Browsing by Subject "Stress (Psychology)"
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Item A study of marital satisfaction in graduate student marriages(Texas Tech University, 1995-08) Sokolski, Dawn MA number of empirical studies have examined how variables such as communication, intimacy, dissimilar expectations, financial and personal stress, social support, and the presence of children affect satisfaction in marriage. Chronic stress, like that found in graduate education, has a profound impact on marital satisfaction, and may also be related to other variables such as intimacy and financial concerns. The purpose of this study was to examine marital satisfaction in graduate student marriages and the variables that relate to marital satisfaction. At a large southwestern university, some 161 married couples in which at least one partner was a student in medical school, law school, or other graduate program were assessed. The student and his or her spouse were asked to complete separate questionnaires which consisted of demographic information, and measures of social support, self-disclosure, marital expectations, and love styles. Satisfaction was correlated with marital commitment, physical intimacy, self-disclosure and passionate love. Greater marital satisfaction was found in marriages where both partners were students than in marriages with only one partner in school. However, no differences in marital satisfaction were found between male and female graduate students. It had been assumed that female graduate students, in addition to school responsibilities, would have greater parental and home responsibilities than male graduate students and would feel less satisfied. However, this was not the case. Regression analyses also showed the importance of personal happiness, marital commitment, physical intimacy, and a spouse doing his or her fair share of the housework for marital satisfaction. The implications of these findings are discussed.Item A study of stress-relieving techniques used by school administrators in Texas(Texas Tech University, 1982-12) Wilhelm, Leland DwightThe purpose of this study was to determine the stress-relieving techniques preferred by school administrators in Texas. These techniques were determined for during-the-school-day and out-of-school classifications. The study also explored the relationships between the labeling of an administrator as "active" or "passive" in his stress-relieving techniques and various classifications of Texas school administrators. "Active" implied that the administrator preferred stress-relieving techniques such as running, tennis, and so on. "Passive" indicated the administrator preferred stress-relieving techniques of reading, watching television, and so on. The subjects were chosen randomly from the 1980 edition of the Texas School Directory. Of 900 questionnaires, 476 were returned for a rate of 52.9 percent. The results of the survey indicated the out-of-school stress-relieving techniques most used in order of preference were. 1. Listening to music or watching television; 2. Visiting with friends; 3. Reading for entertainment. Of the administrators responding, 67.4 percent had more "passive" types of out-of-school stress-relieving techniques. The during-the-school-day stress-relieving techniques used most often, in order of preference, were: 1. Walking around the building; 2. Visiting classes; 3. Taking breaks in the building and leaving the building (tie). There were nine hypotheses relating the stress-relieving activities (active or passive) to various classifications and groups of school administrators. None of the classifications were predominantly "active." Female administrators were the only group who used "passive" techniques to a statistically significant degree. Of the women respondents, 83 percent were labeled "passive" by their ranking of stress-relieving preferences. The study determined that 80.7 percent of the school administrators often or occasionally worked twelve to fourteen hours or more per day. Of the respondents 7 6.3 percent did not smoke. Only 34.2 percent had a regularly scheduled exercise program and 30.3 percent did not have physical examinations on a regular basis. Of the respondents, 24.8 percent had hypertension. As a result of this study, several recommendations for further study were made.Item Alzheimer's patient caregivers: experimental drug treatment participation as a moderator of caregiver outcomes(Texas Tech University, 1995-05) Banken, Cheryl HallCaring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease has been associated with a variety of negative outcomes. Hence, it is important to gain an understanding of the factors that contribute to these outcomes as an avenue toward identifying interventions that may have moderating effects. There is a growing body of evidence that psychological resources and social support can mitigate the impact of caregiving stressors. Psychological resources may include appraisals, coping skills and expectancies, while social support may range fi^om formal services to informal family networks. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how involvement in an experimental drug treatment affected expectancies and/or appraisals about caregiving and the care receiver's condition. Antecedent variables that have been inconsistently linked with negative caregiver outcomes were also examined. This study had two phases of assessment, with 166 caregivers participating at Time 1 and 109 caregivers six weeks later at Time 2. There were four treatment conditions reflecting two different drug conditions, a screening failure condition and a group uninvolved in research. Within each treatment group, both primary and non-primary caregivers were assessed for burden, depression, hopelessness, anger, desire to institutionalize (DTI), locus of control, positive outcomes and optimistic expectancies.Item An analysis of stress in the nursing profession(Texas Tech University, 1984-08) Timmons, Curtis LeeNot availableItem Emotional factors in mental and emotional stress-induced cardiac ischemia(2001-08) Carr, Blaine Hart; McCarthy, Christopher J.Item Family caregivers' narratives of coping with chronic stress : is anything funny?(2009-05) Opitz, Marlana Kathryn; Wicker, FrankThis dissertation is a qualitative study of six daughter-caregivers' narratives of their experiences in caring for their mothers who were afflicted with a progressive dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. Many correlational and experimental studies have attempted to show whether humor can be utilized to reduce stress, or promote wellbeing. Results are mixed. This outcome is due in part to the ways different kinds of humor may function in different circumstances for different individuals. Few studies have analyzed directly how humor may function in circumstances where it is generated in a natural context that is potentially threatening to highly relevant personal values. The family caregiving context provides a setting for generating narratives about how individuals cope with such circumstances. This study analyzes six caregiver narratives in terms of personal problem-solving processes and emotion regulation under conditions of chronic stress. This study addresses how caregiver-humor may function in this context. These caregivers exhibited and reported a variety of non-humorous coping strategies such as problem-solving to change aspects of the situation where appropriate. They evaluated and changed thoughts, feelings, and attitudes to develop new meaning, to find benefits, and to develop more integrated frames of reference for meeting caregiving challenges. Caregiver humor was embedded in this natural problem-solving process. This study extends support for the contentions from prior research and theory that humor can, under certain conditions, support stress relief and the development of attitudes that are conducive to promoting increased well-being in situations that seriously challenge or threaten valued outcomes. The personal experience narratives of these participants provide evidence that supports many humor theories and extends the range of their application. Participants utilized humor in ways that confront and to some extent resolve the incongruities of caregiving by regulating emotion and motivation, and by celebrating mastery and adaptation to life's challenges. The data support the proposition that, specifically, humor may diminish the impact of negative affect, and boost the motive power of positive affect in problem-solving processes.Item Family of origin variables as predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder(Texas Tech University, 1987-12) Menger, Matt JThe postwar maladjustment symptoms manifested by the Vietnam veterans include insomnia, depression, nightmares, flashbacks, startle reactions, intrusive combat memories, and excessive guilt in acute, chronic or cyclical patterns. The American Psychiatric Association has established a diagnostic category, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to describe the major presenting problem for combat-stressed Vietnam veterans. The research question under investigation was why some Vietnam combat veterans experienced PTSD and others did not. Emphasis was on the predispositiona1 aspect, specifically the veteran's family of origin. Under consideration was whether the veteran's childhood familial experiences influenced his subsequent experience of combat-related stress. If so, what factors predisposed or placed him at risk for PTSD. Data supported a significant relationship between PTSD and family of origin stability. Veterans experiencing PTSD came from generally unstable families Family of origin autonomy and intimacy were not significant. Empirical data failed to link these variables to PTSD symptoms. The period of the war in which the veteran saw combat did not prove to be a discriminating factor in PTSD. Similarly, branch of service (Army or Marines) also was a non-discriminating factor. Rank, however, was a discriminator with two-thirds of the PTSD veterans in this study being non-rated military. Empirical findings supported the premise that a combat veteran's family of origin experiences, specifically family stability and socioeconomic conditions, correlated with his predisposition to experience PTSD symptoms. Data failed to support the residual stress theory. Theoretical and clinical implications of the study are discussed.Item Predictors of marital adjustment in the initial stage of marriage(Texas Tech University, 1986-05) Beard, Linda M FThe purpose of the study was to identify predictors of marital adjustment in the initial stage of marriage. The initial stage of marriage was conceptualized from a family stress perspective as a normative transition, a predictable experience of change and stress requiring adjustment and adaptation. The Double ABCX Model, derived from family stress theory, was used to identify variables that were hypothesized to be related to marital adjustment: pile-up of life events stresses occurring in the initial stage of marriage, personal resources of gender role orientation and gender role attitudes, and effective coping patterns used by individuals during the initial stage of marriage. Findings of the study were based upon a sample of 132 respondents, 67 males and 65 females, married 1 to 48 months with no children. As predicted, there were no gender differences in marital adjustment, and the sample of young married respondents indicated fairly high scores on the measure of marital adjustment. Effective coping patterns identified by the sample included Get Help, which involved using helpful services and activities. Religion, which focused on having faith, and Relate, which emphasized doing things with relatives. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine relationships of variables hypothesized to be predictors of marital adjustment during the initial stage of marriage. None of the variables, including pile-up of life stressors, gender role resources, the coping patterns (Get Help, Religion, and Relate), and length of time married, was related significantly to marital adjustment. Additional analyses were undertaken to explore the relationship of other variables to marital adjustment. Religiosity, length of time married, income, proximity to parents, and personal well-being were not related to marital adjustment for either husbands or wives. The use of balanced coping strategies and greater personal stress were associated with marital adjustment for males. The results suggest that even though marital adjustment is similarly high for males and females in the initial stage of marriage, different factors make the marital experience unique for males and females.Item The relationship of psychological variables and physiological reactivity to psychological stress in coronary artery disease patients(2005) Dematatis, Anna Priscilla; McCarthy, Christopher J.Item Sources of stress, coping, and perceived controllability among Mexican and American tennis players: a cross-cultural investigation(Texas Tech University, 2000-05) Puente, RogelioBased on suggestions from previous related Uterature (e.g., Anshel, 1997; Gould, 1996), the coping styles between Mexican and American tennis players were compared in this study. This investigation also assessed the relationship between coping styles and perceived controllability of the stressful situation. Specifically, the purpose of the present investigation was to examine of coping differences in response to acute stress as a function of culture and gender and to examine the relationship between coping styles and perceived controllability of the stressful situation among Mexican and American tennis players.Item Stress and noise-induced hearing loss among industrial workers(Texas Tech University, 1980-05) Nader, Carol AnneNot availableItem Systemic effects of trauma: a quantitative study of individual and relational post-traumatic stress(Texas Tech University, 1998-08) Nelson, Briana S.Traumatic events affect not only the individual, but also people who have significant relationships with the traumatized individual e.g., spouses, partners, children). In the current literature, the systemic effects of trauma have received limited clinical and empirical attention. To address the impact of traumatic experiences on the couple relationship, particularly individual stress and trauma symptoms, secondary trauma symptoms, relationship satisfaction, and couple interaction patterns, comparisons were conducted between three clinical groups: veteran couples (n = 17), childhood sexual abuse survivor couples (n = 17), and a control group of couples in therapy with no reported history of war-trauma or childhood sexual abuse trauma (n = 17). In this study, there were more general stress symptoms, more trauma symptoms, and more types of trauma experienced in trauma survivors, particularly veterans. Also, partners of trauma survivors reported higher levels of individual stress symptoms and secondary traumatic stress symptoms, particularly the partners of war-traumatized veterans. These results support the need for further empirical and clinical exploration of the individual and secondary effects of traumatic events. The results from the measures of relationship impairment indicate conflicting conclusions. Although it was expected that trauma survivors would report more relationship impairment than the clinical control couples, these results were not statistically supported. Finally, the effects of both partners having a history of trauma was addressed in the research. Although the sample of dual trauma couples was small and limited to veteran-childhood sexual abuse couples, there were significant results for the general stress and trauma symptoms; however, these results were the converse of what was expected. Veterans in the veteranchildhood sexual abuse couples reported significantly lower BSI and PPTSD-R scores than the other veterans. The relational measures did not produce consistently significant results. These results suggest potential dynamics that occur in dual trauma couples that necessitate further exploration. In general, the results of this study provide support for the negative impact of trauma on the individual and moderate support for the impact of this trauma on the spouse/partner. Future research should compare clinical and nonclinical samples and expand the definition of trauma to include analyses based on number and types of traumatic events.Item The disclosure of stressful family events to siblings(Texas Tech University, 2001-08) Beach, John WTo investigate the disclosure of stressful family events, particularly within the sibling relationship, undergraduate students in a major university in the Southwestern United States were administered a questionnaire that included the Stressful Family Events Survey and the Social Support Functions Inventory (Munsch & BIyth. 1993). The process of disclosing is viewed here as an important element of social support and is considered within the framework of the Double ABCX Model of family adjustment and adaptation (McCubbin & Patterson, 1983). This model describes the impact of family stressors as a process whereby a family experiences a pile-up of stressors and strains (aA Factor), attempts to react to the situation using existing and new resources (bB Factor), gives meaning to the total crisis situation (cC Factor), and attempts to adapt and maintain a sense of balance (xX Factor) in the family. Surprisingly, while a substantial number of participants went to siblings for support in dealing with stressful family events (56% of males and 64% of females), a substantial number did not (44% and 36%, respectively). Gender was not found to impact the number of siblings participants disclosed to. Younger siblings were more likely to go to older siblings for support in dealing with stressful events. In terms of the configuration of sibling support networks, sister pairs outnumbered mixed gender pairs and brother pairs. Siblings were found, in general, to provide few unique specific forms of support when compared to parents, non-parental adults, and peers. The implications of this study and directions for future research arc also discussed.Item The effect of communal orientation, type of help, and equity on relationship satisfaction and well being in social networks(Texas Tech University, 1997-12) Thornton, S. PatrickNinety participants pre-selected as high or low on the Communal Orientation Scale (Clark, Ouellette, Powell, & Milberg, 1987) recorded 12,934 total instances (TI) of help. Prompted by 40 examples of help, participants recalled instances of help that occurred in the previous month and identified the social network members involved in giving or receiving in each instance. TI was calculated at the social network level as the sum of instances involving all network members and all types of help. Exploratory analyses examined the effect communality at the level of the network and within 13 help and relationship classifications. Results uncorrected for family-wise error rate showed that participants low in communality differed from those high in communality by reporting: (a) more TI involving family members, and casual and substantial personal assistance involving family members; (b) more TI received from family members and more substantial assistance received from family members; (c) giving casual assistance to a greater number of family members; (d) the perception that emotional assistance provided to friends was more spontaneous (e) the belief that emergency assistance provided by friends was given more spontaneously; (f) the perception that most types of help involving most types of relationships both given and received was less important; and (g) a lower level of relationship satisfaction across the network and involving friends and family. The pattern of results is discussed in relation to Nadler and Fisher's (1982) cluster of recipient defensive reactions.Item The effect of event rate on sustained attention and stress states in a simultaneous vigilance task paradigm(Texas Tech University, 2002-05) Bush, Jason MSee, Howe, Warm, and Dember (1995) performed a meta-analysis on previous studies of vigilance. Their results suggested that manipulating the following variables produced sensory decrements in vigilance tasks: discrimination task type (simultaneous versus successive), event rate (low versus high), and stimulus type (sensory versus cognitive). The aim of the present study was to examine one of these variables, namely event rate. Specifically, the study assessed the effects of varying levels of event rate on vigilance performance using a sensory simultaneous vigilance task paradigm. A further aim of the study was to understand the effects of task demands on vigilance performance. Resource theory contends that performance on vigilance tasks decreases as task demands increase; and that attentional resources are drained under high task demand conditions (Wickens, 1984). In contrast, Hancock and Warm (1989) argued that levels of both low and high task demands can have a negative impact on performance, resulting in conditions of underload and overload, respectively. Our results suggest that observers experience conditions of overload as task demands (i.e., event rate) increase. Observers, however, did not experience conditions of underload as task demands (i.e., event rate) decreased. These results are consistent with Resource Theory (Wickens, 1984) rather than the Adaptation Model (Hancock & Warm, 1989). Additional results are discussed in relation to the See et al. (1995) meta-analysis and the effect of event rate on stress states. Such results have both theoretical and practical implications.Item The effects of life change events on athletic injuries in college women(Texas Tech University, 1984-08) Strutz, Marcia LynneNot availableItem The Effects of Self-Perception and Locus of Control on Coping Behavior: A Study of Caregivers of Alzheimer's Patients(Texas Tech University, 1985-05) Slack, Donna MarieNot Available.Item The family process of divorce(Texas Tech University, 1985-05) Plummer, LeoneThe purpose of the study was to examine family stress variables which had previously received little attention in the divorce adjustment literature: pile-up of stressors, role flexibility, family rules permitting emotional expression, and illness anxiety. A second purpose of this study was to examine these variables from a family stress theoretical perspective. The findings of this study were based upon recently divorced and separated individuals selected from court records in Potter, Randall, and Lubbock counties of the Texas Panhandle. The sample consisted of 90 respondents, 27 males and 63 females. Subjects completed the following questionnaires: the Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes, to determine the number of pile-up of stressors; the Family Adaptation to Medical Stressors, to determine the degree of role flexibility, the number of family rules prohibiting emotional expression, and the amount of illness anxiety; and the Fisher Divorce Adjustment Scale, to determine the level of divorce adjustment. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses. The findings supported the hypotheses that the number of pile-up of stressors and the amount of illness anxiety contributed significantly to the explanation of divorce adjustment for the male respondents. An unexpected finding in this study was that, for men, family rules prohibiting emotional expression were directly related to divorce adjustment. However, none of the variables in the study were significantly related to divorce adjustment for the female respondents.Item The impact of life stress on maternal parenting competence(Texas Tech University, 1995-05) Springer, Nicole P.Not availableItem The modification of psychophysiological responses to stress in piano performance(Texas Tech University, 1984-12) Whitaker, Charlotte SibleyNot available