COPING WITH STRESS IN

MIDDLE AND LATE

ADOLESCENCE
Prepared by Mary Krystine P. Olido
 Stress
• A reaction of the mind and body
to a stimulus that disturbs the
well-being, state of calm, or
equilibrium of a person.
• Psychologists believe that small
and sporadic amounts of stress
can be helpful and beneficial to
individuals
HOWEVER,
• Excessive amounts of stress
sustained over a lengthy period
of time can be destructive to both
 Stress as
Stimulus, Response, and
Relational
• As STIMULUS – stress is caused by
situations that may be life threatening
or life changing, such as separation,
moving into a new home, or
having a new job.
• These situations or
events are often
called stressors.
• As a RESPONSE – the way the body
reacts to challenging situations. This
involves the interactions between the
hormones, glands, and nervous
system where the adrenal gland
drives the production of cortisol or
better known as “stress hormone”
– Norepinephrine – triggers the
body’s reaction, such as an
increased heart rate, higher blood
pressure, and respiration, to
prepare the body for action.
• As RELATIONAL – when a person
experiencing stress takes a step back
to look at the situation that is
causing the stress, and assesses it.
– Assessment – when the person allows
reasoning to prevail and weigh the
relevance or irrelevance of the situation
(Positive and Negative Relevance).
 HEALTHY STRESS
• Stress that can motivate,
energize, and spur an individual
into fruitful action
– Example: Speaking in front of an
audience; stage performers,
competing in sports

Bad stress can be transformed into

good stress depending on how an
 Two Sources of Stress
• External Stressors – stressors that
come outside of you like situations,
people, and experiences
• Internal Stressors – those coming
from within you, like thoughts that
caused you to feel fearful,
uncertainties about the future, lack
of control over situations, and even
your personal beliefs, which
 Possible Stressors a High
School Student Faces
1. School demands and expectations
2. Selecting a school, college course,
or career
3. Separation anxiety
4. College life
5. Romantic relationships or lack of it
6. Family demands and expectations
7. Health concerns
8. Demands of social life
 COPING
• A very important mechanism in
dealing with stress
• Can help in avoiding the damages
that may be brought about by severe
or chronic stress to your health and
well-being
 COPING
• Can be problem-focused, when
remedies or solutions are thought of
to change the situation to lessen the
stress
• Emotion-focused – when the objective
is to lessen the emotional impact
caused by the stressful situation
- (Feist and Rosenberg, 2012)
 COPING/
Stress-reduction Methods
1. Conduct creative imagery of the problem
2. Seek group or social support
3. Get into relaxation activities like breathing
exercises, meditation, yoga, reading a good
book, listening to music, etc.
4. Relate a situation where you can feel more
relaxed like a quiet environment or a
comfortable position
5. Learnt o manage your time
6. Eat properly by selecting nutritious, healthy
food
 Group Activity
• Share a personal experience
about a stressful situation
you were in and what kind of
coping mechanism helped
you manage the situation.
 Written Work
• In your journal, describe
your personal ways in
coping with stress.
 Source
• Personal Development by Ricardo Rubio
Santos
 Assignment
• Prepare for a long quiz next
meeting.
• Coverage:
– Knowing Oneself
– Developing the Whole Person
– Developmental Stages in Middle and
Late Adolescence
– The Challenges of Middle and Late
Adolescence