. 148)

Time Management: An Important Way of Reducing Stress

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One of the biggest stress factors we face is our inability to manage time. Time management or the lack of it creates stress because without time, we lose the freedom to do what needs to be done, to be who we want to be and to enjoy the things we want to do. We accomplish only what we can fit into our schedules. We find ourselves pressured because our lives are constantly dictated by time. (Breaking the Stress Habit, 1987 p. 87) Time management is about recognizing that time is limited, setting clear priorities and objectives for ourselves and ensuring that we achieve them. Time management also helps teenagers do many things in a limited amount of time. It helps them prioritize and accomplish the things they need to do in their everyday life. (Stress, Health and Your Lifestyle, 1989 p. 66) Time management allows us to organize our lives in a way that makes us happier and more productive, it gives us the ability to schedule ourselves into a normal day-to-day routine so were left with all the time we need for ourselves and our families, and it prevents chronic stress by eliminating the constraints we place on ourselves as a result of poor or inadequate organizational skills. (Breaking the Stress Habit, 1987 p. 87) It is not the things we do during the day that create time problems, but its the way we do them. More often than not, the reasons for our inability to manage time are improper behavior patterns and attitudes. Behavior and attitudes can both be changed through proper techniques and conditioning. Both can be used as positive reinforcers that make us more efficient at utilizing the time we have. (Stress, Health and Your Lifestyle, 1989 p. 66) Time management will: show you how to analyze your present use of time including the concept of sold, maintenance and discretionary time

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help you identify the priorities in your life and rank them according to order of importance

introduce you to the many different ways and styles of managing time

Simple steps to make use of your time: Make a to-do list every day. Use spare minutes wisely. Break each large tasks into actionable easy tasks. Determine your priorities. Set deadlines for yourself. Establish a regular time and place for study. Schedule time to relax and take breaks. Keep trying new systems. Allot time for flexibility. Plan ahead. Get a good nights sleep. Schedule rewards in. Schedule the most difficult tasks for times when you are alert.

(www.gradschool.about.com/cs/timemanagement/a/time.htm)

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Chapter 3 Presentation of Data Table 1. Profile of the respondents in terms of the number of children in their respective families. Choices: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tallies: 3 10 8 4 2 1 Percentage: 11% 35% 29% 14% 7% 4%

Majority of the respondents belong to a family of 2 children with a percentage of 35%. 3, 4 and 1 have a total percentage of 29%, 14% and 11% respectively. The lowest was 5 and 6 children with a percentage of 7% and 4% respectively. Table 2. Profile of the respondents according to their rank in the family. Choices: Eldest Middle Youngest Only Child Tallies: 10 7 8 3 Percentage: 36% 25% 29% 10%

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Majority of the respondents were the eldest with a percentage of 36%. Respondents who were the youngest and middle child had a percentage of 29% and 25% respectively. The lowest was the respondents who were the only child with a percentage of 10%. Table 3. Different causes or sources of stress in a teenagers life. Choices: Studies Parent relationship Peer pressure Relationships with other people Extracurricular activities Tallies: 26 6 8 12 9 Percentage: 42% 10% 13% 19% 14%

Results show the majority of the respondents consider their studies as the primary source of stress with a percentage off 42%. Relationships with other people, extracurricular activities and peer pressure have a percentage of 19%, 14% and 13% respectively. The lowest cause of stress among teenagers which is their relationship with their parent had a percentage of 10%. There are outside forces that place unusual demands on a persons body and mind. According to the Online Self Improvement Community, high school years should be a great experience, but many demands and rapid changes can make them one of the most stressful times in life. Students today face increasing amounts of schoolwork, assignment deadlines, and exams; they worry about choosing careers and balancing schoolwork with sports, hobbies, and social life. They have conflicts with parents. Friends, siblings; they also have to cope up with unpredictable moods, concerns about appearance, fitting in with a peer group, and also handle

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love relationships and sexuality. They deal with all of these while undergoing rapid physical and emotional changes. (www.selfgrowth.com) Causes of stress are called stressors and not all stressors affect a person the same way they affect another. In a particular situation, one person may remain quite calm in a certain situation while another displays marked signs of stress. (World Book Encyclopedia 1996 p. 354) Table 4. Various ways in which teenagers deal with the stress they experience. Choices: Indulge in drugs Alcohol Laugh Cry Going out with friends Spending time with family Listening to music Reading books Talking to others about problems Counseling Exercising Overeating Cutting 15 8 13 6 18 12 13 3 2 5 1 Tallies: Percentage: 0% 0% 15% 8% 14% 6% 19% 13% 14% 3% 2% 5% 1%

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Results show the majority of the respondents deal with stress by listening to music. This has the highest percentage of 19%. Laughing, going out with friends, talking to others about problems, reading books, crying, spending time with family, overeating, counselling and exercising have a percentage of 15%, 14%, 14%, 13%, 8%, 6%, 5%, 3% and 2% respectively. The coping mechanism which is used the least is cutting or hurting oneself which has a percentage of 1%. According to the paediatrics in about.com, for teens who dont routinely handle stress well, mental health professionals can be very helpful. It is important to remember that regular exercise, a healthy diet and good nights sleep will help them cope with their problems or with any stress that they are having. (www.pediatrics.about.com) According to alocoholism.about.com, the risk that teens will smoke, drink or use illegal drugs increases sharply if they are highly stressed. A teen suffering from depression, learning disability, and drug abuse can often be found in those with high stress levels. (alcoholism.about.com) An article by Barry D. Smith about coping processes cited that the two major coping mechanisms are palliation which is a defensive process in which we alter our reactions to emotional events and direct action. This works out with solving the problem at hand. He also talked about assertive coping where a person might attempt to cope with his or her situation by changing his or her own behaviour. He recognized that defense mechanisms are the first reaction to anxiety that is caused by stress. (Psychology Science and Understanding 1998 p. 482)

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Table 5. Whether or not teens work better under pressure. Choices: Yes No Indifferent Tallies: 3 7 16 Percentage: 12% 27% 61%

Results show that majority of the respondents are indifferent or uncertain whether they work well under pressure or not, with a percentage of 61%. A number responded negatively, stating that pressure does not help them work better with a percentage of 27%. The lowest percentage was 12% with a few teenagers saying that they work better under pressure. Stress is not always negative. A number of studies have shown that a moderate amount of stress is important for human development. Researchers have discovered that increased stress results in improved performance and efficiency. At certain times and under certain conditions, stress helps to improve ones self-esteem and competence, enhance ones personal development and relieve boredom. (Managing Stress From Morning to Night 2001 p. 9) One of the ways in which we fight stress is to chance our attitudes in order to perceive negative events in a positive way. Another way is to modify some of our behavior patterns. So it becomes easier for us to change those attitudes and make them fit our personality. (Turning Bad Stress Into Good Through Behavior Modification 1987 p.61) Turning negative stress into positive experiences requires us to make adjustments in the way we act. Conditioning ourselves to cope with stress through changes in our attitudes and

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behavior is the key element in developing a stress-tolerant lifestyle. (Breaking The Stress Habit 1987 p. 65) Somewhere within all of us, lies the ability to bring out the best in ourselves. We have the power to turn bad stress into good. How we perceive life events, how we behave in response to stress encounters, and how we condition ourselves to look at negative situations in a positive all determine how quickly and easily we can begin to break the stress habit. (Breaking The Stress Habit 1987 p. 66) Table 6 . The different groups of individuals whom teenagers talk or open up to when they are under stress. Choices: Parents Siblings Relatives/guardians Friends Significant others Professionals No one Tallies: 6 6 2 20 3 1 4 Percentage: 14% 14% 5% 48% 7% 2% 10%

Results show the majority of the respondents open up to their friends, with a percentage of 48%. Teenagers who talk to their parents, siblings, nobody, significant others and guardians have a percentage of 14%, 14%, 10%, 7% and 5% respectively. The lowest group who the respondents open up to is the professionals with a percentage of 2%.

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Teen stress reactions have the greatest interest from the standpoint of ecology are the findings concerning perception of parents. (Psychology and Human Problems 1967 p. 522) People often lash out at others who have nothing to do with their frustration usually because they cannot vent out their anger at the real source of the frustration. Aggression involves any behavior intended to hurt someone either physically or verbally. Defense mechanisms shield one form emotional discomfort elicited by stress. People use defences to suppress dangerous feelings of anger or sadness, so that they dont explode into acts of aggression. (Psychology Applied to Modern Life 1997 p. 106) For some teenagers, home life can be the major source of stress such as the specks of the home environment as the physical and social structure of the neighbourhood, surroundings, parent and child relationships, interactions with roommates, family and other people in the society are potential stressors. (Psychology: Science and Understanding 1998 p. 541) Table 7. Whether or not teenagers think they manage their time well. Choices: Yes No Uncertain Tallies: 8 5 15 Percentage: 29% 18% 54%

Results show the majority of the respondents are uncertain about whether or not they manage their time well with the highest percentage of 39%. A number said yes with a percentage of 29%. The lowest percentage was 18% with the teenagers saying that they do not manage their time well.

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Time management is about recognizing that time is limited, setting clear priorities and objectives for oneself and ensuring the one achieves them. Time management helps teenagers do many things in a limited amount of time. It helps them prioritize and accomplish the things they need to do in their everyday life. (Health and your Lifestyle 1989 p.66) Its not the things we do during the day that create time problems; its the way we do them. More often than not, the reason for our inability to manage time is improper behaviour patterns and attitudes. Behavior and attitudes can both be changed through proper techniques and conditioning. Both can be used as positive reinforcers that make us efficient in utilizing the time we have. (Breaking the Stress Habit 1987 p. 87) Table 8 shows what high school students usually spend their time on. Choices: Studies Going out Read books Playing video games Use the internet Watch TV Extracurricular activities Other forms of procrastination Tallies: 8 7 6 5 21 17 9 10 Percentage: 10% 8% 7% 6% 26% 20% 11% 12%

Results show that majority of the respondents usually spend their time on using the internet with a percentage of 26%. Teenagers who spend their time on watching TV,

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procrastinating, doing extracurricular activities, studying, going out, and reading books have a percentage of 20%, 12%, 11%, 10%, 8% and 7% respectively. The activity which students least spend their time on are playing video games with a percentage of 6%. People usually do other things in order to escape the stress that they are facing. A way on how to cope with stress is to take action. One should decide on what to do, find someone to talk to and get support, and take good care of oneself when stress is high. (kidshealth.org) People reduce stress through beginning a hobby to shift away from stress source. They increase social activities like spending time with friends or joining a club.

(www.learningdisabilities.about.com) Exercise helps us cope with stress and anxiety, and also seems to enhance our sense of selfefficacy. People have different responses to stress and coping techniques to approach daily problems. (bbc.co.uk)

These activities also contribute to the stress that one is facing. Workload issues lie behind much of the stress one experiences. Not only can a heavy workload be tiring in its own right, it often drives one to work much longer hours than the person would really want to. This means that a person is working when one is supposed to be resting. Worse than this, a heavy routine workload leaves a person little time to deal with the emergencies that come from time to time. This adds to the feeling of being out of control that is so much part of stress. (www.mindtools.com) Taking on too many activities and having too high expectations cause teens to experience more stress. However, these activities could help teenagers cope with the stress that they are experiencing.

Chapter 4 Summary, Recommendation and Conclusion A. Summary This study was conducted for the purpose of gathering information on adolescents views on stress. The researchers conducted the survey to know the different effects of stress, and its different coping mechanisms. This study is conducted mainly for adolescents, and for those who are experiencing too much stress. This study was conducted to the Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus high school students. Majority of the respondents come from a family of two children with a percentage of 35%. Majority of the respondents were the eldest child in the family with a percentage of 36%. Our results show that a majority of 42% of the respondents consider their studies as the primary cause of stress. The majority of the respondents deal with stress by listening to music. This has the highest percentage of 19%. The majority of the respondents are indifferent or uncertain whether they work under pressure or not, with a percentage of 61%. A majority of 48% of the respondents talk to their friends when they are experiencing stress. The majority of the respondents view time management as a factor in a stressful situation, with a percentage of 57%. Our results show that a majority of 26% of the respondents usually spend time on using the internet.

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B. Recommendation The researchers recommend that those who are experiencing too much stress should have healthy coping mechanisms. Stress is a useful part of life, but too much of it can also be unhealthy. There are many coping mechanisms that could be used to relieve the stress in ones life. The researchers also suggest that people who experience stress should refrain from the unhealthy coping mechanisms like smoking, drinking, and the use of drugs. These coping mechanisms worsen the stress that is going on instead of relieving it. The researchers also recommend that those who are experiencing too much stress should talk to anyone who could help them, rather than keep it to themselves. Counselors could help much in relieving the stress that is going on in a persons life. For future researchers, we recommend the further study on time management, stress coping mechanisms, and the fight or flight response. These topics would be of great help to those who are going through much stress. Time management could be a way of managing the stress. Healthy coping mechanisms are very useful so that the researchers could gather more information on how stress could be relieved. Studying more about the fight or flight response would help people become more aware of the effects that are brought about by stress. The following sources will be of great help on the further study of the subject matter: Managing Stress from Morning to Night. Time- Life Books (2001) Psychology: Science and Understanding by Barry D. Smith (1998) Breaking the Stress Habit by Andrew G. Goliszek (1987) World Book Encyclopedia (1996)

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Psychology: Understanding Ourselves and Others by Norman Tallent (1977) Comprehensive Stress Management by Jerrold S. Greenberg (2008) Stress, Psychology and Human Problems by Lee Sechrest and John Wallace (1967) C. Conclusion 1. Outside forces that place demands on the adolescents body and mind most likely causes him/her to feel stressed. The second a person does not feel in control of the situation, he/she is threatened by it and only wants to avoid coping with it. Moods, concerns about appearance, fitting in with a peer group, relationships, and sexuality are the main reasons for experiencing stress in high school. Money can sometimes be a worry, and now there is a new fear of violence in and around schools. They have to deal with all of these while undergoing rapid physical and emotional changes. When children reach their teens, they must balance the need to develop apart from their families with the desire to retain their childhood security. 2. One of the biggest stress factors for young adults these days is the inability to manage their time wisely. The lack of proper time management creates or worsens stress because without time, people lose the freedom of what needs to be done, to be who they want and to enjoy the things that they want to. People only accomplish what they can for the time being, and do what fits into their schedules. They find themselves pressured because their lives are constantly dictated by time. Time management allows one to organize his/her life in a way that makes them happier and more productive; it gives them the ability to schedule themselves into a normal dayto-day routine so they are left with the time they need for themselves and their families. Proper time management prevents chronic stress by eliminating the constraints they place on themselves as a result of poor or inadequate organizational skills.

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3. The bodys natural reaction to life events that it perceives as overwhelming is the fight or flight response, which produces a faster heart rate, increased blood flow, shallow breathing, a sense of dread and a desire to escape. However, teens can teach themselves to perceive life challenges as being within their control and can even change their bodys reaction to such events. The major approaches used to manage stress are action-oriented, emotionallyoriented, and acceptance-oriented. Action-oriented in which an individual seeks to confront the problem causing the stress, changing the environment or the situation. Emotional-oriented, wherein the person does not have the power to change the situation, but can manage stress by changing his/her interpretation of the situation and how they feel about it. Acceptance-oriented where something has happened over in which the person has no power and no emotional control, and where his focus is surviving the stress.

Bibliography Print sources Encyclopedias

Stress Management. Colliers Encyclopedia. USA: P.F. Collier and Son Limited, 1995 Types of Stress. Encyclopedia of Knowledge. USA: Grolier Incorporated, 2000 Social Support. World Book Encyclopedia. USA: World Book, Inc., 1996 Newspapers

Control Stress Before it Controls You Philippine Daily Inquirer. 22 January 2002 Exposure to Nature Can Reduce Stress Philippine Daily Inquirer. 28 March 2001 Aquino, Cory. Inside Out Philippine Daily Inquirer. 27 February 2006 Books

Adams, John D. Stress, Health and Your Lifestyle. Great Britain: Lifeskills Communications Ltd., 1989 Arnold, Eugene L. Childhood Stress. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1990 Calkins, Susan D., and Martha Ann Bell. Child Development at the Intersection of Emotion and Cognition. Washington DC: American Psychological Association, 2010 Casey, B.J. Developmental Psychology. USA: American Psychiatric Pub., 2004

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Cole, Luella. Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence. USA: Holt, Rinehartand and Winston, Inc., 1974 Goliszek, Andrew G. Breaking the Stress Habit. USA: Carolina Press, 1987 Greenberg, Jerrold S. Comprehensive Stress Management. USA: McGraw-Hill, 2008 Hays. Kate F. Performance Psychology in Action. Washington DC: American Psychological Association, 2009 Health and Healing the Natural Way: The Stress Factor. USA: The Readers Digest Association Inc., 1998 LeDoux, Joseph. The Emotional Brain. USA: Simoun and Schuster, Inc., 1996 Lloyd, Margaret A. Psychology Applied to Modern Life. USA: Cole Publishing Company, 1997 Managing Stress from Morning to Night. USA: Time-Life Books, 2001 Morris, Charles. Psychology: Fifth Edition. Prentice-Hall Inc., 1973 Oxington, Kimberly V. Psychology of Stress. USA: Nova Publishers, 2005 Psychology: Understanding Ourselves and Others. American Book Company, 1977 Rath, Matthias. Why Animals Dont Get Heart Attacks, But People Do. USA: Dr. Path Education Services, 2008 Romas, John A., and Monaj Sharma. Practical Stress Management. USA: Allyn and Bacon, 1995 Sechrest, Lee, and John Wallace. Psychology and Human Problems. Charles E. Merill Publishing Co., 1967

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Sferra, Adam. Personality and Human Relations. USA: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1995 Smith, Barry D. Psychology: Science and Understanding. USA: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998 Tallent, Norman. Psychology: Understanding Ourselves and Others. USA: Litton Educational Publishing, Inc., 1977 Taylor, S.E. Health Psychology (Fourth Edition) Singapore: McGraw-Hill, 1999 Weiten, Lloyd. Psychology Applied to Modern Life. International Thompson Publishing Corp., 1997 Weiten, Wayne. Psychology Themes and Variations. USA: Thomas Learning, Inc., 2001 Wortman, Camille B. Psychology: Third Edition. USA: Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1988 Non-print sources Websites

www.aacap.org www.alcoholism.about.com/cs/teens www.allpsychologycareers.com/topics/teenage-depression.html www.archives.drugabuse.gov/stressandabuse.html www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/coping_stress.html www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stress_management

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www.familyfirstaid.org/teen-stress www.gradschool.about.com/cs/timemanagement/a/time.htm www.guidetopsychology.com/stress www.healthiohealth.com/school-stress.html www.helpguide.com/mental/stress_signs www.learningdisabilities.about.com/od/emotionalhealth/stressstrategies www.lifepositive.com/mind/psychology/stress/stress-and-health.asp www.lifespan.org/services/childhealth/parenting/teen-stress.html www.livestrong.com/article/128380-cause-of-stress-among-teens www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management www.medicalnewstoday.com www.psychcentral.com/lib/2006/stress-management-basics/ www.psychologytoday.com www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/teen-stress-causes.html www.stressmanagementreview.com/alcohol_and_stress.html www.troubledteensparents.net/teens_issues/teen-stress www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management

Appendix

A Compilation of the Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus Views on Teenage Stress

In Partial Fulfillment of the Course Requirements in Communication Arts 4

Submitted to: Mdm. Florilou Pantallano

Submitted by: Zari Vane B. Alquizalas Kimberly Eve S. Tagalog Emma Rose R. Tomaneng Year 4- Modesty