Stress: causes and effects

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Psychology is one of the most dynamic studies in academia. Generally, psychology is concerned with the study of human behavior in the environment, factors that influence behavior change and other behavior determinants. Psychology involves research activities because it is concerned with finding out.

There are several research methods that are used in psychology to assist in the explanation of different behaviors among human beings. Research methods used in psychology use different methods of data collection, sampling and analysis process. Basically, the different techniques used determines the respective methods used in psychological research.

There are different methods due to diverse needs in research. Furthermore, the methods used also depend on whether they are used to collect qualitative or quantitative data. There are two major types of psychological research, for instance, qualitative and quantitative psychological research.

However, these are further subdivided into correlational, descriptive and experimental research methods. This study report highlights the causes and effects of stress using qualitative psychological research method. Furthermore, the report discusses the research methods and their applicability in psychology.

Psychology is a challenging field of study. This is due to the research methods used in the process of analyzing and finding solutions to the global psychological challenges and problems. Considering the analysis and study of the research methods, I decided to use the qualitative psychology research method.

This is one of the commonly used research methods because it’s easy to understand and implement (Fossey, Harvey, McDermott, & Davidson 2002). Furthermore, the methods used in the data collection and analysis are easy to learn hence increases the chances of drawing reliable and realistic conclusions. Research is conducted in psychology to provide solutions to the social problems that can be solved psychologically.

Before designing the research, I will have to fully understand the concepts used in qualitative psychology research method. Generally, qualitative research findings are naturalistic. This method enables researchers to understand behavior in a natural setup.

Qualitative psychology research uses data collection methods such as interviews and questionnaires among others. My main aim is to report on a study using qualitative psychology research, and I will use a questionnaire to collect data that I will use for analysis and determination of results thereafter (Nesbit & Hadwin 2006).

Stress is a state of instability mentally. This is one of the most common psychological challenges that several people face around the globe. There are different factors that are believed to cause stress and their effects on individuals.

However, these factors differ based on the environment where individuals operate or conduct their daily activities (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein, 1983). Stress may affect an individual negatively, which will be discussed in this report.

Methodology

The research method that I have decided to use for the study is the qualitative research method in psychology. There are different methods of data collection used in qualitative research process.

However, I will use a questionnaire to collect data that I will use in the study. Using questionnaires is advantageous because it enables a researcher to collect reliable information that can be used in analysis and drawing of realistic and reliable conclusions. I will design an open ended questionnaire based on the research topic, which is ‘what are the causes and effects of stress’ (Butler 2006).

Generally, the questionnaire will also have multiple choice questions. The multiple choice questions will test the ability of the respondents to determine the effects and causes of stress based on the presented information.

On the other hand, open ended questions will be used to give the respondents the opportunity to provide extensive and detailed information on the causes and effects of stress, and their individual experience (Lincoln & Guba 2003).

The questionnaires will be distributed to individuals in different areas. The research will target students and professionals. This is aimed at analyzing the causes and effects of stress in a working environment and learning institutions. Questionnaires will be distributed to students from different learning institutions and individual professionals from different companies producing different goods and offering different services.

The target groups are students and professionals because stress is common in learning institutions and working environments. Moreover, there are different causes and effects of stress on students and practicing professionals in different working environments (Leech & Onwuegbuzie 2007).

The questionnaires will enable me to determine the most common causes of stress among students. Furthermore, the questionnaire will enable me to determine causes of stress among working individuals and individuals despite their employment status.

Furthermore, it will enable me to discuss and highlight the most common causes of stress and their effects on the development and execution of duties and responsibilities in the workplace and at the family level. The questionnaires will be distributed to students in three higher learning institutions around my school, and other institutions in different industries. In schools, the questionnaires will be distributed to students and staff.

This will enable me to receive responses from students in different learning environments and professionals working under different conditions. Generally, this will enable me to collect diverse data, which will enable the presentation of reliable and realistic conclusions.

600 questionnaires will be supplied to cover for any responses that might not be received within the specified time for data collection. I intend to collect data within 30 days and targets 450 respondents. This is the sample size that I will use for my analysis (Fossey, Harvey, McDermott, & Davidson 2002).

Data analysis

The questionnaire will be used in the analysis of data. The questions contained in the questionnaire addresses several the research questions. However, conclusions will be based on the responses received.

After receiving the expected number of responses, I will summarize the responses on the questionnaires based on the area of data collection, for instance, per institution where the questionnaires were supplied and other companies or organizations from other industries. Thereafter, I will generalize the summary as per different categories, for instance, learners and practicing professionals.

This will give me an easy time of presenting findings based on the views and preferences of students and practicing individuals. It will also enable me to determine the causes and effects of stress among students and individuals in the job market (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein 1983).

Results

Stress is a psychological problem that affects the normal operation of individuals. Individuals may be stressed due to several reasons irrespective of where they work, study or live. Stress is part of human life, which must be managed to promote quality living. It is perceived that employed individuals are prone to stress that the unemployed individuals.

However, after extensive research on the causes and effects of stress, I came to realize that any individual can be stressed due to different reasons. Although there are several causes of stress, there are five major causes that were pointed out as a cause of stress by most respondents.

The most common causes of stress according to most respondents are workplace stress or tension, financial problems, health, personal relationships and irritants. Furthermore, most respondents reported that the effects of stress are mental instability, headache, lack of motivation and poor performance.

According to the data obtained, 80% of employees perform poorly because of stress, while 70% of students are not able to accomplish their academic goals due to stress.

Furthermore, 65% of stress among students is caused by financial strain, personal relationships, irritants and poor health. 73% of the respondents in the working environment are stressed due to financial problems, personal relationships, irritants, tension in the workplace and poor health status.

Discussion

Stress is a psychological challenge that can be caused by different factors in the global environment. Learners and working individuals may be stressed due to several reasons. It is believed that stress is caused by external factors and individual attitude and perceptions.

Stress has compromised the quality of life because it leads to adverse health effects such as coronary heart attack and respiratory diseases among others. There are several causes of stress according to this study. However, there are five common or major causes of stress according to responses received (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein, 1983).

Financial problems

Individuals require money to acquire several products or goods. Furthermore, money is essential in accessing different services in the global environment. Money is a basic need because it is used in the acquisition of basic needs. Financial problems such as debts and inability to acquire or afford basic needs may cause stress. This is a problem that working individuals and students face.

Basically, employed individuals are expected to provide fullness to their families and ensure they are comfortable (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein 1983). This is not possible in case an individual is faced with need to cut down on expenditures due to the increasing cost of education, payment of credits and high cost of health services.

This may also stress the family of the respective person, especially students because they might not be able to afford their basic needs in school due to limited funding support from their parents or guardians facing the same situation (Tennant, et al. 2007).

Considering the number of respondents who identified financial problems as a cause of stress, it is true that financial problems or strain may be the major cause of stress among individuals.

Workplace stress

There are several factors that may cause stress at the workplace. Workplace stress is also caused by tension due to several reasons, for instance, anticipation of promotion, retrenchment, demotion and termination of employment among others. Uncertainties in the workplace may lead to stress. Junior employees may also be stressed incase they are working under strict bosses or those who bully them among others.

Change is part of business operation. Change introduction in an organization may affect individual employees positively or negatively. Employees are stressed in case an organization where they work plans to introduce changes that might cause them the position or lead to demotion. This has led to change resistance among employees in an organization.

However, whether employees resist change or not, it must be implemented according to the strategies of the respective organization (Tennant, et al. 2007). This stresses several employees and affects their way of life.

Organizations are divided into departments; individual departments are assigned specific objectives or goals that should be achieved within a specific time to aid in the achievements of the overall goals and objectives of the respective organization. Employees must be determined to achieve these goals because failure may render them incompetent, and lead to demotion or termination of employment.

This leads to tension because most objectives have strict deadlines. Employees work to achieve the stated goals and any sign that shows inability to achieve the set goals and objectives within the stated deadline cause stress at the workplace (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein 1983).

Personal relationships

Personal relationships may also be a source of stress although it is a source of comfort. Personal relations include parents, children, relatives and spouses. Studies of children may cause stress to their parents because they have to provide finances despite the high cost of living and education. The number of children seeking education may also determine the intensity of stress.

Sickness of a family member, spouse or relative may also cause stress because they require finances to access medical services (Tennant, et al. 2007). Furthermore, high dependence from relatives may also cause stress because individuals have to balance between the relatives’ needs and their family and personal needs, which require financing.

Personal relationships may also cause stress to students due to instable relationships. Currently, several students are engaging in affairs, which might cause them stress due to the unstable nature of most relationships of students. Moreover, infidelity in the family or relationship may also cause stress in case an individual is not able to handle it or encourage his or her partner to be faithful (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein 1983).

Health

Health is a major concern for several people. Leading a healthy life requires finances, for instance, controlling hypertension, losing weight, maintaining good health or gaining weight among others. Individuals are concerned with the status of their health because productiveness requires healthy living.

An individual may not perform if his or her health is poor. Therefore, maintaining healthy lifestyles is a cause of stress to both working individuals and students (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein, 1983).

Irritants

Apart from the cases mentioned and discussed above, other causes are irritants that compromise daily activities. Factors that irritate individuals are commuting to work, balancing education and family life, balancing work and family responsibilities, discussing family challenges, parents meeting on children’s school and lack of relaxation time among others (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein, 1983).

Effects of stress

Stress affects individuals negatively. There are several effects of stress according to the study, for instance, poor health. Stress may lead to poor health because it may lead to contraction of diseases such as hypertension among others.

The poor health may affect performance of employees at the workplace hence lead to demotion or termination of employment. It may also hinder students from achieving their academic goals. Furthermore, stress may lead to instable families and relationships, which lead to breakups, fights and suicides among others (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelestein, 1983).

Conclusion

Stress is a challenge that individuals face, but must continue living. The research has revealed that stress is caused by poor health, workplace stress, irritants, financial problems and personal relationships.

Furthermore, stress may aggravate hypertension and other chronic diseases, lead to marriage or relationship breakups and fights. Stress can also lead to suicide and demotion or termination of employment due to poor performance in the workplace.

List of References

Butler, D. L 2006, Frames of Inquiry in Educational Psychology: Beyond quantitative-Qualitative Divide, Handbook of Educational Psychology, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 903-927.

Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelestein, R 1983, A global Measure of Perceived stress, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, vol. 6 no. 5, pp. 386-396.

Fossey, E., Harvey, C., McDermott, F., & Davidson, L 2002, Understanding and Evaluating qualitative research, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 13 no. 9, pp. 717-732.

Leech, N., & Onwuegbuzie, A 2007, An array of qualitative data analysis tools: A call for data analysis triangulation, School of Psychology Quarterly, vol. 6 no. 4, pp. 557-584.

Lincoln, Y., & Guba, G 2003, Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions, and emerging confluences, Sage Publications, Thousands Oaks.

Nesbit, J. C., & Hadwin, A 2006, Methodological Issues in Educational Psychology, Handbook of educational psychology, vol. 35 no. 7, pp. 825-847.

Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., Platt, S., Joseph, S., Weich, S., et al. 2007, The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): Development and UK validation, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, vol. 3 no. 4, p. 5.

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