Life events, problems, stresses, and coping methods of adolescents

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Psychology
• Mental Health Research
• Coping Mechanisms

Background:

• Adolescence is a critical period of psychosocial and physiological change.
• Teenagers face unique stressors related to life events, problems, and stressful situations.
• Understanding adolescent coping strategies is crucial for mental health support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the common life events, problems, and stressful situations encountered by adolescents.
• To identify the coping methods utilized by adolescents in response to stress.
• To explore potential gender differences in adolescent coping strategies.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study involving 69 adolescents aged 16-18 from a rural high school.
• Utilized validated instruments: Life Event Scale, Mooney Problem Checklist, Stress Questionnaire, and Ways of Coping Questionnaire.
• Employed descriptive statistics to analyze collected data.

Main Results:

• The most frequent life event reported was relationship breakups.
• Common problems centered on school adjustment.
• Family-related issues were the most prevalent stressful situations.
• Self-control emerged as the predominant coping method, with minor gender variations.

Conclusions:

• Adolescents navigate significant challenges during a vulnerable developmental stage.
• Psychiatric-mental health nurse specialists can play a vital role in school-based mental health promotion and intervention.
• Early identification and support are key for at-risk students, teachers, and parents.