黑料正能量 Note: Targeting stress management in teens is an essential way to mitigate ongoing mental and physical health challenges later in life. A recent study from the APA reviewed below notes what a significant challenge this is for our country. This should in no way be a catalyst for more diagnoses and psychiatric treatment for teenagers; it is part of a systemic problem in the way we approach daily life that should be better understood and targeted within schools, communities, and families. Compounded stress throughout years of adolescence can contribute to mental health challenges in adulthood if the cause of the stress remains unaddressed and if proper self-management techniques are never learned.
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APA Annual Stress Survey Finds Teens More Stressed than Adults
Mental Health Weekly; Vol 24 num 7, 2/17/2014
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Many teens 听report 听they 听are 听experiencing 听stress at unhealthy levels, are uncertain 听about their stress management 听techniques and are experiencing 听symptoms 听of stress 听in numbers that mirror adults鈥 experiences, according 听to a new 听survey 听released 听Feb. 11 by the American Psychological听 听Association听 听(APA), 听suggesting that unhealthy behaviors 听associated 听with 听stress 听may 听begin 听manifesting early in people鈥檚 听lives.
The 听survey, 听鈥淪tress in 听America: Are 听Teens 听Adopting听 听Adults鈥 Stress Habits?鈥 was 听conducted 听online听 听by Harris Interactive, 听Inc., on behalf 听of the 听APA, among听 听1,950 听adults 听and 1,018 teens 听in 听the 听United 听States in 2013. This year, the survey explored 听the 听relationship 听between stress and health 听behaviors 听like sleep, exercise and eating 鈥 behaviors 听that people 听report听 听are 听important听 听to 听them听 听but that appear 听to be negatively affected by stress.
According 听to 听the 听survey, 听teens are more likely than adults to report that their stress level has a slight or no impact on their body 听or physical health 听(54 听percent听 听of 听teens 听vs. 听39 percent听 听of 听adults)听 听or 听their 听mental health 听(52 听percent 听of 听teens 听vs. 听43 percent 听of adults). 听Yet teens 听report experiencing 听both听 听emotional听听 听and physical 听symptoms 听of stress in similar 听proportions to 听adults, 听including feeling 听irritable 听or 听angry, 听nervous, 听anxious and/or tired.
The 听survey 听findings 听are 听especially sobering 听when 听paired 听with research听 听that 听suggests听 听that 听physical activity, nutrition 听and 听lifestyle 鈥 all wellness 听factors the survey revealed 听to be affected by stress in teens 听and adults 鈥 not only contribute 听to adolescents鈥 听health 听now, 听but 听to 听habits that听 听can听 听be听 听sustained听 听into听 听adulthood, 听the survey stated.
Since the 鈥淪tress in America鈥 survey 听first began 听tracking 听Americans鈥 stress in 2007, this is the first time the survey has included 听input from teens and 听adolescents, Norman 听Anderson, Ph.D., APA鈥檚 CEO and executive 听vice president,听 听said听 听during听 听a听 听webinar 听Feb. 11 to launch 听the survey.
Stress 听early 听on 听in 听adolescence can 听lead 听to 听high-level 听risk 听factors, such as depression, in the near term and听 听chronic听 听illnesses听 听in 听the听听 long term, like heart disease, obesity, and high blood 听pressure, 听Anderson 听said. 鈥淭he 听implications 听are 听quite 听significant,鈥 he said.
One 听of the 听most 听interesting 听aspects of the study, said Anderson, 听is the 听connection 听between 听behaviors 听such as exercise, 听sleep 听and diet that together 听form 听a 听鈥渧icious 听circle鈥 听in contributing 听to stress, he said.
鈥淏ad habits 听can lead 听to lifelong health 听issues,鈥 Katherine 听C. Nordal, Ph.D., executive 听director 听for professional practice at the APA, told webinar participants. 听鈥淲e鈥檙e focusing 听on the听听 听mind/body听听 听connection.听 听We haven鈥檛 听really 听zeroed听 听in 听on 听teens. Teens听 and young adults 听represent a population听 听that听 听is听 听often听听 听under- served.鈥
Nordal听 听added听听 听that听 听the听 听APA wanted 听to shine a light on the stress issues听 听affecting听 听teens听 听and听 听young adults and help prevent 听physical disease 听as well as mental 听health 听problems down 听the road.
Survey highlights
Teens听 听report听 听that听 听their听 听stress level during 听the 听school 听year far exceeds听听 听what听听 听they听 听believe听听 听to听 听be healthy 听(5.8 听vs. 听3.9 听on 听a 听10-point scale) 听and 听tops 听adults鈥 听average 听reported 听stress levels (5.8 for teens vs 5.1 for adults). Even during the summer 鈥 between Aug. 3 and Aug. 31, 2013, when 听interviewing 听took 听place鈥 teens 听reported 听their stress during the past month 听at levels higher 听than what听 they believe 听is healthy 听(4.6 vs.3.9 on a 10-point scale).
Many 听teens 听also 听report 听feeling overwhelmed (31 percent) 听and 听depressed 听or sad (30 percent) 听as a result of stress. More than one-third 听of teens 听report 听fatigue 听or feeling 听tired (36 percent), 听and nearly one-quarter of 听teens听 听(23 听percent) 听report 听skipping a meal due to stress.
Other听 findings include:
锟 Forty-two听 听percent听听 听of听 听teens say they 听either 听are not 听doing enough 听to manage 听their stress or they are not sure if they are doing enough 听to manage 听it.
锟 Thirty-seven 听percent听 听of 听teen girls report 听feeling 听depressed or sad in the past month 听due to stress, compared to 23 percent of teen boys.
锟 Although teens do not appear 听to recognize 听the potential 听impact 听of stress 听on 听their 听physical 听and 听mental听 听health, 听they often 听struggle 听to 听cope. 听Only 50 percent 听report feeling confident 听about听 听their 听ability 听to handle听 听their 听personal听 听problems, and 46 percent 听say they feel 听that 听they 听are 听on 听top 听of things fairly or very often.
Ongoing problem for adults
Stress 听continues to 听be 听a 听problem听 听for 听many听 听adults,听 听while听 听high stress and ineffective coping 听mechanisms remain ingrained 听in American culture, according 听to the survey. The survey听 听noted听 听that听 听42 听percent听 听of adults 听report 听that 听their 听stress 听level has 听increased听 听and 听36 听percent听 听say their stress level has stayed the same over the past five years.
On 听average, 听adults 听report 听their stress 听level 听as 听a 听5.1 听on 听a 听10-point scale, 听far 听higher听 听than 听the 听level 听of stress 听they 听believe 听is 听healthy 听(3.6). While the majority of adults 听say that stress 听management 听is 听important听 听to them, 听few 听set 听aside 听the 听time 听they need 听to manage 听stress. Some adults do not take any action at all to help manage听 听their 听stress 听鈥 听one听 听in 听10 adults 听(10 percent) 听say they 听do 听not engage in any stress management activities.
More 听than听 听one-third听 听(36 听per- cent) of adults say stress affects their overall 听happiness a great 听deal 听or听 a lot and 43 percent 听of adults who exercise to relieve stress have 听actually skipped 听exercise due to stress in the past month.
Lack of sleep 听and 听exercise 听are serious听 听concerns.听 听Forty-three听 听percent 听of American 听adults 听report 听that stress has caused them 听to lie awake听 at night 听in the 听past 听month. 听According 听to 听the听 听survey,听 听45 听percent听 听of adults听 听with 听higher 听reported听 听stress levels (8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale) feel 听even 听more 听stressed 听if they 听do not 听get 听enough听 听sleep.听 听Forty-three percent 听of adults 听say 听they 听exercise to manage 听stress, and 39 percent 听say they have skipped 听exercise or physical activity in 听the past 听month 听when they were feeling stressed. Fifty percent say that being 听physically active or fit is extremely 听or very important 听to them, 听yet only 27 percent 听report doing an excellent 听or very good 听job of achieving 听this.
鈥淭he survey reveals that there is a lot of work to do to manage 听stress overall,鈥 said Anderson. 鈥淲e need 听to focus on stress of children and teens and听 听provide听 听information听 听to听 听help them 听understand how 听to cope 听with stress as well.鈥
For a copy of the APA鈥檚 stress survey,
visit .
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