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Abstract

Research reveals that high stress levels in undergraduate students may negatively impact their emotional and physical well-being. Short-term approaches to introducing stress management on college campuses have been explored. The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine whether a first-year stress management seminar course helped students reduce their stress a year after completing the course, identify which stress management skills students preferred, and assess the effectiveness of specific teaching techniques on student learning. Participants included students enrolled in two sections of a first-year stress management course. A survey was administered in 4 waves during the 2020 to 2021 academic year. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Positive trends emerged regarding students’ abilities to cope with stress. They preferred an active approach to learning and used cognitive techniques, support, and humor to manage stressors. Furthermore, this study also provides instructors, from various disciplines, with stress management techniques they can incorporate into their classes and share with their students.

Author's Biographies

Lisa B. Smith is a Lecturer in the Psychology Department of the College of Arts and Sciences at Sacred Heart University. She is a clinical psychologist and her teaching and scholarship interests center on fostering emotional and physical well-being in a variety of settings.

Mary E. Ignagni is a Lecturer in the Psychology Department of the College of Arts and Sciences at Sacred Heart University. She is an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist. Her research interests include investigating diversity issues around gender within organizations.

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