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Stress Management Program for Teenagers

Jacqueline D’Orazio

Purdue University Global

HW410: Stress – Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

Professor Dorette Nysewander

February 15, 2022

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Stress Management Program for Teenagers

Stress is an automatic reaction that occurs when the body believes to be in danger, or

when facing new changes or challenges, and it affects everyone no matter what age. While stress

can be a good thing, such as by keeping us alert or pushing us to work harder, untreated, long-

term stress, also known as chronic stress, can negatively impact our health in many ways

(Cleveland Clinic, 2021). Stress is a common health issue among teenagers because they may

experience many changes or challenges in this stage of life. These may be physical or emotional

changes, or changes/challenges at home, school, or in their communities (Paccione-Dyszlewsk,

2020). Teenagers need to understand how to properly cope with and manage their stress to avoid

damaging their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

Explained Stressors

Teens face many different changes and challenges throughout their teenage years that can

cause them stress. Some of these stressors may occur at school such as working hard to maintain

good grades or performing well on a sports team. Some teens may also struggle with being

bullied, forming relationships and friendships, or dealing with peer pressure to experiment with

drugs, alcohol, or sex (Paccione-Dyszlewsk, 2020). Teenagers push themselves to keep their

grades up or stand out on their sports team, especially with college quickly approaching, which

can cause them stress. Teenagers also want to feel as they fit in and build strong relationships and

friendships, so they may feel obligated to give in to peer pressure. If they don’t part-take in these

other activities students are trying, whether is it experimenting with drugs or sexual encounters,

they may get bullied, which can put a lot of stress on them and make them feel neglected by

others. Changing schools can also be a stressor for teenagers because they need to form new

relationships and friendships and may face the struggles of peer pressure and/or bullying all over
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again. Puberty is another common stressor among teenagers (Paccione-Dyszlewsk, 2020). The

physical changes the body goes through may cause a teenager to feel uncomfortable or not

confident in their own body. Troubles at home and traumatic events in the teen’s personal life can

cause high levels of stress (Smith, 2020). Some teens may have parents going through a divorce

or dealing with the death of a loved one, which can trigger long-lasting stress for them. Smith,

(2020) explains how world events such as school shootings or natural disasters can be stressors

for teenagers because they may be fearful of their safety as well as the safety of their friends and

family members.

Stressor Importance

Each of the stressors mentioned above is important to consider in a teenager’s life

because these are common issues they may deal with daily, and if their stress goes untreated, it

can negatively impact their physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health. There are many

signs to look out for that indicate a teenager is struggling with stress. Untreated stress can cause a

teenager to be more likely to become sick (Smith, 2020). They may experience headaches,

stomachaches, or develop cold or flu-like symptoms. Teens frequently show changes in their

emotional and mental health due to stress. They may become more anxious or show symptoms of

depression, become agitated, begin avoiding friends and family members, or lose focus in school

and let their grades drop (Smith, 2020). Some behavioral changes to look out for are changes in

their eating habits such as either avoiding meals or overeating, losing sleep, or neglecting their

appearance and hygiene (Smith, 2020). Teenagers need to learn and understand the importance of

managing and reducing their stress levels. Untreated, chronic stress can lead to other health

issues and can even cause smoking, drug or alcohol use, or engaging in other unhealthy lifestyle

habits (Cleveland Clinic, 2021).

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Program Descriptions

Stress in teenagers is something that needs to be addressed before it gets worse, and

luckily there are a variety of techniques and practices teens do engage in to help manage and

reduce their stress levels. My stress management program encourages teenagers to engage in the

following three activities: journaling, exercise, and meditation. Journaling is a very effective tool

for coping with stress which can be done anywhere at any time of day. It allows the individual to

practice self-awareness and self-reflection (Seaward, 2017). Journaling is a great way for teens to

write out their thoughts and feelings to prevent bottling them up, especially for those who may

not feel comfortable sharing their feelings with others. Journaling helps to release feelings of

anxiety and anger and become more aware of frequent stressors. Another practice that is part of

my stress management program is meditation. Meditation is a “practice of increased

concentration that leads to increased awareness”, promoting a state of relaxation by calming both

the mind and body (Seaward, 2017). Meditation provides many benefits for an individual’s

physical and mental health. It reduces blood pressure, lowers heart rate, improves immune

health, and decreases cortisol levels, which is the hormone that triggers a stress response (Scott,

2020). Practicing meditation for even just a few minutes a day will provide teens with results of

lowering their stress levels. Lastly, regular physical exercise is part of my stress management

program. “When the body is stressed and doesn’t get exercise, it’s left feeling as if it needs to run

from danger” (Laberee et al., 2020). During stress, the nervous system prepares the body for

“fight-or-flight” (Cleveland Clinic, 2021). In other words, the body wants to spring into action

and start moving. During stressful situations, the body releases hormones that cause an

individual to enter this state. Exercising helps to lower these stress hormone levels, as well as

strengthen the body, and improve physical and mental health (Laberee et al., 2020).
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Program Implementation

My stress management program is aimed at helping teenagers. My program will educate

teens on what stress is, common stressors, effects of stress, and techniques and practices to

manage stress. I would like for schools to implement this stress management program. There are

a few ways this can be done. The best option would be to have health professionals go around to

schools and teach classes to the students and educate them on the importance of stress

prevention. The students would participate in this class for 8 weeks, and they would learn about

the effects of stress on the body and different methods of managing their stress. Another option

is to offer this stress management program to students after school hours. Students have the

option of attending this program where they can actively participate in journaling, exercise, or

meditation. This also allows teens to be a part of a social group who may be dealing with similar

stressors. Teachers and school counselors can also be educated and trained on how this program

works and the practices involved so they can pass forward this advice to students who are

struggling with stress and are looking for guidance.

Program Obstacles

Since this stress management program is aimed at helping teenagers, I think the biggest

obstacle will be getting them to participate in the program and take it seriously. Some teens may

not yet understand the importance of stress management or know how serious long-term chronic

stress can be. They may not think they need this help and believe they don’t need to engage in

these practices. The best way to overcome these obstacles is to educate them and help them

understand how stress can negatively impact their lives and teach them the benefits that come

from practicing these techniques daily.

Health Professionals
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Several professionals would be able to successfully support this stress management

program in schools, one being school guidance counselors. When students find themselves

struggling in school, or if they have just been feeling down lately, they are likely to speak to their

school counselors for some guidance. The school counselors can help the students manage and

reduce their stress levels by informing them of the practices that are part of this stress

management program. Psychologists could support this program by providing the 4-week

educational classes to students in school, and they could also educate teachers on the program.

Psychologists are trained mental health professionals that can help teenagers identify their stress

triggers and provide them with strategies to manage their stress (Cherney, 2020). Health teachers

and school nurses would also be able to support this program and inform teens on how to reduce

their stress levels.

Program Measurements

I believe the best way to measure the success of this stress management program is with

surveys. At the start stress management program, each teenager will complete a survey asking

them to rate their level of stress, what stress management techniques they currently practice, if

any, and how often they engage in these practices. At the end of the stress management program,

the teens will retake the survey. This will allow us to see whether the practices included in this

stress management program have effectively helped the teens reduce their stress levels. The

survey will be given to the students again 2 months after the program to see if they are still

engaging in the practices and if they are still managing their stress levels.

Summary

Stress is very common in teenagers due to the pressure of succeeding academically,

performing well in athletics, forming and maintaining strong friendships and relationships, or
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due to personal problems at home. If it goes untreated, stress can negatively impact them

physically, mentally, and emotionally. They may begin to lose sleep, neglect their physical

health, let their grades drop in school, or begin avoiding friends and family. Untreated stress can

even cause health issues in the future. Stress management programs for teenagers are important

to educate them on what stress is and how it can affect their lives, and so they can learn various

ways to help manage and reduce their stress levels to ensure they are living a healthy life.
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References

Cherney, K. (2020). Therapies That Work For Stress. https://www.healthline.com/health/therapy-

for-stress

Cleveland Clinic. (2021). Stress. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11874-stress

Laberee, N., Traurig S., Williams, A. (2020). Build a Teen Stress Management Program.

https://parentandteen.com/teen-stress-management-plan/

Paccione-Dyszlewsk, M. (2020). Teens, Stress and How Parents Can Help.

https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/teens-stress-and-how-parents-can-help

Scott, E. (2020). An Overview of Meditation. https://www.verywellmind.com/meditation-

4157199

Seaward, B. (2018). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being (9th

ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Smith, K. (2020). 6 Common Triggers of Teen Stress. https://www.psycom.net/common-triggers-

teen-stress/