Gender Differences in Levels of Stress and Coping Styles in Online First Year Psychology Students
Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine how men and women differed in levels of stress and coping styles. One hundred and seventy-nine first-year Psychology students from Swinburne University completed an online questionnaire. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) and subscales of the Brief COPE (Carver, 1997) together with demographic questions were completed to measure stress and responsive cope. The hypothesis that women would report higher stress levels and use more negative coping than men was supported. Although, no support was indicated for women’s higher use of positive cope. It was concluded women suffer more stress than men and use varied coping strategies. Future research should compare students cope responses in age groups.
It is clear that all people experience stress, stress cannot be eradicated from our lives and understanding what triggers or contributes to this stress allows for its management. Stress and coping and what differences are existent between men and women has become a popular area of research with psychological distress shown to contribute to behavioural and mental problems. The Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that around 13% of adults reported experiencing high levels of mental stress in the last four weeks (2004-05). The construct of stress refers to a challenge to the ability of a person to adapt to inner and outer demands, which is a psychobiological process, most often described as stimulus or response (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Further, Lazarus (1966) suggests that stress be viewed as an organising notion for understanding many different phenomena.
To enable lecturers, psychologists and doctors to measure perceived chronic stress and coping mechanisms, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) and Brief COPE (Carver, 1997) was developed. The DASS stress scale is used to isolate and identify aspects of emotional disturbance and assess the core
The aim of the study was to examine how men and women differed in levels of stress and coping styles. One hundred and seventy-nine first-year Psychology students from Swinburne University completed an online questionnaire. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) and subscales of the Brief COPE (Carver, 1997) together with demographic questions were completed to measure stress and responsive cope. The hypothesis that women would report higher stress levels and use more negative coping than men was supported. Although, no support was indicated for women’s higher use of positive cope. It was concluded women suffer more stress than men and use varied coping strategies. Future research should compare students cope responses in age groups.
It is clear that all people experience stress, stress cannot be eradicated from our lives and understanding what triggers or contributes to this stress allows for its management. Stress and coping and what differences are existent between men and women has become a popular area of research with psychological distress shown to contribute to behavioural and mental problems. The Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that around 13% of adults reported experiencing high levels of mental stress in the last four weeks (2004-05). The construct of stress refers to a challenge to the ability of a person to adapt to inner and outer demands, which is a psychobiological process, most often described as stimulus or response (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Further, Lazarus (1966) suggests that stress be viewed as an organising notion for understanding many different phenomena.
To enable lecturers, psychologists and doctors to measure perceived chronic stress and coping mechanisms, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) and Brief COPE (Carver, 1997) was developed. The DASS stress scale is used to isolate and identify aspects of emotional disturbance and assess the core