"Healthy Adolescents for a Wealthy Nation" Dr. J. Jasmine A study to assess the common factors leading to stress among adolescents in selected schools, Puducherry. A descriptive study was conducted and the objective of the study were to assess the level of stress among adolescent school-children, to identify common factors leading to stress among adolescents and to identify the association between demographic variables and stress. With assumption "Adolescent students will have stress" and the investigator proceeded on with the study. The study was conducted at various Government Higher Secondary Schools in and around Puducherry. Convenience sampling technique was used to obtain sample. The sample comprised of 500 adolescent students from eighth, ninth and tenth standard (boys and girls) of Government Higher Secondary Schools 'during the study period'. " The tool which was used for the study was Modified adolescent adjustment scale. The major findings of the study are many of the students were girls 69.6% (348). Majority of parents were unskilled workers 96.0% (480). 80.0% (400) student's parent income was above 2000 per month. 50.6% (253) of the student belongs rural area and 49.4% (247) were belongs to urban area. The overall stress score among adolescent school children was 58.63%. 56.0% (280) had moderate level of stress. The adolescent students had more stress score in school and teacher related than other aspects of stress i.e., 72.88% and 62.50% respectively. The Feelings of inferior to others was the first factor for stress among adolescent students in general stress i.e., 72.4 % (362) rank one. Parental irritation was the first factor i.e., 68 % (340) and parent's interference with every affair was the second factor for stress in home related stress. In school related stress, 67.2 % (336) students perceived that the school was a burden to them and they belonged to rank one category and 67 % (335) of students did not have sufficient freedom in the class room and they belong to rank two category. Regarding teacher related stress, the first factor on stress was that their teacher did not teach the subject content according to their understanding level i.e., 66.2% (331). Second factor for stress was that their teachers extract lot of other works from them at the school i.e., 61.4% (307). The first factor for stress in peer related stress was that they were not maintaining friendship with their companions. i.e., 74.4 % (372) and the second factor for stress was that they did not like their friends at all i.e., 74.2 % (371). Since, the nurses holding pivotal role in the health-care delivery system, it is needless to say that they can actively take part in alleviating stress of school children and to avoid stress related problems. # stress, factors leading to stress, school children, adolescence. Professor, Con, Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences, Puducherry. e-mail: jas_visu@yahoo.co.in oday's world is highly advanced by means of tremendous development in science, economics, politics, education, technology, etc., and these profoundly influence not only locally but also globally. People started living with maximum facilities, with minimum strain. So life is too mechanical and people are subjected to a high degree of stress that predisposes them to many problems. Young adolescents have greater risk of developing stress due to various factors, because adolescent period is very crucial, since these are the formative years in life of an individual when enormous physical, physiological and psychological changes take place and are marked by changes in behavior, expectations and relationships with both parents and peers. During the early adolescence, the tasks normally accomplished are physical maturation, membership in the peer group and heterosexual relationship. During later adolescence, the tasks include autonomy from parents, sex role identity, morality and choice of career. If these tasks are not achieved and properly resolved, role-confusion results, which may cause problems like mood changes, personality disorders and inability to take on mature roles in society. The adolescent years are associated with numerous biological, psychological, and social changes. The family, school, peers, and other interpersonal domains can all be sources of stress (Compass, 1987). Stressful events encountered by adolescents have been shown to be related to psychological as well as physical problems (Johnson, 1986). It has been suggested that frequent minor stresses, such as daily hassles, may be better predictors of mental and physical difficulties than are major but more infrequent life events, such as the death Background of the Study T problems. Negative stress can become excessive and cumulative. It can build up over time, spanning several different events or problems and become overwhelming to the individual and reach a crisis stage. Such unresolved negative stress can adversely affect individuals both physically and emotionally. It can contribute to serious illness such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and peptic ulcer, in addition to unpleasant feelings of powerlessness, helplessness or fear. In worst cases, unresolved negative stress can lead to dependency, depression or even suicide. Education plays a major role in each individual life. The society also believes that it is an important status and parents want their children be the best. Mostly now-a-days parents have one or two children in their family, and joint family system is also declining while interaction between others is getting minimized. Moreover, the present educational system places emphasis on book reading and the curriculum depends upon only examination for evaluating a student. Other talents/potential/interests of the students are not given much weight age, including extracurricular activities. Government also encourages pre-K.G system of schools where oral and play activities play a major role as the parents expect more. In early stage itself the bitter experiences registered in the mind of the child create an aversion towards studies. Parents make their children to learn more by imposing their own wishes. Parental compulsion and lack of supervision influences a lot in the children, though the students are intelligent enough to get good marks, she/he finds it difficult to concentrate Adults commonly tell young people that the teenage years are the "best years of your life". Adolescence is a sensitive and important phase in an individual's life during which a multidisciplinary approach must be taken to both understanding and solving his/her problems. An estimated 25% of India's population of 138 million is aged 15-25 years. A wide range of issues and concerns face adolescents in India, including nutritional deficiencies, reproductive health problems and stressrelated problems. # a) Statement of the Problem A study to assess the stress among adolescents in selected schools, Puducherry. # b) Objectives 1. To assess the level of stress among adolescent school-children. 2. To identify common factors leading to stress among adolescents. 3. To identify the association between demomographic variables and stress. # c) Hypotheses H 1 : There is a significant impact of demographic variables on stress among adolescent school children. A descriptive and exploratory design was selected. The independent variables used for the study and stress of adolescent students. The setting selected for this study was Government higher secondary schools of Puducherry. The sample consists of 500 adolescent students between the age group between 13 to 17 years, studying from eighth to tenth standard at selected Government Higher Secondary School, Puducherry. Simple random and convenience sampling technique was followed to select the sample. The tool developed for the study are questionnaire for demographic data, questionnaire to assess the level of stress that is adolescent adjustment scale. For this scale, adjustment is defined by the authors as the individual's orientation towards his parents, peers, school and himself in terms of the satisfaction he derives from his interactional relationship with significant other and himself. This scale measures the adjustment of self towards home school, peers, teachers and general matters. It is a scale developed by the Thurtone's method of equal appearing intervals using 190 judges. This scale consists of 40 items: home (9), School (8), teacher (8), peers (8) and general (7). For each area of adjustment a separate score is obtained. The total of 5 scores gives the score of total adjustment. In each subscale the sign should be used while adding the sum at the end. High positive scores indicate high adjustment and high negative scores indicate mild or mal-adjustment. In this study, for the purpose of accuracy the scores. A descriptive study on the assessment of common factor leading to stress among adolescence .Majority of students were in the age group of below13-15 years i.e., 65.0% (325).Gender of students were girls i.e., 69.6% (348).154 (30.8%) students, 37.2% (186) students and 32.0% (160) students were belongs to eighth, ninth and tenth standard respectively. 80.0% (400) of students parents income were unskilled workers. About 80.0% (400) students parents income were > Rs.2000/month.50.6% (253) students belonged to rural area and 49.4% (247) students to urban area. The Feelings of inferior to others was the first factor for stress among adolescent students in general stress i.e., 72.4 % (362) rank one. Parental irritation was the first factor i.e., 68 % (340) and parent's interference with every affair was the second factor for stress in home related stress. In school related stress, 67.2 % (336) students perceived that the school was a burden to them and they belonged to rank one category and 67 % (335) of students did not have sufficient freedom in the class room and they belong to rand two category. Regarding teacher related stress, the first factor on stress was that their teacher did not teach the subject content according to their understanding level i.e., 66.2% (331). Second factor for stress was that their teachers extract lot of other works from them at the school i.e., 61.4% (307). The first factor for stress in peer related stress was that they were not maintaining friendship with their companions. i.e., 74.4 % (372) and the second factor for stress was that they did not like their friends at all i.e., 74.2 % (371). From the nutshell of this study it has been proven that majority of student possess moderate level of stress. Moderate level of stress is eustress which is challenging and it is essential for school going student but when analyzed the factors for stress it shows that the student were highly sensitive to stress. If the adolescent are handled properly by the teachers and parent it paves a way to come out from stress happily. Frequency and percentage of most important factors leading to stress N=500 V. # Conclusion Bibliography ![of a loved one (Kanner, Coyne, Schafer & Lazarus, 1981; DeLongis, Coyne, Dakof, Folkman & Lazrus 1982.) Introduction II.](image-2.png "") Measurement FactorsFrequency (f)(%)RankGENERAL STRESSI feel inferior to others36272.41I like frivolous jokes25050.02I get angry easily22745.43HOME RELATED STRESSMy parents get annoyed with me easily34068.01My parents interfere with me in every affair33667.22My neighbors are not good people SCHOOL-RELATED STRESS The School is burden for me We don't have sufficient freedom in the class330 336 33566.0 67.2 67.03 1 2Year 2015I hesitate to speak before others in the class32965.83TEACHER-RELATED STRESSMy teacher does not make me understand anything properly33166.21The teacher takes lot of work from us in the school30761.42I get frightened in the presence of my teacher26352.63PEER-RELATED STRESSI am not friendly with my companions37274.41I don't like my friends at all37174.22My friends in the school tease me34368.631. Richard E.Behrman.Neleon: TB of pediatrics. 2 nd ed.( H )Prusin Books Pvt. Ltd.; Bangalore: p 10-14.1993.2. Fuller J. 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