Assessing the Effectiveness of Stress Coping Mechanisms Employed by College Students

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Assessing the Effectiveness ofStress Coping
Mechanisms Employed by College Students

• Helen Graf, Ph.D.
• Bridge Melton, Ed.D.
• Stephen Gonzalez
• Paul Welle
• Department of Health and Kinesiology
• Georgia Southern University
• ACHA Presentation
• June 7, 2008

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Purpose

• Describe the unique characteristics of the
  Millennium generation as related to stress.
• Present the research findings that reveals the
  techniques employed by this generation to handle
  stress and coping mechanisms significantly
  related to high stress tolerance among the
  Millennials.
• Provide example activities for the Millennials
  that are based on the research findings.

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Quotes about Millennials in the Media

• Our generation isnt all about sex, drugs, and
  violence. Its about technology, discovery, and
  coming together as a nation. Mikah Giffin,
  eonline, 2000
• In some ways they are as wholesome and devoid of
  cynicism as the generation that wore saddle
  shoes. NY Times, 2000
• Perhaps reacting to what might be described as
  the excesses of their parents generation, teens
  today are decidedly more traditional than their
  elders were, in both lifestyles and attitudes
  George Gallup, 2002
• "Millennials are less vulgar, less sexually
  active, less violent than the youth culture
  adults have created for them. This is the only
  teen generation in recent memory for whom this is
  true. Millennials Rising, 2000

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High Level Millennial Characteristics

• Diverse
• Special
• Sheltered
• Confident
• Team-Oriented
• Conventional
• Pressured
• Achieving

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Millennials and Diversity

• By 2010, minority groups will make up 52 of the
  under-18 population
• 20 of Millennials are second-generation
  immigrants
• 1 in 10 has a non-citizen parent
• In regard to interracial dating 82 in a
  react.com 1999 poll say love should be colorblind
• With Internet, satellite news, porous national
  borders, and end of Cold War, 1st generation to
  think of itself as global

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Special

• Precious Babies on Board of 1980s
• Inculcated as vital to nation and
  parents sense of purpose
• High expectations that can feel like entitlement,
  particularly around housing and food service
• Need for feedback, reinforcement, structure in
  the classroom
• Special needs with individual plans parent
  advocacy, e.g. learning disabilities
• Consumer mentality have been marketed to since
  birth

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Sheltered

• Safety a high priority from birth
• Zero tolerance in schools
• Increased supervision
• Depression and teenage suicide rates down, but
  addressing emotional problems learning
  disabilities a higher priority more reliance on
  psychotropic medication
• Trust in adults and reliance on authorities not
  used to speaking for themselves
• But increased scrutiny and challenge if answer
  isnt what family wants to hear but parent more
  likely to protest than student

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Confident

• 90 of teens say they are personally happy and
  excited about future
• Old message to teens was horrible things will
  happen if you dont make right choice new
  message is good things will happen if you make
  right choice
• Fewer intellectual risks more conformity fear
  of failure

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From Baby Boomer to Gen Xer to Millennial Teen
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Team Oriented Conventional

• Working involved in teams since toddler hood
• Peer pressure more often toward achievement than
  misbehavior
• Truly enjoy community service may be more
  involved with politics voting
• Extreme is conforming individualism (and even
  creativity) are suspect
• The Organization Kid (Brooks, 2001)
• Have led lives that are structured, supervised
  and stuffed with enrichment
• Little free time, tightly packed existence
• Optimists, cooperative team players
• Accept authority, rule followers

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Pressured

• Two greatest worries among teens are grades and
  college admission (20 years ago-nuclear war and
  10 years ago-AIDS and violent crime)
• Long term plans to seek security, stability, and
  life balance have experienced economic
  downturns job loss and sometimes chaotic family
  life
• But few skills to achieve balance and frequently
  feel overwhelmed structured group activities
  important for this

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Achieving

• ACT SAT scores have stabilized or increased,
  despite larger more diverse pool
• Its become cool to be smart
• In addition to starting to catch up to academics
  around the world, US Millennials unique in
  commitment to arts, leadership, sports, service
• Have a high regard for their own generation
  they know theyre a powerhouse of achievers
• Can bail out if something is hard fear of
  failure

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Millennials and Technology

• Ages 16-18 17.3 hours per week on net 12 hours
  with TV 11.3 hours with radio 7.6 hours on
  telephone/cell
• Internet used for
• School research being sure of accurate info (!)
• Meet someone new or different from me
• Purchasing comparison shopping

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Implications for Service Classroom

• Expectation of 24/7 service
• Expectation of self-service online
• Expectation for fast service
• Desire for experiential, interactive, and
  authentic learning with online
  connections and community

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Millennials Role Models

• According to Harris Poll (2002) top five models
• 59 - my mother
• 43 -- father
• 22 - grandparent
• 19 - teacher or coach
• 18 - entertainer
• Half of all 13-17 year olds would call mom first
  if in trouble

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Defining Events for the Class of 2004

• 9-11
• Columbine
• War in Iraq
• Clinton Scandals
• Gore-Bush Election
• What they dont remember

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In Summary.

• The highest achieving
  Millennials
• Are bright, morally earnest, and industrious
• Prefer to study and socialize in groups
• Create and join organizations enthusiastically
• Feel no need to rebel -- regard the universe as
  beneficent and orderly
• Do not perceive themselves as a lost or radical
  generation - may be next greatest

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Activities for Stress

• The Grid
• Time Management
• Sleep Patterns
• Endless Worry List
• Controllable and non-controllable factors
• Mediation
• Breathing, yoga
• Circle of Stress
• Effects of stress
• Blogging the new Journal
• Technology and out reaching