The University of Arizona

Faculty Corner: Lesson 9 - Stress Manaement

Content/Organization/Overview

This lesson explores the signs and causes of anxiety and stress and offers strategies for recognizing and managing them. Since there are times when stress cannot be avoided, strategies are also presented for dealing with stress. A short discussion regarding the positive as well as the negative effects of stress is included.

Common problems students have with stress management:

  • Almost everyone has a negative association with the words anxiety or stress
  • Students often have trouble identifying the causes of stress.

For discussion:

  • It may be helpful to have a beginning discussion regarding the definitions of stress and anxiety with some emphasis on the positive benefits of stress on performance as well as some of the positive causes of stress (marriage, graduation, etc).
  • It’s easier to blame stress on course load, instructor, etc. than on lack of preparation, late nights, disorganization, and/or staying late with friends. When discussing self-assessment, emphasis on areas where students can exercise some control and strategies for dealing with stress may be helpful.

Follow up:

  • Have students retake the stress assessment mid-semester and at the end of the semester. Did their stress levels go up or down? Have the strategies worked? Is there some other cause of stress that should be dealt with in another manner? Anxiety and stress are a part of our everyday lives and it can help to self-monitor and practice healthy strategies on an ongoing basis.