Perceived Stress

Objective: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic, disabling, and functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract in the absence of identifiable structural disorder. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and life style with perceived stress considering mediating role of duration of syndrome in patients with IBS using structural equation modelling. Methods: In this correlational study, 170 IBS patients (93 women, 77 men) recruited via convenient sampling method from gastrointestinal clinics in Urmia. The relevant data were collected by means of high sensory processing scale, perceived stress scale, and Miller-Smith life style assessment inventory. The obtained data were analyzed using correlation coefficient, and structural equation modelling. Results: Duration of syndrome had a mediator role between sensory processing sensitivity, and perceived stress in patients with IBS (path coefficient reported 0.24, P<0.00, Chi-square value: χ 2 =0.01, P<0.001, goodness of fit indices (CFI=0.99, NFI=0.98) and standardized error (0.05). The same mediator role of duration of syndrome was not reported in relation between life style and perceived stress (path coefficient=0.06, P<0.001). Sensory processing, life style, and duration of syndrome explained 50% of perceived stress variance. Conclusion: Results indicate that sensory processing sensitivity may be a temperamental disposition that interacts meaningfully with environmental factors in chronic illnesses. The relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and stress in an illness is best explained considering the possibility of contributory factors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of clinical biodanza on the quality of life and perceived stress in treated hypothyroid patients with sedentary lifestyles and feelings of loneliness.
Design: Randomized controlled trial
Setting: University Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Subjects: Forty patients on stable levothyroxine therapy diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism participated in the study. Half of them joined the biodanza group (GBio) and the other half constituted the control group (GC).
Intervention: Biodanza activity was performed once a week for 10 months at the hospital. The GC group maintained their usual daily activities.
Outcome measures:  In order to assess the effect of biodanza on the quality of life and perceived stress, patients in both groups (GBio and GC) completed the SF-36 and PSS-10 questionnaires. These measurements were assessed at baseline and after 10 months.  Higher scores of SF-36 and lower scores of PSS-10 were associated with better health status. During the first stage of each biodanza session participants speak about how the dances of the previous class impacted their daily lives. A biodanza professor took note of patients’ life stories.
Results: After biodanza, all domains of the mental health summary of SF-36 improved significantly in GBio (p: 0.00001) where the greatest effect was seen.  The physical component summary of SF-36 also improved significantly, but with a lower effect seen. There was no change seen in the CG.  In GBio, the lower PSS-10 score reached significance both with respect to its baseline, and in comparison to the CG. Conclusions: Clinical biodanza impacted positively on the quality of life in hypothyroid

This article presents the results of the study on the Perceived Stress at Work (PSaW) scale, a tool for measuring occupational stress, understood as a perceived evaluation of the fi t between the employee and work environment, based on the PSS-10 questionnaire. Psychometric characteristics of the PSaW were analyzed in the 2 studies on 537 professionally active participants. We verifed results distribution of scale, its factor structure, reliability and validity (analyzing the relationship of scale result and other measures of attitudes towards work and psychosomatic symptoms). The results indicated that the PSaW has good psychometric properties. We estimated a 2-factor structure of the scale and very good internal consistency and validity. The findings suggest that PSaW is an adequate way of measuring perceived occupational stress and recommend its use in organization diagnosis and intervention.

This research report presents the results of a study performed by the Psychological Counseling Service at University of Salerno (PSS-UNISA). The study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlations for perceived stress, stress vulnerability, well-being, health related quality of life and bruxism in the students of the UNISA, th establish guidelines for preventive interventions on this population of about 50.000 young women and men, during a challenging period of their life.
Instruments used were the following questionnaires: Perceived Stress Scale with 14 items (PSS-14), Stress Vulnerability Scale with 9 items (SVS), Medical Students Well Being Scale with 7 items (MSWBI), EuroQol EQ-5D for Health Related Quality of Life, plus a self-referred bruxism scale derived from the Fonseca Questionnaire with 10 items.
Questionnaires included a socio-demographic section and a list of stressors (e.g. frequency of exams, etc.), which were evaluated with a double score: a score for their intensity (e.g. "how much...?") and a score for their frequency (e.g. "how often...").
The questionnaire was administered to 274 students (M = 117; 42.7%), mean age 24.7, belonging to "helping" and "non-helping" profession courses (Medicine and Education Sciences vs. Engineering and Informatics).
Statistically significant differences between genders were present for PSS-14 (M = 45.6; F = 47.4; P = 0.008), SVS (M = 12.5; F = 13.6; P = 0.02) and EQ-score (M = 1.17; F = 1.26; P = 0.004).
For helping professions vs. non-helping, PSS-14 showed a significant difference (helping = 47.5; non-helping = 45.3; P = 0.009), while a significant difference was present only for the "Social Support" subscale of SVS (helping = 3.88; non-helping = 4.46; P = 0.003).
Stress score, calculated summing the intensity times the frequency score of all the stressors, showed a high correlation with all the scales in Males, but only for SVS and MSWBI in females.
For helping profession, the non-helping group showed high correlation between stress score and all the scales, while only the PSS-14 did not correlate in helping profession students.
The existing literature and the findings from this survey show that there is a state of psychological distress associated with the perception of a high level of stress in the students population: psychological support could be an useful tool to deal with the problems of growth and to provide the young adult new resources and coping strategies, in order to improve their quality of life, either during the stressful years of preparation to the working life, and during the whole lifespan itself.

Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to assess the levels of perceived stress among university teachers and to investigate whether a statistically significant relationship exists between perceived stress scores and age, sex, marital status, workload, financial status, years of teaching and physical activity of university teachers.
Method: The research was carried out at Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. The sample was comprised of 86 university teachers. For statistical processing of the data were used descriptive analysis, Student's T-test and ANOVA with Dunnett's Post Hoc Tests for comparing the mean. The IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 25th Version software was used to analyse the data. Results: There were no significant differences in the level of stress when the respondents were grouped as to age, sex, marital status and workload while a significant difference was found between perceived stress score and financial status, years of teaching, and physical activity. Conclusion: Stress among university teachers is a serious problem that requires additional research with a larger sample. University teachers should adopt positive coping strategies, such as regular rest and physical activity. Specific recommendations for coping with stress are suggested.

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between religiosity commitment, self-study concept, study habits, and English proficiency. Besides, this paper aims to investigate the way English proficiency mediates the relationship between religiosity commitment, self-study concept, and study habits with perceived stress, respectively, among undergraduates, enrolled in a Management course. Methodology: A quantitative method was employed in this study involving 243 undergraduates of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pahang. The respondent selection method employed a simple random sampling technique. A questionnaire survey was designed based on previous literature. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0 and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using AMOS software were used to analyze and test all hypotheses developed. Main Findings: This study found a significant relationship between religiosity commitment, study habits, and self-study concep...

The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS, Cohen & Williamson, 1988) is a widely used measure of self-report of perceived stress. Principal components factor analysis often results in a two-factor solution composed of either positively worded (PW) or negatively worded (NW) items. Cohen and Williamson stated that the distinction between factors was irrelevant for purposes of measuring perceived stress. For this reason, data tends to be viewed from a unidimensional standpoint. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze responses to the PSS using unidimensional and multidimensional graded response model IRT and to compare the estimated item parameters and trait scores. Results: The multidimensional model had a significantly better fit to the data over the unidimensional model. On average, item parameters were estimated with smaller standard errors from the unidimensional model. Scores from the unidimensional and multidimensional model were not significantly different for the entire sample, but were within subgroups. Implications: Though the unidimensional model is most often applied to psychometric scales with PW and NW items, a multidimensional model may provide a more valid measure of a construct when responses are influenced by the wording direction. The survey was administered to a convenience sample. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS, Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983; Cohen & Williamson, 1988). The scale is composed of four positively worded (PW) and six negatively worded (NW) items. The original 5-point response scale was used: 1 = Never, 2 = Almost Never, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Fairly Often, and 5 = Very Often. Graded Response Model. The UGRM is used when response data are ordinal. The foundation of the model is the dichotomous two-parameter logistic IRT model to estimate the probability of responding in category í µí±˜ or higher. , í µí±ƒ(í µí±‹ í µí±— ≥ í µí±˜ í µí¼ƒ, í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ = exp í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ 1+exp í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ , where í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ = í µí±Ž í µí±— í µí¼ƒ − í µí±‘ í µí±—í µí±£. In this form, í µí±Ž í µí±— parameter is the slope, or discrimination, parameter of item í µí±—, and í µí±‘ í µí±—í µí±£ is the intercept parameter of category í µí±£ (í µí±£ = 1, 2, … í µí±š) to item í µí±—. Some may be more familiar with the IRT-parameterization with the form í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ = í µí±Ž í µí±— í µí¼ƒ − í µí± í µí±—í µí±£ , where í µí± í µí±—í µí±£ is the location parameter (í µí± í µí±—í µí±£ = −í µí±Ž í µí±— í µí±‘ í µí±—í µí±£). The GRM partitions the set of response categories into a series of dichotomous responses: 1 versus 2, 3, and 4; 1 and 2 versus 3 and 4; 1, 2, and 3 versus 4, for a 4-category response option. Therefore, the probability of responding to item í µí±—'s í µí±˜th category is given by (Samejima, 1969) í µí±ƒ(í µí±‹ í µí±— = í µí±˜ í µí¼ƒ, í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ = í µí±ƒ(í µí±‹ í µí±— ≥ í µí±˜ í µí¼ƒ, í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ − í µí±ƒ(í µí±‹ í µí±— ≥ í µí±˜ + 1 í µí¼ƒ, í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£. Multidimensional Model (MGRM). The MGRM allows for the estimation of the discrimination parameter for each dimension, and a location parameter for each category that is constant across all dimensions for an item. í µí± § í µí±—í µí±£ = í µí²‚ í µí²‹ í µí¼½ − í µí±‘ í µí±—í µí±£ Where í µí²‚ í µí²‹ is a vector of slope parameters for item í µí±— on each dimension, í µí¼½ is a vector of the latent trait scores on each dimension, and í µí±‘ í µí±—í µí±£ is the intercept parameters of item í µí±— on category í µí±£. • The factor structure of the PSS was explored using a principal components factor analysis with promax rotation. • The PW items were reverse-coded so that a lower value indicated a low level of perceived stress and a higher value indicated a high level of perceived stress. – A secondary data set was made with the NW items reverse-coded instead to evaluate the effect of recoding items worded in the opposite direction. • A unidimensional GRM and an exploratory multidimensional GRM were fit to the response data. • R version 3.2.1 (R Core Team, 2014) was used to perform the analysis. Model Fit. The MGRM fit the data better than the UGRM based on AIC and BIC. Item Parameters. The estimated item parameter estimates from the UGRM and MGRM were compared using measures of correlation. • The slope from the UGRM was more correlated with the estimated slope of the second dimension (corresponding to the PW dimension): í µí±Ÿ í µí±Ž,í µí±Ž í µí±ƒí µí±Š = 0.232. • The slope from the UGRM was negatively correlated with the estimated slope of the first dimension (corresponding to the NW dimension): í µí±Ÿ í µí±Ž,í µí±Ž í µí±í µí±Š = −0.114. • The corresponding intercept parameters from the UGRM and MGRM were highly correlated for all categories: í µí±Ÿ í µí±‘ í µí±ˆ,1 ,í µí±‘ í µí±€,1 = 0.982, í µí±Ÿ í µí±‘ í µí±ˆ,2 ,í µí±‘ í µí±€,2 = 0.999, í µí±Ÿ í µí±‘ í µí±ˆ,3 ,í µí±‘ í µí±€,3 = 0.977, and í µí±Ÿ í µí±‘ í µí±ˆ,4 ,í µí±‘ í µí±€,4 = 0.970. • When the NW items were reverse-coded, the estimated slope had no change. The estimated intercept were ordered in the opposite direction with the opposite sign. Latent Trait Scores. The estimated trait scores from the UGRM and MGRM were compared to the average score for the 10 items and within the subset of NW and PW items. • The scores from the GRMs were highly correlated. • The observed scores and the estimated í µí¼ƒ on equivalent item sets were also highly correlated, in absolute value. • The estimated í µí¼ƒ from the UGRM was more correlated with í µí¼ƒ í µí±€,í µí±ƒí µí±Š than with í µí¼ƒ í µí±€,í µí±í µí±Š. • Standard errors of the estimated í µí¼ƒ were smaller from the UGRM than from the MGRM. • The direction of item coding had equal estimates on both datasets in absolute value. í µí¼½ Within Subgroups. Two-way repeated measures analysis was used to test the difference in estimated trait scores from the UGRM and MGRM for males and females in different age groups. There was no significant interaction between gender and age group. Figure 1. Average score and estimated trait score to 10-item scale and subsets of NW and PW items within subgroups. • Mean GRM scores from the UGRM and the PW dimension from the MGRM (1) followed a similar directional trend as the average observed response scores. Mean MGRM scores on the NW dimension (2) had the opposite trend, but was similar in absolute value to those on the PW dimension. • MGRM Scores: Estimated í µí¼ƒ scores on the two dimensions, in absolute value, from a MGRM model were significantly different for those between 18-20 years of age, but not within other age groups. These estimates were significantly different for males but not for females. • MGRM and UGRM Scores: í µí¼ƒ scores from the MGRM were significantly different from scores using a UGRM for the 18-20 and 40+ subgroups and for females.

Background E-learning is a relatively trending system of education that has been placed over conventional campus-based learning worldwide, especially since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess e-learning readiness among university students of a developing country like Bangladesh and identify the independent predictors of e-learning readiness.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of emotion-focused coping on the association between perceived stress and emotional eating. A total of 711 university students recruited from two universities in Turkey completed selfreported questionnaires of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Coping Styles Inventory (CSI), Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21), and a demographic information form. Results of the simple mediational model by bootstrapping method showed a positive relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating. The findings of this study suggest that emotion-focused coping has a mediator role regarding the relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating solely among female participants.

In order to investigate the relationships between preservice music teachers' levels of career satisfaction, severity of depression, and perceived stress, ninety-four students enrolled in the music education BSc program of the faculty of education at a public university in southwestern part of Turkey were survey. Data were collected by Beck's Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and Career Satisfaction Scale. Associations were analyzed by ANOVA, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression. It was found that preservice music teachers' stress and depression levels were significantly higher compared to previously reported means while career satisfaction levels were lower. Preservice music teachers' career satisfaction scores significantly differed according to the grade level. There was a strong positive relationship between severity of depression and perceived stress level while career satisfaction was weakly and negatively associated with both severity of depression and perceived stress. Finally, career satisfaction neither was a predictor of nor predicted by stress or depression.