Revista
de la
Universidad
del Zulia
Fundada en 1947
por el Dr. Jesús Enrique Lossada
77
ANIVERSARIO
DEPÓSITO LEGAL ZU2020000153
ISSN 0041-8811
E-ISSN 2665-0428
Ciencias
Exactas,
Naturales
y de la Salud
Año 15 N° 43
Mayo - Agosto 2024
Tercera Época
Maracaibo-Venezuela
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O. Molchanova et al // Student's Gender Differences in Stress Management Through Communication, 114-129
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46925//rdluz.43.08
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Student's Gender Differences in Stress Management Through
Communication
Oksana Molchanova*
Alina Yudina**
Oleksandr Kocharian***
Anait Meloian****
Nataliia Barinova*****
ABSTRACT
The aim of the article is to determine the specifics of optimizing the stress management of boys and
girls during the student period through communicative training. The reliable data were obtained
through valid and reliable test methods, and a formative experiment was planned and conducted.
The results of the formative experiment indicate the moderate effectiveness of the developed
communicative training programme for making stress management in student age more effective.
Significant gender differences in stress management strategies and consequences of the impact of
the training programme were identified. The girls are more focused on the strategy of actively
overcoming the problem, planning a solution to the problem, and looking for social support. The
boys are more focused on self-control, distancing, positive reassessment of the situation. Indicators
of psychological well-being are higher among the boys compared to the girls. The training
programme proved effective for the girls in building stress resistance, self-control, acceptance of
responsibility, and psychological well-being. For boys, the most effective formative influence was
based on self-control, search for social support, and the escape coping strategy. The study results
can be used to optimize psychological assistance and the educational process at the student age.
KEYWORDS: Stress, stress management, communication, students, gender, training.
*Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Social and Humanitarian Disciplines,
Faculty No. 1, Donetsk State University of Internal Affairs, Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine. ORCID ID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3054-1126. E-mail: molchanovaoks11@gmail.com
** Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Innovative Technologies in Pedagogy,
Psychology and Social Work, Alfred Nobel University, Dnipro, Ukraine. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-
4697-919X. E-mail: judina.alina12@duan.edu.ua
*** Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor, Head of Department Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy,
Faculty of Psychology, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National Universiti, Kharkiv, Ukraine. ORCID ID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8998-3370. E-mail: ol.kocharian57@gmail.com
**** Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Economic
Education, SHEI «Donbas State Pedagogical University», Sloviansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine. ORCID ID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7201-5453. E-mail: an.meloyan09@gmail.com
***** Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Psychologi, Faculty of
Psychology, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National Universiti Kharkiv, Ukraine. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-
5103-0611. E-mail: n.barinova23@gmail.com
Recibido: 14/02/2024 Aceptado: 10/04/2024
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Diferencias de género de los estudiantes en el manejo del estrés a través de la
comunicación
RESUMEN
El objetivo del artículo es determinar las particularidades de optimizar la gestión del estrés de
niños y niñas durante el periodo estudiantil a través de la formación comunicativa. Los datos
confiables se obtuvieron mediante métodos de prueba válidos y confiables, y se planificó y
realizó un experimento formativo. Los resultados del experimento formativo indican la eficacia
moderada del programa de formación comunicativa desarrollado para hacer más eficaz el
manejo del estrés en la edad estudiantil. Se identificaron diferencias de género significativas en
las estrategias de manejo del estrés y las consecuencias del impacto del programa de
capacitación. Las niñas están más centradas en la estrategia de superar activamente el
problema, planificar una solución al problema y buscar apoyo social. Los chicos se centran más
en el autocontrol, el distanciamiento y la reevaluación positiva de la situación. Los indicadores
de bienestar psicológico son más altos entre los niños que entre las niñas. El programa de
formación resultó eficaz para que las niñas desarrollaran la resistencia al estrés, el autocontrol,
la aceptación de responsabilidades y el bienestar psicológico. Para los niños, la influencia
formativa más efectiva se basó en el autocontrol, la búsqueda de apoyo social y la estrategia de
afrontamiento de escape. Los resultados del estudio pueden utilizarse para optimizar la
asistencia psicológica y el proceso educativo en la edad del estudiante.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Estrés, manejo del estrés, comunicación, estudiantes, género, formación.
Introduction
Stress is currently a daily component of the psyche in modern life. This problem has
especially intensified in recent years, which is determined, in particular, by the Covid-19
pandemic (Dong and Bouey, 2020). In Ukraine, the issue of experiencing stress became
particularly acute after the start of a full-scale war with the Russian Federation. The high
social relevance of the problem of overcoming and coping with stress determines the
intensification of academic research into this issue in the context of the new military-political
situation. Clearly identifying the determinants of stress and their significance for the mental
sphere is the foundation for creating effective stress management algorithms. People’s
reactions to potential stressors can significantly differentiate in different people: a violation of
the functioning of physiological systems and psyche is recorded in some people, while others
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can demonstrate significant stability. This is why the issue of stress management is important.
Various means of managing stress involve certain physical or psychological actions (Worthen
and Cash, 2023). An effective stress management tool is training programmes based on active
participant communication (Lehmann et al, 2021).
Stress management should be optimized through determining the psychological
characteristics of specific age or professional groups. Experiencing stress in student age
deserves special attention from researchers. On the one hand, young people have a more plastic
psyche, which helps them better adapt to the environment. At the same time, boys and girls go
through a rather difficult period of life, which is associated with a radical change in social
languages, so additional stress factors can have unpredictable consequences (Dubyna et al.,
2019). The stress resulted from studying in a higher education institution (HEI) can
significantly affect the students’ psychological well-being (Barbayannis et al., 2022). Students’
resistance to stress opens up opportunities for improving academic performance, effective
adaptation to life and activities in HEIs (Buzhynska et al., 2021). The situation of experiencing
stress in the educational process is complicated by experiencing military operations (Savelyuk,
2022).
So, psychological science has accumulated a significant volume of theoretical and empirical
material on the problem of stress in student age. At the same time, the gender specifics of
stress management through specially organized communication remains insufficiently studied.
The aim of the study is to determine the features of optimizing stress management of boys
and girls during the student period through communicative training.
The aim involved the fulfilment of the following research objectives:
1) determine the conditions for effective stress management in student age;
2) empirically identify the indicators of stress and the features of stress management in
young men and women;
3) compare the effectiveness of the communicative stress management training programme
in student age by gender.
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1. Literature review
Stress is a general term that means the experience of a situation when external
circumstances reduce psychological and physiological stability (Cohen et al., 2016).
Selye (1951), one of the first researchers of this phenomenon, believed that without adequate
adaptive reactions, stress endangers life and, conversely, life-threatening factors stimulate
environmental adaptation. It was established that stress affects a person’s state of health
directly through autonomic reactions and changes in neurohumoral regulation, and indirectly
through changes in self-attitude (Hill et al., 2018). At the same time, the researcher warns
against the primitivizing of ideas about stress, which are based only on widespread life
stereotypes about its negative role (Slavich, 2019).
Many studies confirm the negative impact of stress on the body. In particular, Kampa et al.
(2020) claim that chronic stress is one of the main sources of diseases – both somatic and
mental. Carroll et al. (2017) prove that changes in the functioning of the circulatory system
during stress, as well as the release of cortisol, can cause depression, bulimia, excess weight,
and various addictions. The opinion is confirmed that prolonged adverse events, as well as
information about such events, are associated with a significant deterioration of mental and
physical health (Epel et al., 2018). Attention is focused on the relationship between loneliness
and the intensity of experiencing stress (Campagne, 2019). The ability to manage stressful
events is the basis for overcoming depression, anxiety, and emotional burnout (Khoury et al.,
2022). In this context, an important process is the reconceptualization of the experience
obtained due to experiencing stress (Finke et al., 2022).
O'Connor et al. (2021) classify stress according to various criteria: localization of the stress
factor in the surrounding environment (military, pedagogical, environmental, etc.); degree of
danger to the body; by the nature of the reaction (physiological and psychological). Chen et al.
(2018) identified three main types of psychological stress management (coping strategies):
focus on overcoming the problem, obtaining positive emotions, focus on overcoming negative
experiences. At the same time, young people use coping strategies focused on solving problems
more often than older people. The results of the study of gender differences in stress
management point to the active use of socially oriented strategies by women, while men
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consider it more appropriate to use physical activity and struggle with the problem (Gentry et
al., 2007).
Albers and Pattuwage (2017) consider the issue of stress management in the student
environment very promising, especially in analysing the difficulties and factors of the effective
implementation of relevant programmes. Amaral et al. (2017) state that academic stress is
directly related to negative thinking, intellectual regulation of the emotional sphere, and
negative affective states, which can cause sleep problems in students. It should be noted that
modern research also aims to determine the effectiveness of using modern technical devices for
stress management (Can et al., 2020). Salam and Farhan (2021) states that there are no
significant differences in the coping strategies of men and women. At the same time, it is
claimed that students focus on overcoming the problem in their stress management, and not
on emotions.
The results of the analysis of theoretical literature indicate that the problem of stress and
stress management in student age has been studied intensively. At the same time, the data on
gender differences in stress management in the context of specific socio-cultural conditions of
study of higher school students need to be clarified.
2. Methods and materials
2.1. Research stages
The theoretical stage
, which involved definition of the problem, analysis of the concepts and
methodological foundations, building a model of the studied phenomenon. In particular, this
stage provided for the study of the approaches to explaining the concept of stress;
identification of the structure of the phenomenon and its features in the student period; the
analysis of the methods of stress management, in particular, through communicative acts;
determining the conditions for the effectiveness of stress management training. A hypothesis
about gender differences in stress management through communication in student age is
advanced.
Research planning stage – finding the necessary material, human, and time resources and
procedures that will help achieve the aim and objectives of the research. The methodological
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tools were chosen for collecting empirical data. A programme of the communicative stress
management training for the students was developed. The research samples were formed and
communication was established with the administration of the relevant HEIs for the
coordination of formative experiment and research activities.
The stage of primary collection of empirical material
, which took place mainly online in the
selected HEIs.
The stage of conducting a formative experiment through the implementation of a stress
management training programme at the student age.
The stage of repeated collection of empirical material to identify shifts in stress management
mechanisms in the studied samples.
The stage of quantitative and qualitative data processing
, which employed statistical data
processing methods.
Data interpretation
, which provided for drawing the conclusions by using the structural and
comparative strategy.
2.2. Instruments
A number of tests were used to diagnose the features of coping with stress: The Cohen-
Williamson self-assessment method of stress resistance; the questionnaire “What is Lazarus
and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping” (adapted by T.L. Kriukova, Ye.V.
Kuftiak, M.S. Zamyshliaeva); Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-being (adapted by
T.D. Shevelenkova and P.P. Fesenko). The validity of these methods is substantiated by their
use in previous studies of stress management features in student age (Bocheliuk and
Vikhliaeva, 2020).
The formative experiment involved the use of communicative training as an independent
variable. At the same time, the dependent variable is the individual’s ability to manage stress.
The classes were conducted online in groups of 20-25 people with a total of 9 lessons of 40-45
minutes each. The classes were held twice a week from May to June 2023. The main
orientations of our programme are the improvement of perception and emotional assessment of
reality, the formation of optimal motivational orientation, the development of positive thinking,
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and the prevention of negative emotions during training. The structure of the classes provided
for the announcement of the goal, warm-up, the main part, and reflection. The main content of
the training was game-based communicative exercises, which involved modelling various
emotionally charged stressful situations. In this way, situations were created that determined
favourable conditions for forming stress management skills at student age. The authors of the
article acted as trainers-experimenters. We should also note that the training groups were
formed taking into account the equal gender distribution of participants.
The sample
was formed from graduates of the first institutions of higher education: Donetsk
State University of Internal Affairs, Alfred Nobel University, Donbas State Pedagogical
University, Kharkiv National Karazin University. Two male experimental samples and two
female control samples were formed. The quantitative composition of the sample of girls is 71
students of the experimental group (EG) and 69 students of the control group (CG). The
quantitative composition of the sample of young men is 75 EG students and 74 CG students.
The composition and structure of the samples allows obtaining representative data, as the
samples were formed by the method of randomization.
The data collection provided for the implementation of primary and secondary diagnostics
online. At the same time, the first and second diagnostics were performed by different
researchers to avoid the Rosenthal effect. A positive, favourable atmosphere was created
during the diagnostic process, which stimulated the subjects’ motivation to cooperate.
Data analysis
. Percentage analysis, tabular presentation of data, calculation of Student’s t-
test for dependent and independent samples were implemented. SPSS was used to automate
data processing.
Ethical criteria were implemented through consent to participate, where the purpose,
conditions, and course of the research were recorded. Relatives and friends of the
experimenters did not participate in the study in order to avoid a conflict of interests. The
methods used did not degrade the participants’ dignity.
3. Results
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The results of the formative experiment aimed at developing the ability to manage stress
through communication are presented in the tables. Designations: CG – control group; EG —
experimental group. Accordingly, numbers 1 and 2 reflect the primary and secondary empirical
tests.
Table 1 presents trends in the dynamics of stress resistance. The primary diagnostics shows
that stress resistance is more stable in the sample of young men. A third of girls have low
indicators of this component. At the same time, medium indicators dominate among male
students: approximately at the level of 90%. The programme developed for boys did not
demonstrate effectiveness in terms of stress resistance. Positive changes were recorded in the
experimental group of female students after the implementation of the programme, in
particular, the number of people with low indicators of stress resistance decreased by 28.16%.
Confrontation as a means of stress management is determined by active actions aimed
at transforming the situation. According to this parameter, similar trends are recorded in both
studied groups — individuals with a medium level of active stress management dominate. At
the same time, there is a greater shift of indicators towards the central values among young
men, and the extreme indicators are presented insignificantly. The recorded differences in both
experimental groups are not statistically significant.
The distancing strategy characterizes stress management due to rationalization and
switching of attention. The described coping strategy is more characteristic of young men —
almost 40% of the studied sample showed high indicators of the component. The medium
indicators of the parameter (about 80% of respondents) prevail among girls. The dynamics of
the results of the primary and secondary test indicate that there is no influence on the
transformation of this component.
The self-regulation strategy involves the activation of volitional efforts to manage
manifestations of stress. The manifestations of a low level of this stress management strategy
significantly prevail in girls, compared to boys. Medium self-regulation of stressful
manifestations dominates among young men. Communicative training has become effective for
the formation of this strategy in students of both sexes. In girls, positive changes in this
component were manifested because of the decreased share of subjects with low indicators,
while the number of persons with a high level of self-regulation increased in boys.
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Table 1. Gender differences in the formation of stress resistance, coping strategies and
psychological well-being in student age
Indicators of stress
resistance
Female samples,%
Make samples, %
CG1
CG 2
EG 2
CG 2
EG 2
High
2.9
4.35
14.08
4.05
4
Medium
65.22
63.77
83.1
89.19
90.67
Low
31.88
31.88
2.82
6.76
5.33
Indicatorsoftheconfrontationcopingstrategy
High
26.09
26.09
29.58
14.86
13.33
16
Medium
63.77
63.77
63.38
74.32
73.33
69.33
Low
10.14
10.14
7.04
10.82
13.34
14.67
Indicators of the distancing coping strategy
High
10.14
8.7
8.45
41.89
38.67
36
Medium
78.26
82.6
83.1
51.35
53.33
54.67
Low
11.6
8.7
8.45
6.76
8
9.33
Indicators of the self-regulation coping strategy
High
8.7
10.14
14.08
9.45
13.33
42.66
Medium
63.77
60.88
76.05
87.83
82.67
54.67
Low
27.53
28.98
9.87
2.72
4
2.67
Indicatorsofacceptanceofresponsibilitycopingstrategy
High
10.14
10.14
23.94
10.81
12
13.33
Medium
42.03
42.03
59.16
37.84
34.67
37.33
Low
47.83
47.83
16.9
51.35
53.33
49.34
Indicators of seeking social support coping strategy
High
65.22
65.22
67.6
35.14
33.33
57.33
Medium
31.88
28.99
29.58
56.76
57.33
36
Low
2.9
5.79
2.82
8.4
9.34
6.67
Indicators of the escape coping strategy
High
13.04
13.04
9.86
0
0
0
Medium
57.97
60.87
60.56
94.59
92
69.33
Low
28.99
26.09
29.58
5.41
8
30.67
Indicators of the problem solving coping strategy
High
30.43
30.43
28.17
5.4
5.33
5.33
Medium
55.07
55.07
56.34
90.54
90.67
90.67
Low
14.5
14.5
15.49
4.06
4
4
Indicatorsofthepositivereappraisalcopingstrategy
High
5.8
7.25
7.04
39.2
40
40
Medium
75.36
72.46
71.83
58.11
53.33
53.33
Low
18.84
20.29
21.13
2.69
6.67
6.67
Indicators of psychological well-being
High
1.45
2.9
25.35
30.67
28
28
Medium
65.22
63.77
63.38
38.66
40
42.67
Low
33.33
33.33
11.27
30.67
32
29.33
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Accepting responsibility is a manifestation of the internal locus of personal control in
stress management. These stress management strategies have no significant gender differences.
People with low indicators of the parameter (about 50% of respondents) dominate in both
samples. No changes in the genesis of the component are observed in young men after the end
of the experiment. The share of girls with a low level of acceptance of responsibility decreased
by 30.98%. At the same time, the number of subjects with high indicators increased by 11.26%.
The search for social support indicates a high role of communication in stress management.
This strategy is quite popular in samples of young men and women. The minimum number of
persons with low indicators of the parameter is recorded in all studied groups. Among girls,
the strategy of seeking social support is represented by a larger share of individuals with a high
level (about 65% of respondents). The training did not stimulate significant transformations
for the studied stress management strategy in girls. However, there is an increase in the share
of persons with high indicators (shift by 24%) among young men after the formative influence.
The escape strategy characterizes the denial of difficulties, which is accompanied by
immersion in the world of fantasies. A low level in the sample of girls (about 30% of the
subjects) prevails. At the same time, medium indicators of the parameter in both sexes
dominate. In girls, the indicators of the studied coping strategy almost did not change after the
training. In the experimental group of young students, the share of persons with low
manifestations of tendency to escape from problems decreased by 22% after the formative
influence.
Problem solving is an effective stress management strategy, but its high levels may indicate
poor emotional experiences. This stress management strategy is more pronounced among
female students — a third of the respondents showed high scores. Young men (approximately
90% of students) showed an absolute predominance of the medium level of problem-solving
propensity. Communicative training did not significantly affect the studied parameter in both
samples.
The strategy of positive reappraisal involves rethinking the situation as a stimulus for
personal growth. A predominance of medium levels of this coping strategy was found in both
studied groups. A more pronounced share of people with a low level (about 20%) was found
among girls, while there is a fairly significant number of people with high indicators (about
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40%) among young men. The impact of the developed training on the stress management
strategy through a positive reappraisal in student age was not revealed.
Psychological well-being is a general integrated indicator that reflects the emotional
stability of an individual. In general, it can be said that communicative training had a positive
effect on the psychological well-being of girls, while no significant effect was recorded for boys.
Primary diagnostics showed that the low level of the parameter is more pronounced in girls. In
young men, indicators of psychological well-being were distributed approximately equally
with a slight predominance of the medium level.
The Student’s t-test was calculated to determine the significance of the found differences.
Table 2 presents the criterion coefficients for independent samples reflecting the differences in
indicators of the studied parameters by gender in primary diagnostics. Significant gender
differences were found in all components of stress management, except for the accepting
responsibility strategy, which has similar trends in boys and girls.
Table 2. Statistical differences between the manifestations of stress in boys and girls (results of
the primary empirical test)
Components of stress management
Student’s t-test
Stress resistance
2.911**
Confrontation
2.664*
Distancing
3.362**
Self-regulation
3.722**
Acceptance of responsibility
1.257
Seeking social support
2.777*
Escape
3.945**
Problem solving
3.542**
Positive reappraisal
3.641**
Psychological well-being
4.003**
Table 3 presents the results of the Student’s t-test before and after the formative
experiment. No significant differences were found in all parameters in the control samples of
both sexes. The used method of mathematical statistics confirmed significant changes after the
training programme in the parameters of stress resistance, self-regulation strategy,
responsibility acceptance strategy, and psychological well-being. In the sample of young men,
statistically significant differences were found in the parameters of self-regulation, seeking
social support strategy, and the escape strategy.
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Table 3. Statistical differences in the results of the formative experiment
Components of stress
management
Student’s t-test
Girls
Boys
CG
EG
CG
EG
Stress resistance
1.232
2.112*
1.339
1.543
Confrontation
1.344
1.009
1.411
1.006
Distancing
1.545
1.557
1.603
1.912
Self-regulation
1.107
2.223*
1.832
2.908**
Acceptance of
responsibility
1.877
3.099**
1.455
1.884
Seeking social support
1.690
1.778
1.228
3.223**
Escape
1.208
1.448
1.676
2.933**
Problem solving
1.444
1.890
1.199
1.198
Positive reappraisal
1.111
1.676
1.288
1.333
Psychological well-being
1.487
1.328**
1.828
1.667
The analysis of the results of the study confirmed the research hypothesis about gender
differences in stress management through student communication.
4. Discussion
The results of the formative experiment indicate the moderate effectiveness of the
developed communication training programme for increasing the effectiveness of stress
management in student age. Significant gender differences in stress management strategies and
consequences of the impact of the training programme were also found. Girls are more focused
on active overcoming the problem, problem solving, and seeking social support. Boys are more
focused on self-regulation, distancing, and positive reappraisal. Indicators of psychological
well-being are higher among young men compared to girls. Medium indicators of stress
management in the student period prevail.
In general, we agree with the opinion about the effectiveness of training programmes based
on active communication of participants as an effective stress management tool (Lehmann et al,
2021). It is appropriate to carry out additional educational work to overcome primitive,
stereotypical ideas about stress (Slavich, 2019). In our opinion, the conclusions regarding the
relationship between loneliness and stress (Campagne, 2019) in the context of the student
period need additional study. The process of rethinking the experience of individual stress
(Finke et al., 2022) should be treated with caution in the context of war. It is worth noting
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that we have considered specific ways of managing stress, not generalized strategies. In our
study, there is no unequivocal confirmation of the popularity of coping strategies for solving
problems among young people (Chen et al., 2018). We cannot confirm the role of physical
activity for men (Gentry et al., 2007), as it was not anticipated by the objectives of our study.
We consider research on the effectiveness of modern technical devices for stress management
in student age to be promising (Can et al., 2020). It can be said that the conclusions of other
researchers about the connection between stress and psychological well-being were indirectly
confirmed(Barbayannis et al., 2022).
The discrepancies in our findings regarding gender differences in stress management
strategies compared to other studies are of particular note (Salam & Farhan, 2021). The
identified contradictions are explained by the socio-cultural context of studies and differences
in the age composition of the studied samples.
Conclusions
The study showed that medium stress management indicators prevailed at student age.
The results of the implementation of the formative experiment indicate the moderate
effectiveness of the developed communication training programme for increasing the
effectiveness of stress management in student age. Significant gender differences in stress
management strategies and consequences of the impact of the training programme were
revealed. Girls are more focused on actively overcoming the problem, problem solving, and
seeking social support. Young men are more focused on self-regulation, distancing, positive
reappraisal. Indicators of psychological well-being are higher in young men than in girls.
Training proved effective for girls in building stress resistance, self-regulation, acceptance of
responsibility, and psychological well-being. For young men, the most effective formative
influence was based on self-regulation, seeking social support, and the escape coping strategy.
The study results can be used to optimize psychological assistance and the educational process
at the student age. In particular, the obtained empirical data are the basis for improving stress
management trainings considering gender differences. It is relevant to use the obtained
empirical data to create differentiated educational tasks. The prospects of further research on
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the problem in the study of age-specific gender differences in stress management during the
student period.
Limitations
In our opinion, the results of the formative experiment could have been influenced by the
online training format, which did not sufficiently reflect the possibilities of communication in
stress management.
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