TY  - BOOK
TI  - Gender differences in stress management of nursing students in Olivarez College-Tagaytay
PY  - 2011///
CY  - Tagaytay : 
PB  - Olivarez College
KW  - Sex differences (Psychology)
KW  - Stress management
N1  - ABSTRACT 

Title: Gender Differences in Stress Management of Nursing Students in Olivarez College — Tagaytay 

Researchers: Irish Ermitanio 

Kaycee A. Escoses Bianca Grace C. Opo 

Nikka A. Rupido 

Name of Institution:Olivarez CollegeTagaytay 

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing 

Objectives: In general, this study was conducted to examine the gender differences in stress management of nursing students in Olivarez College - Tagaytay. Specifically, the study aimed to: describe the gender distribution of nursing students; identify the sources of stress (stressors) of nursing students; determine the effects of stress to nursing students; identify the coping styles utilized by nursing students during stressful situations; assess whether there is a significant difference in the sources of stress (stressors) of male and female nursing students; assess whether there is a significant difference in the effects of stress to male and female nursing students; and assess whether there is a significant difference in the coping styles utilized during stressful situations of male and female nursing students. 
Methodology: Descriptive research design was utilized in this study. Descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentage, weighted mean and standard deviation were used to present the descriptive variables while t-test was used to answer the hypotheses of this study. 
Findings: . Results showed that majority of the respondents were female. Less than 30 percent of the respondents were male. 
Nursing students most “often” experienced stress from high parental expectations, frequency of examinations and performance in examinations. However, On the other hand, nursing students were “seldom” affected by separation or breakup with boyfriend/girlfriend, working while attending school, living conditions in dormitory or boarding house and adjustment with roommate/s. 

With regards to the effects of stress to nursing students “increased or decreased appetite” was most “often” experienced by the nursing students as the most common physical / body effect of stress while feeling jumpy or tired all the time,an organized athletic team” when dealing with stress. Exercising and playing on an organized athletic team were more frequently utilized by male nursing respondents when dealing with stress than female nursing respondents. Likewise, significant differences existed between male and female nursing students in terms of utilizing the following coping styles during stressful situations: 1) using meditation or reflection time; 2) getting away from the school environment; 3) taking part in individual sports/ recreation; and 4) engaging in activities relating to fine arts. Results showed that using meditation or reflection time, getting away from the school environment, taking part in individual sports/ recreation and engaging in activities relating to fine arts were more frequently practiced by male than female nursing students during stressful situations. 

Conclusions: 

In the light of the significant findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: 

1. A typical nursing student in Olivarez College - Tagaytay is female. This indicates that students who take the nursing course are predominantly female. : 
2. Parental expectation was .the most frequent source of stress of nursing students while separation or breakup with boyfriend/girlfriend was the least source of stress among nursing students. This shows that parents impose deal of stress to nursing students most especially in succeeding with their nursing course. . Increased or decreased appetite was the most common body effect of stress to nursing students while feeling jumpy or tired all the time, feelings of frustration and yelling and finding it hard to focus on tasks were the most prevalent effects of stress on thoughts and emotions. On the other hand, the effects of stress on behavior are very minimal suggesting that nursing students were able to control their behavior even during stressful situations. . With regards to gender difference in the sources of stress, evidence suggests that lack of time for recreation and non-availability of adequate learning materials are major stressors of male nursing students than female nursing students. This would mean that male nursing students give high importance in allotting time for recreation and availability of adequate learning materials than female nursing students. . Male nursing students exhibit more frequent urination than female nursing students during stressful situations. This means that frequent urination was more apparent to male than to female nursing students as a consequence of stress. . Several coping styles used during stressful situations differed significantly between male and female nursing students. Exercising and playing on an organized athletic team are more frequently employed by male than female nursing students when dealing with stress. Likewise, using meditation or reflection time, getting away from the school environment, taking part in individual sports/ recreation and engaging in activities relating to fine arts are more frequently practiced by male than female nursing students during stressful situations. Thus, evidence indicates that exercising andor participation in sports or physical activities, artistic pursuits and meditation/reflection are more frequently utilized by male nursing students than female nursing students during stressful situations. 7. As awhole, findings purport to the existence of gender differences in stress management of BS Nursing students of Olivarez College-Tagaytay. Male nursing students manage their stress differently from female nursing students as evidenced by the major findings of this study. 

Recommendations: Since high parental expectation is the highest source of stress, parents of nursing students need to explore strategies to improve the parent-child relationship. Parents need to develop trusting, supportive relationships with their children to 
enhance the student's academic progress, self-esteem and feelings of competence. Nursing faculty, in collaboration with the College of Nursing, should implement comprehensive stress management programs during student's freshman year until graduation. These programs should emphasize study skills, time management, healthy lifestyles and effective coping styles. Faculty should attempt to coordinate assignments and examinations so that due dates can be staggered. Many students expressed this as sources of stress, 

Female nursing students should engage more in positive coping styles when dealing with stress similar to male nursing students. It was found out that exercising and/or participation in sports or physical activities, artistic pursuits and meditation/reflection time are more frequently utilized by male nursing than female nursing students. Hence, female nursing students should be encouraged to similar adaptive coping styles. 

Future researches should be replicated in other campuses of Olivarez College or nursing schools in Cavite for the population to be larger and more diverse to improve the generalizability of the findings. Additional research should be conducted on the effect of parental expectations on stress which nursing students identify as major source of stress. This research should be expanded using students in other allied health courses such as medicine, physical therapy, medical technology or psychology to lend empirical support to the findings of this study

ER  -