EFFECTIVENESS OF SELECTED STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ON COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

An experimental study design with the purpose to find out prevalence and compare cognitive and physical symptoms of stress among B.Sc (Nursing) students in selected nursing college at Srikakulam town, Andhra Pradesh was performed. Stress management techniques training were given to nursing students in experimental group daily for a period of 6 weeks.. The study identified that there is significant decrease in post-test cognitive symptoms of stress in experimental group like indecisiveness, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, trouble thinking clearly, seeing only negative side of the issues, anxious or racing thoughts, constant worrying, loss of objectivity, fearful anticipation that something happens (p<0.05). There is also significant decrease in post-test physical symptoms of stress in experimental group like headache, backache, muscle tension and stiffness, diarrhea, insomnia, chest pain, rapid pulse, weight loss and hair fall(p<0.05). The chi-square values for post-test cognitive symptoms for Experimental and Control groups shows statistical significance at 0.05 level of significance for inability to concentrate (9.33), trouble thinking clearly (0.03), anxious or racing thoughts (1.94) and fearful anticipation that something happens (4.48). The post-test physical symptoms chi-square values for Experimental and Control groups shows statistical significance at 0.05 level for physical symptoms like headache (20.18), backache (12.18), muscle tension and stiffness (4.63), diarrhea (4.75), constipation (6.11), dizziness (6.88), insomnia (34.18), chest pain (7.92) and rapid pulse (47.23). As there was significant decrease in cognitive and physical symptoms of stress,stress management techniques are effective.