Is it Possible to Change the Way College Students Think About Stress? The Benefits of a Stress Management Course

Authors

Jennifer Wegmann, Binghamton University--SUNYFollow
Rachel A. Moshman, Binghamton University--SUNYFollow
Lily Rubin, Binghamton University--SUNYFollow

Publication Date

2017

Document Type

Poster

Keywords

stress, college students, stress management, health

Description

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a stress management course on college students’ stress mindsets. Stress mindset encompasses the beliefs one holds about stress. Those who view stress as beneficial have a stress-is-enhancing mindset, while those who view stress as detrimental have a stress-is-debilitating mindset. Subjects enrolled in a physical activity course (control group, n=25) and a stress management course (n=24) possessed a neutral stress mindset at baseline. Students in the intervention group showed a significant shift to a more stress-is-enhancing mindset by the end of the semester. Students in the control group did not show any significant changes in stress mindset over the course of the semester. Additionally, we analyzed the relationships between personality traits and baseline stress mindset and found significant correlations. However, no relationships existed when personality and changes in stress mindset were analyzed.

Disciplines

Higher Education | Mental and Social Health

Files

Recommended Citation

Wegmann, Jennifer; Moshman, Rachel A.; and Rubin, Lily, "Is it Possible to Change the Way College Students Think About Stress? The Benefits of a Stress Management Course" (2017). Research Days Posters 2016-2019. 8.
https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters/8