“Impact of Stress in the Academic

Performance of Nursing

Students of Trinity

University of Asia”

A Research Paper

Presented to Mrs. Sarao

in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements

in English 102

Kevin H. Milanes

February 2010
I. Introduction
II. Brief Background
1. History
2. Definition
III. Causes of stress
1. Academics
2. Dating
3. Environment
4. Extracurricular
5. Peers
6. Workload
7. Time management
8. Parental Pressure
IV. Indicators of Stress
1. Mental
2. Physical and Behavioral
V. Effect of Stress
VI. Solution to Stress
VII. Conclusion
I. Introduction

The stress response of the body is somewhat like an airplane readying for take-off. Virtually all systems
(the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs,
and brain) are modified to meet the perceived danger.

External and Internal Stressors

People can experience either external or internal stressors.

 External stressors include adverse physical conditions (such as pain or hot or cold
temperatures) or stressful psychological environments (such as poor working conditions
or abusive relationships). Humans, like animals, can experience external stressors.
 Internal stressors can also be physical (infections, inflammation) or psychological. An
example of an internal psychological stressor is intense worry about a harmful event
that may or may not occur. As far as anyone can tell, internal psychological stressors are
rare or absent in most animals except humans.

Acute or Chronic Stress

Stressors can also be defined as short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic).

Acute Stress. Acute stress is the reaction to an immediate threat, commonly known as the fight
or flight response. The threat can be any situation that is experienced, even subconsciously or
falsely, as a danger.

Common acute stressors include:

 Noise (which can trigger a stress response even during sleep).

 Crowding.
 Isolation.
 Hunger.
 Danger.
 Infection.
 High technology effects (playing video games, frequently ringing mobile phones).
 Imagining a threat or remembering a dangerous event.

Under most circumstances, once the acute threat has passed, the response becomes
inactivated and levels of stress hormones return to normal, a condition called the relaxation
response.

Chronic Stress. Frequently, however, modern life poses on-going stressful situations that are
not short-lived and the urge to act (to fight or to flee) must be suppressed. Stress, then,
becomes chronic. Common chronic stressors include:
  On-going highly pressured work.
 Long-term relationship problems.
 Loneliness.
 Persistent financial worries.

II. Brief Background

1. History

A key to the understanding of the negative aspects of stress is the concept of milieu
interieur (the internal environment of the body), which was first advanced by the great French
physiologist Claude Bernard. In this concept, he described the principles of dynamic
equilibrium. In dynamic equilibrium, constancy, a steady state (situation) in the internal bodily
environment, is essential to survival. Therefore, external changes in the environment or
external forces that change the internal balance must be reacted to and compensated for if the
organism is to survive. Examples of such external forces include temperature, oxygen
concentration in the air, the expenditure of energy, and the presence of predators. In addition,
diseases were also stressors that threatened the constancy of the milieu interieur.

The great neurologist Walter Cannon coined the term homeostasis to further define the
dynamic equilibrium that Bernard had described. He also was the first to recognize that
stressors could be emotional as well as physical. Through his experiments, he demonstrated the
"fight or flight" response that man and other animals share when threatened. Further, Cannon
traced these reactions to the release of powerful neurotransmitters from a part of the adrenal
gland, the medulla. (Neurotransmitters are the body's chemicals that carry messages to and
from the nerves.) The adrenal medulla secretes two neurotransmitters, epinephrine (also called
adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), in the response to stress. The release of these
neurotransmitters leads to the physiologic effects seen in the fight or flight response, for
example, a rapid heart rate, increased alertness, etc.

Hans Selye, another early scientist who studied stress, extended Cannon's observations. He
included, as part of the body's stress response system, the pituitary gland, a small gland at the
base of the brain. He described the control by this gland of the secretion of hormones (for
example, cortisol) that are important in the physiological response to stress by the other part of
the adrenal gland known as the cortex. Additionally, Selye actually introduced the term stress
from physics and engineering and defined it as "mutual actions of forces that take place across
any section of the body, physical or psychological."

In his experiments, Selye induced stress in rats in a variety of ways. He found typical and
constant psychological and physical responses to the adverse situations that were imposed on
the rats. In rats exposed to constant stress, he observed enlargement of the adrenal glands,
gastrointestinal ulcers, and a wasting away (atrophy) of the immune (defense) system. He
called these responses to stress the general adaptation (adjustment) or stress syndrome. He
discovered that these processes, which were adaptive (healthy, appropriate adjustment) and
normal for the organism in warding off stress, could become much like illnesses. That is, the
adaptive processes, if they were excessive, could damage the body. Here then is the beginning
of an understanding of why stress, really overstress, can be harmful, and why the word stress
has earned such a bad name.

2. Definition

Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the
outside world. Common stress reactions include tension, irritability, inability to concentrate,
and a variety of physical symptoms that include headache and a fast heartbeat.

It's almost impossible to live without some stress. And most of us wouldn't want to, because it
gives life some spice and excitement. But if stress gets out of control, it may harm your health,
your relationships, and your enjoyment of life.

Examples of "overload" situations are common in today's world:

 You and your spouse both work full time while you are raising your family. At the same
time, your parents are retired, in ill health, and are dependent on your help with
shopping and running errands.
 You are a single person living alone, and your salary isn't rising as fast as the rate of
inflation. It's getting harder each month to pay the bills.
 You are a divorced parent and share the custody of your children with your former
spouse. But the friction between the two of you on matters concerning the children is
becoming more bitter and more frequent.
 The expectations and competition at your workplace is becoming fierce. You find
yourself coming in early, staying late, and taking on more work than you can handle.

III. Causes of Stress

1. Academics

Alphabetically first among the causes of stress on students is academic pressure. Simply tackling
more difficult assignments can demand stress management techniques. It might be wise for
teachers to introduce students to this stress with an assignment such as a “Causes of Stress on
Students Essay”. Requiring students to interview older students and educators, as well as
research the Internet on the subject, could help them prepare for the stresses of academic
challenges.
2. Dating

Student life throughout high school and college is filled with thinking about dating, dating, trying
to date, failing to date, and being “dumped” . The mating game is filled with eustress, but it
also involves distress, and is among the greatest causes of stress on students.

3. Environment

The school environment itself can be a cause of stress on students. Students moving into
secondary education find it challenging to constantly move around to classes. Those
matriculating to tertiary education are challenged with leaving home and establishing a new life
in a new setting. Both can cause stress on students.

4. Extracurricular

Colleges pressure high school students to engage in extracurricular activities such as choirs,
clubs, sports, band, or volunteer work. The presence of these on a student application can go far
toward acceptance. Once in college, extracurricular activities still cause stress on students, since
their presence on a job application is also an asset.

5. Peers

Like dating, peer relationships can provide eustress or distress. As peers apply pressure in regard
to dress, behavior, choice of friends or music, and many other areas of life, that pressure can
become a huge cause of stress on students.

6. Workload

High school workloads, and later college workloads, are heavy for many students. For secondary
students planning on tertiary studies, high school grades are important. So is the number of
subjects. As a result, students may overload their schedules. In college, where a financial
investment has been made, students may overwork to reach their goals and benefit from the
money spent. Workloads at either level are causes of stress on students.

7. Time Management

A lack of time management also causes stress on students, whether secondary or tertiary.
Balancing academics, dating, peer activities, and home life can be difficult. Toss in a part-time
job, and the challenge increases.

8. Parental Pressure

Finally, students at either level experience stress from parental pressures. Parents want their
children to succeed in school. They want to see good grades, but they also want to see success
in life’s other areas. In their attempts to guide their children, parents can become one of the
major causes of stress on students.
IV. Indicators of Stress

1. Mental

1. Problems with memory

2. Inability to concentrate
3. Poor judgment
4. Racing thoughts
5. Moodiness
6. Agitation
7. Irritability
8. Sense of isolation/loneliness
9. Constant worrying
10. Viewing everything as negative
11. Restlessness
12. Quick temper
13. Sense of being overwhelmed
14. General unhappiness
15. Loss of objectivity
16. Always being fearful
17. Anxiousness
18. Indecisiveness
19. Inability to relax
20. Feeling on edge

2. Physical and Behavioral

1. Headache
2. Muscle tension
3. Nausea
4. Insomnia
5. Acne breakout
6. Diarrhea or constipation
7. Loss of sex drive
8. Frequently being sick
9. Dizziness
10. Weight gain or loss
11. Change in appetite
12. Procrastination and neglect
13. Alcohol, tobacco, or drug use
14. Nail biting or pacing
15. Excessive spending
 16. Tooth grinding
17. Excessive exercise
18. Overreactions
19. Sleeping too much or too little
20. Starting fights

V. Effect of Stress

Stress can have an impact on a student’s academic performance. Knowing that, is there is a
correlation between a student’s amount of perceived stress in a given semester and that same
semester’s GPA? Twenty-five college students participated in the study. The students were
asked to complete a survey, including the perceived stress scale. Along with this test the
students were asked to complete a demographic data sheet, that asked questions such as age
and gender, and also their classes and grades the prior semester. Finally the students were
asked to read a list of possible stress factors, for example not getting enough sleep, and rank
them in order of importance. The present study was unable to find a correlation between the
score on the perceived stress scale, and GPA. Still the stress factors that most contributed to
the student’s GPA, mainly sleep and social, activities were consistent with other research. A
much larger survey would need to be conducted in order to provide an appropriate sample size.

VI. Solution to Stress

Stress is necessary to challenge students to learn. Approaches are needed that reduce the
negative aspects of stress (distress) which lessen students' learning and performance. The key
to reducing distress is providing students with a feeling of control over their education,
information about what to expect, and feedback regarding what can be done to improve their
performance. Students who do not feel helpless will adopt their own coping strategies.

Reactive coping, that is, dealing with one's own thoughts and feelings, can be facilitated by
accessible professional and peer counseling, student support groups, and adequate faculty
advising. Active coping, that is, dealing with the actual stressful situations or events, can be
strengthened by providing students with early success.

Good teaching cannot be overestimated as a key to preventing and minimizing distress among
students. Of course, faculty may not be good teachers if they are themselves stressed and if
they feel unrewarded for good teaching. How to reduce stress among faculty and reward good
teaching are questions for further study.
VII. Conclusion

Everyday life can get the best of us sometimes. The hustle and bustle, frustrations, and
decisions of this world are to credit for the discouragement of many people in America. The
result of all the frustration and chaos is stress. “Stress is the arousal of your mind and body in
response to the demands of life” (Grayson, 80). A lot of people are consumed with stress more
and more each day. Stress effects all ages but the causes vary with different age groups. College
students have many sources of stress.   The most common of college student’s stress comes
from school, jobs, and parents. They seem to have it coming from all directions.
School contributes to a lot of college students’ stress. College is a whole different ball game
then high school.   College demands more responsibilities then the student probably thought
was possible.   College’s put the stress on students to do everything their selves. They have to
keep up with their assignments, grades, and future classes they will need to take. Counselors
don’t have time to work with each student one-on-one and give them a tentative semester by
semester guideline for upcoming classes that need to get done. It becomes the student’s
responsibility. Picking classes is stressful because they have been guided all these years on what
classes they need and now they are on their own. It becomes difficult to find time to research
majors and really know what needs to be taken.
Professors add to this school stress. Most of them don’t care what other classes you have, they
just continue to pile on the homework. This causes students’ to become so overloaded with
deadlines. “There are particularly stressful periods when the students have to complete papers
or cram for exams.” (Whittle) They don’t except late assignments so deadlines are important in
college. Either you do it your work or you don’t. I am sure there are many other things that
cause stress. If you take the same guideline, you can handle just about anything. Simply try to
do a little problem solving and find a reasonable solution to your problem. Remember that
stress will solve nothing. Relax. Tell yourself that you cannot control everything around you.
Sometimes we just have to be a little more tolerable as long as we are in no physical danger.