ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Stress is common to everyone; however, we differ in how we respond to

our stressors. When we are under or over aroused, we cannot perform our task

at our best. Peak performance is achieved when we are in a state of optimum

arousal. In our every day situation, if we are in control of our thinking, feeling

and action we can reduce the stress and increase our performance. We tend to

think, feel and act in a consistent way in accordance with our own beliefs and

coping strategies. Most of us habitually react to our life events without much

awareness. If we learn to think, feel and act in a helpful, flexible and realistic

way we can reduce stress and can gain something out of our stressful life

events. This programme designed to cultivate coping resources to minimize the

impact and maximize the benefits from our every day stressful events.

OBJECTIVES

1. Identifying present, future stressors and our responses to that stress

2. Providing multiple skills to achieve a sense of mastery over stressors

3. Increase awareness of use of maladaptive ways of coping with stress

4. Build up general personal resources to meet upcoming challenges and

personal growth

5. Identify and use beneficial source of social support

RATIONAL FOR THE PROGRAM

The prevalence of stress is increasing among college students.

Maladaptive coping may lead to adjustment problems and unhealthy outcomes.

The ways in which an individual appraises and cope with the situation are more

important to psychological well-being. Avoidance of coping is not always

helpful in learning situation, confront or appraising a stressors as a challenge

would be beneficial. Stress coping skills prevents stress related problems and

promotes personal growth. Training of certain skills such as problem solving

and social skills would prevent stress and enhance coping skills. In order to

prevent stress related problems it is necessary to improve the competencies of

students, making them more able to cope with whatever difficulties life might

bring. Some of the competencies that seem be related to stress coping skills are

1) anticipate or detect potential stressors and identifying functional,

dysfunctional coping; 2) taking responsibility for one’s behaviour and its

outcome; 3) building satisfying relationship with others; 4) develop effective

cognitive problem solving and decision making skills. Those students who are

unskilled in these areas might experience and avoid stress. Training in these

skills makes them more competent and coping efficiency is maximized.

RESEARCH METHOD

This study adopted quasi-experimental design. Two-group pre-test, post-

test non-equivalent group design was utilized in this study. The training

programme was developed to enhance the following skills: critical thinking,

problem solving, decision-making, communication, interpersonal skills and self-

regulation. The sample of this study comprises of 88 students of two sections

from III year BSc computer science, from Arts and Science College,

Puducherry. Forty-four students were assigned as experimental group, and

forty-four students were assigned as control group. The pre-test was

administered to both groups and homogeneity was established. The control

group did not receive any training whereas the experimental group received

training for 21 days. The post-test was administered to both groups and

effectiveness was assessed.

RESULTS

The finding of the resent study reveals that through intensive training

programme the coping skills can be enhanced significantly. If the students are

provided with the sense of competence through the coping skills training

programs they will become more competent which in turn will help them to

prevent various stress related problems and dysfunctional coping.

KNOW MORE ABOUT STRESS

Aim: 1. To understand the concept of stress

2. To understand their source and existence of stress

3. To understand their reactions to stress

NATURE OF STRESS

1. Stress is inevitable

2. Stress can be positive as well as negative

3. Stress can be harmful to health

4. We can prevent, control and cope up with stress.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS

1. Promoting negative thinking

2. Damaging self-confidence

3. Narrowing attention

4. Preoccupation

5. Consumes mental energy

6. Generate unpleasant emotion

7. Interpersonal problem

8. Many of our bad habits and illness are due to the effect of stress

POSITIVE EFFECTS

1. Stress is a source of energy

2. Prepare the body to meet challenges

3. Physiological alertness and arousal give signal to us

Stress = Demand - coping resources

Session- I

STRESS AND OUR PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP

Figure – 1 shows the relationship between stress and performance

Passive – waiting for something to happen (chance)

Active – make something to happen (choice)

Confused – obstacle or lack of clear plan or goal (confuse)

Withdraw – give up, avoidance (cut down)

Confusion – red

Chance – yellow similar to traffic signal

Choice - green

Stress

Lev

els o

f pe

rfor

man

ce

Low

High

Chance Relax Passive Bored

Choice Active

Energetic Confused

Cut down Withdraw

Controllable Personal responsibility

Unc

ontr

olla

ble

G

et h

elp

Example of our thinking, feeling and action and its outcome;

OUR THINKING, FEELING AND ACTING

Aim:

1. To be aware of our thought feeling and actions

2. To identify links between thinking, feeling and acting and its outcome

3. To improve consequential thinking

4. To know more about helpful and unhelpful thought feeling and actions.

Everyone thinks, it is our nature to do so. However, much of our thinking,

left to itself is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed and prejudiced. Critical

thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to

improving it. Critical thinking helps us to be more successful and experience

more positive emotions.

Your Chance Choice Confusion Thinking No thinking

Believe in luck Clear thinking Plan and goal Believe your ability

Unclear /wrong thinking Doubt

Feeling Don’t feel the importance No motivation

Regulated feelings Self-motivation

Heightened, unregulated feelings External motivation

Action Joy in inaction Pleasure seeking Low risk taking

Joy in action Moderate risk taking

Work on unclear plan and goal

Example Upcoming exam/interview

Not preparing well Procrastinate

Active preparation Regular study habit

Unrealistic expectation Conflicting motives

Stress Distress probably will follow

Good stress Distress now

Session - 2

NATURE OF THINKING, FEELING AND ACTING

Fig: 2 shows the reciprocal relationship between thinking, feeling and

action

Check it whether you react or respond

React Respond Thinking Reflexive Thoughtful Feeling Unpredictable Predictable Action Out of control In control Possible outcome Dissatisfied Satisfied

Reflexive – impulsive, habitual without much awareness

Unpredictable – without assuming the likelihood of the probable out come.

Out of control – not much awareness of your action and its probable out come

Dissatisfied – the end result of thinking, feeling and action

Thinking

Acting Feeling

Role play: 1. You are waiting for an interview in a room 2. You are kept waiting for a very long time 3. You are not successful in this interview. This is the fourth interview where you have been rejected. Role of thinking, feeling and acting discussed with Participants after the role-play

Fig: 3 shows the link between thinking, feeling, action and its outcome

When a stress event occurs, first we have to be aware of our thoughts, feelings and actions. Next check is it helpful to deal with the situation, and then we make a change if necessary. We all differ in how we perceive, express and manage emotions. We need to understand and regulate our emotions so that they are most appropriate to the task or situation at hand. Different emotions create different information processing and vice versa. Coping with our own thoughts, emotions help us to cope better. Check your thinking

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING

Aim:

1. To understand the complexity of the problems 2. To understand the importance of systematic approach to some problems 3. Provide problem solving &decision making skills

Perception

Feedback

Session - 3

Flexible Rigid Realistic Unrealistic Helpful Unhelpful

Problem solving involves finding our way towards a goal. The object of

problem solving is usually a solution, answer or conclusion. Decision making is

about deciding what action to take; it usually involves choice between options.

Ineffective problem solving and hasty decision making are more likely leads to

emotional distress and stressful pay off. We need to develop systematic

approach when we are dealing with complex real life problems. There are

different models; the five step model shown below has provend effective,

IDEAL

Identify problems and opportunities – what is my real problem Define goals – desired goal Explore possible strategies – plan, steps and priority Anticipate outcomes and act Look back and learn – feedback

Why some problems are complex

1. Conflicting motives 2. Uncertain, ambiguous situation 3. Risk involved 4. Different perspectives/ point of views 5. Many people involved 6. Different solution

Barriers

1. Lack of knowledge / skills 2. Personal / social factors- values, attitudes, emotion, expectation

pressure.

COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Aim:

1. To provide communication skills 2. Aware of interpersonal issues 3. Giving and receiving emotional support

Session - 4

Relationship can be a common source of stress and also important

resource for combating stress. The ability to communicate care and concern is

essential to maintain a good relationship. Building strong relationship is very

essential to cope up with stress. High quality social relationships involves being

aware of our thinking, feeling and then communicating those ideas. Maintain

relationship involves recognizing difficulties early and dealing with our own

hidden agenda, mind reading and negative assumptions etc.

Effective communication in our interaction with others can be a significant

way of lowering our own stress levels even in unpleasant situations; we can feel

good about our own skillful responses. Learning to communicate better will get

us involved with others and help us express our needs more clearly and calmly.

We need to learn to understand and regulate emotions of other people to cheer

them up when they are down, to engage them when we want them to listen to

us.

BALL GAME

Three pair of participants is needed to perform this game. One person from each pair is instructed privately as follows, (1) Serve and receive your ball with genuine interest. (2) Not serve your ball in such a way the ball cannot be caught. (3) Serve your ball correctly, but do not catch the ball while your partner serves you.

Role play

1. making request 2. handling conflicts 3. expressing difficult feelings 4. giving emotional support 5. understanding different point of views 6. understanding other persons emotions and handle

When each pair is playing the game, the participants are observed silently. At the end of the game, the players share their feelings. As expected, the first pair played their game interestingly and it lasted for long. Other two pairs may tend to manipulate each other and the game ended abruptly. Finally, the researcher explained that the same analogy was true when we were not communicating or receiving the information with genuine interest. In such situation, our conversation will not give the positive benefits. COMMUNICATION HANDOUT

7 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION 1. Listen more carefully and responsively

2. Explain your conversational intent and invite consent

3. Express yourself more clearly and completely

4. Translate your complaints and criticisms into specific request and explain

your request

Receive Send

R E A C T IVE

PR O A CT IVE

Resist Mind reading Misinterpret Judge Passive Preoccupation

Impulsive Blame Criticize Revenge Dominate Avoid Rigid

Open Attend Listen Empathize Understand

Acceptance Respect Positive Supportive Express

5. Ask questions more open ended and more creatively

6. Express more appreciation

7. Adopt the continuous learning approach to living

PUSH AND PULL GAME

The participants are asked to count 1 and 2 to divide the group into two.

Group one participants are instructed as follows ‘you have to bring your partner

to the target fixed by the trainer for example to the other side of the room. You

can use any strategies like push, pull, or convince your partner to come along

with you. The other group is instructed as follows, ‘you can do what you wish

to do. One person from group one and one person from group two are asked to

form a pair. The first person stands in front and the other person stand behind

the other. Now, the trainer starts the game, each one use his or her own

strategies, after given time (10 to 15 minutes) game will be stopped. At the end,

the trainer explains the games purpose. The same analogy is true when we

interact with others especially during conflict. We use win-lose or lose-win

strategies instead of win-win strategies. But it is very important to understand

the other person’s point of view to gain co-operation.

COPING SKILLS TRAINING

Aim:

1. To modify appraisal of daily events 2. To use cognitive restructuring 3. To reduce the risk of using maladaptive coping

Our personal experiences can influence our perception, appraisal of the

situation and coping strategies. Under stress, we are not much thoughtful to

processing information as when our lives are calm. Changing the relational

Session - 5

meaning of what is happening is a very powerful and widely employed device

for regulating thoughts and feelings. Self-regulation consists of learning to

delay action, being aware of both what one is feeling and thinking as well as

how one is presenting oneself. Our responses to stressful events are the key to

successful adaptation and personal growth. The first step in coping with our life

events is to become aware of our own habitual reaction to the situation. The

second step is to assume responsibility to engage our thinking in helpful ways.

Third step will be to choose our action in appropriate manner so that we can

cope with it more constructively.

Events, our appraisal and its outcome

Activity

Brainstorming – how you take it if you face failure, loss, conflict, pressure and change Role-play

Event Person’s appraisal

Challenge

Threat Harm Loss

Optimum arousal

Goal mastery

Under /over

arousal

Physical/ Psychological

distress

COPING STRATEGIES - HANDOUT

COPING SKILLS HANDOUT

What is lacking in you? Each area is important to handle life events 1. Knowledge- gathers relevant information 2. Skills – acquire needed skills 3. Objectives- take a new look, make new meaning, have clear goal and plan 4. Practice – do the daily routine such as regular exercise diet, relaxation and

carryout action towards the goal/plan 5. Social support – give and receive help from others, talk to someone you

trust NEEDED SKILLS

1. Critical thinking skill

Critical thinking skills help us to reduce the errors in our thinking.

2. Problem solving & decision making skill

Systematic approach to complex problems will help us to improve our

quality of life.

3. Communication skill

Appropriate communication prevents us from much stress. For example

aggressive people dominate others; non assertive people avoid the issue.

4. Interpersonal skill

Family and friends are important in helping us to cope with stress.

Developing and maintaining satisfying relationship may be necessary during a

period of stressful life situation.

5. Self-regulation

We need to regulate our thinking, feeling and acting so that they are most

appropriate to the situation which prevents stress.

These five skills are complementary to each other and are essential for us

to coping with our stressful life events.

About me

My name is K. Kumar. I am a counseling psychologist and psychotherapist. I

have received my PhD in Psychology. I have been founder director of CIRPE -

Center for Improving Relationship and Personal Effectiveness, Puducherry, India.

Visit: www.kumarmahi.com

To know more about me