Program Planning II Final Proposal

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Biographies
Eyra Corprew
Georgia Southern University Student majoring in
Health Education and Promotion. Researcher,
zumba instructor, and program coordinator for
“More Sweat, Less Stress.”
Kaleigh Kahl
Senior Health Education and Promotion major at
Georgia Southern University from Atlanta,
Georgia. Researcher and program coordinator for
“More Sweat, Less Stress.”
Constance Moorer
Georgia Southern University. Member of Sigma
Alpha Pi Honor Society, researcher, zumba
instructor, and program coordinator for “More
Sweat, Less Stress.”
Ira Wood
Georgia Southern University. Researcher and
program coordinator for “More Sweat, Less stress.”

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Abstract
According to survey data collected by the Associated Press, 85% of students in the
United States felt stressed on a daily basis and 77% of students felt stressed over academic
concerns. The purpose of this program was to implement a stress management program for
college students attending Georgia Southern University. The program consisted of one session
with three activities: a power point presentation and two interactive activities. A descriptive and
analytical research design was used in this study and all statistical analyses were performed using
SPSS software. Measurement was conducted through pre and post-tests that contained seven
statements related to stress management in addition to demographic information. Findings
indicated that there was an 8-point increase in the stress management knowledge of the
participants. Before the program, the mean score on the pretest was approximately 25.8, and after
the program the mean increased to 33.1 on the post test. In conclusion, the data suggests that
stress management techniques such as Zumba and meditation are effective ways to reduce
college students stress levels based on the research that has been conducted.

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Introduction
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, stress is defined as the brain’s response to
any demand. The major causes of stress are job pressure, money, health, relationships, poor
nutrition, media overload, and sleep deprivation (Statistic Brain Research Institute). In the
United States, 48% of people reported that they feel their levels of stress have increased over the
past five years (Statistic Brain Research Institute). According to a survey data collected by the
Associated Press in 2009, 85% of students in the United States stressed on a daily basis and 77%
of students feel stress over academic concerns (Statistics on College Student Stress).
Small amounts of stress can be healthy for college students, but significant amounts of stress can
have many negative effects on the body. According to Jayakumar and Sulthan, the issues that
stress causes for college students can be categorized into three groups: physical, emotional, and
behavioral issues. Physical issues that stress commonly causes among college students are
headaches, digestive issues, disturbances in sleep patterns, etc., all of which can negatively affect
academic performance and peer relationships. Emotional issues as a result of too much stress can
include anything from depression and anger to mood swings and hypersensitivity, while
behavioral issues could include over or under eating, increased use of alcohol and drugs, and
nervous habits (Jayakumar & Sulthan, 2013).
Researchers examined different published literature on programs and intervention
regarding college stress management. Three research studies concluded that interventions for
college stress management are very limited. First, Ratanasiripong et. al, proposed biofeedback
programming to be very helpful to students in the management of stress and anxiety.
Biofeedback training is designed to give the participator awareness of how the stressors are
affecting the function of their body like heart rate and blood pressure; and it helps the participant

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learn how to control those physiological changes. Second, Adamle, Riley, & Carlson (2014)
conducted a pet therapy program to see if the students’ interest in the pet therapy program could
be a social support for transient stressful periods. Pre and Posttests were administered to measure
the effectiveness of the program on college students’ stress. Finally, a study conducted by Oman
et al. (2008) and their program was designed to see the impact of meditation on college students’
stress, forgiveness, rumination, and other well-being outcomes. They argued that mindfulness-
based stress reduction (MBSR) and Eight-Point Program (EPP) are the two strong meditation
management of stress (MMS) that should be used. Researchers concluded that all of the
interventions analyzed were effective in reducing college student stress. Each of these programs
correlated with “More Sweat, Less Stress” because all of them used a different stress
management technique that was intended to reduce stress levels and the effects stress can have
on the health of college students. In addition, the pet therapy study conducted by Adamle, Riley,
and Carlson utilized pre and posttests to analyze program results like the ones used in “More
Sweat, Less Stress.” The study conducted by Oman et al. differentiated from “More Sweat, Less
Stress” in that it measured outcomes other than stress levels and health effects, such as
forgiveness, rumination, etc.
Intervention-based programs on stress management for college students are limited. Most
programs and interventions that were available used the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Furthermore, researchers also suggested the use of theory-based intervention when developing a
stress management program.
In order to increase awareness of proper stress management techniques, it is important to
not only to provide accurate and thorough information, but also motivation and behavioral skills
are needed as well. Although college students may be informed about proper stress management

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techniques, there is a possibility that they will not perform the actions necessary to reduce their
stress if they are not motivated or possess the correct behavior skills. There are different theories
that be use when planning a stress management program and one of them is the Information-
Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model (IMB). IMB incorporates the constructs of information,
motivation, and behavioral skills to encourage people to perform the intended health behavior
(Fisher & Fisher, 1992).
The purpose of this program is to implement a stress management program for college
students. The program will help the participants to make positive choices that will help manage
stress that presents itself during their college experience and throughout their adult lives.

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Needs Assessment
Health Status
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, stress is defined as the
“brain’s response to any demand” (“Fact Sheet on Stress,” 2013). Due to the fast-paced way of
life in this country, stress is prevalent and has continued to increase over time. In the United
States, 48% of people reported that they feel their levels of stress have increased over the past
five years Research conducted on 2,500 adults across the country stated that 49% of people feel
that they have had a major stressful experience in the past year (Stress Statistics, 2014). Lastly, it
is well known that college students are stressed out. According to a survey data collected by the
Associated Press in 2009, 85% of students in the United States feel stressed on a daily basis and
77% of students feel stress over academic concerns (Associated Press, 2009).
In the state of Georgia, stress also has a huge impact on people of all ages. According to
Kolmar (2012), the state of Georgia is ranked second most “stressed out” states in America.
According to the Georgia Institute of Technology (2012), one of the most common causes of
stress among college students are relationships, whether it is with a significant other, friends, or
even family members. The problem is trying to manage stress in a healthy way on top of all the
other things college students worry about. Many college students are not aware of good stress
management techniques. In a study conducted at Georgia Southern University, research has
reported that 75% of college students said they have felt stressed within the past month, and 25%
of college students said they “felt the difficulties in their life were piling up so high that they
could not overcome them.” Many of these students also reported experiencing high stress over
things they felt like they had no control over (Mateo, 2014). According to Georgia Southern

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University, the best ways for a college student to manage stress are to avoid alcohol and drugs,
eat a balanced diet with regular exercise, and get plenty of sleep (“Avoiding Stress,” n.d.).
Community Description
Bulloch County, located in Southeast Georgia, is a rapidly growing rural town
with a population of about 71,212 (United, 2015). Bulloch County is now the 5th fastest growing
County in the State of Georgia (Bulloch County Population, 2012). The racial makeup of
Bulloch County is as follows: White Non-Hispanic 65.9%, Black Non-Hispanic Alone 27.4%,
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%, Asian alone 1.4%, two or more races 1.4% (Bulloch County Georgia).
The population of children 5 years and under is 5.7%, ages 18 years and under 20.5%, and adult
ages 65 years and over is 10.0%. According to 2013 data, 31.3% of Bulloch County’s population
lives below the poverty level (United, 2015). One of the universities in Bulloch County is
Georgia Southern University, which ranks as one of the top 10 most popular universities in the
nation. As of 2014, the total enrollment at Georgia Southern was 20,517 students. The racial
makeup of Georgia Southern is as follows: American Indian or Alaskan native 1%, Asian/Native
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1%, Black or African American 26%, Hispanic/Latino 4%, White
64%, and two or more races 2%. The population of full-time students is 88% and part-time 12%
(Georgia).
Community Link
The Counseling Center and the Health Services of Georgia Southern University
are the major resource centers that provide services and assistance to students in handling their
everyday challenges. Both facilities are staffed with professionals, some with doctoral-level
degrees that will determine the right service for the student needs. With all the services, there is

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still a gap in resources when it comes to stress management. During the spring semester of 2015,
the Counseling Center only offered one major program/group for stress management called “The
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.” It’s an 8-week workshop that focuses on reducing and
managing stress that includes activities such as mindfulness, yoga, and meditation (“Current
Groups,” n.d.). The downside of this program is that only the members of the Counseling Center
groups are allowed to attend the workshop (Current Groups). The Counseling Center also posted
different information on their website demonstrating how to handle stress and an online
relaxation exercises. Online relaxation exercises provide audio links of diaphragmatic breathing,
deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery: the forest, relaxing phrases
and mindfulness meditation that students can download and listen too to reduce stress
(“Relaxation and Stress Management”).
Another possible resource for the stress management program comes from the
Health Services center. There is also only one major program, Lunch and Learn: Stress Busters,
which is implemented once every semester and it is before the final exam (Health Services). The
purpose of this program is to reduce the stress that the students experiencing before taking their
final exams (Health Services). Activities in this program include making stress balls, coloring,
and painting nails (Health Services).
With all the existing programs that were offered to Georgia Southern Students, it
seems many are not accessible to all students. The proposed program will be complementary and
new to the community.
Preliminary Qualitative Data
Spring semester of 2015, interviews were conducted on campus at Georgia Southern
University. A student was interviewed on his opinion of the stress management program

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availability for students attending Georgia Southern University. When asked if he felt like the
college contributed to stress in his life, he stated, “Yes, it has everything to do with all the stress
in my life! I’m not as fortunate as some students. My parents can’t afford to pay for my college
tuition and my living expenses, which means that I have to work and go to school. I hardly ever
sleep and don’t have the money or time to cook, so I eat fast food almost every day.” Next, the
student was asked if the stress management programs offered at the university were beneficial to
him, he replied, “The programs aren’t any help to me, because the timeslots for them conflict
with my class and work schedule. The school has some things to help with stress online, but I’d
rather have a one on one meeting to help me deal with my daily stress issues”(Anonymous 1,
personal communication, Feb. 9 2015).
When an employee at the Health Services department at Georgia Southern University
was interviewed on her opinion about providing more stress management programs for students,
she responded, “More programs are in need to help the students manage stress. The program that
we offer, Lunch and Learn: Stress Busters should not only be offered during final exams but also
throughout the semester during regular exam. I feel like that will help the students to become
more relaxed when it comes time to take final exams. With a school that grows bigger with each
semester, there should be a bigger spectrum of stress management programs to meet the needs of
every student (Mitchell, L. personal communication, Feb 9, 2015).
In conclusion, with the interviews conducted, it seems that there is not a sufficient
amount of stress management programs operating to support the needs of the students. Students
also felt if given the opportunity to attend a stress management program that fits their schedule,
they will use it to their advantage. A demand for implementing programs that focus on stress
management for college students at Georgia Southern University is evident.

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Mission, Goals, and Objectives
MissionStatement:
To reduce stress through the use of different stress management techniques.
Goal:
To improve the knowledge of stressors and stress management skills among college students at
Georgia Southern University.
Objectives:
1. By the end of the program, 30 college students will have participated in the stress management
program provided by Health Services.
2. Upon completion of the program, 75% of the participants will demonstrate increased
knowledge of how to manage their stress effectively through completion of a survey.
3. By the end of the program, all participants will be able to recognize one or more physical
activities and meditation as effective stress management techniques.

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Framework
In order to increase awareness of proper stress management techniques, it is important to
provide college students with thorough information, motivation, and the necessary behavior
skills. Although college students may be informed about proper stress management techniques,
the key is to make sure they take the proper actions to manage their stress more effectively. The
Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) Skills Model incorporates the constructs of
information, motivation, and behavioral skills to encourage people to perform the intended health
behavior (see Figure 1).
Georgia Southern college students have a demanding need for demonstrating proper
stress management techniques in order to keep stress levels healthy. The IMB Skills Model will
work well in conjunction with the stress management program because the program planners will
be providing stress management information and techniques. The program planners will also be
motivating the participants to encourage them to perform proper stress management techniques
regularly. The stress management program applies to the IMB Skills model construct of
information because during the program, the program planners will be educating the participants
on different effective stress management techniques, such as physical activity and meditation.
The program will apply to the construct of motivation because the program planners will be
saying encouraging things during the program to the participants. Lastly, the program will relate
to the construct of behavior skills because after completing the program, the participants will be
able to believe they can keep up the health behavior of properly managing stress.

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Figure 1
("Information-motivation-behavioral skills model," 2012)

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Intervention
The intervention that was used in this program was a combination of both Health
Communication and Health Education Strategies. The program planners used the following
strategies to reduce college stressors and provide stress management information, as well as
motivated the participants of Georgia Southern University.
Health Communication Strategies
● Health communication strategies helped achieve the goal of improving health in a
significant and lasting way by empowering people to change their behavior and by
facilitating social change.
● Communication with our target audiences was done through distributing printed flyers,
online advertisement such as mass e-mail, and sorority invitation. All of these invitations
provided an information regarding the program such as date, time, and location.
Health Education Strategies
The health education tools that the program planners used are:
● Zumba: helps to energize the participants, relaxes body and mind, and release all
negative energy.
● Meditation: use of audio meditation clip to increase participants calm and focus; heart
rate and breathing slow down, blood pressure normalizes, and use oxygen more
efficiently,
● PowerPoint Lecture: to introduce different stress management techniques and impacts of
stress in the human body.
The program used materials that emphasizes the proper stress management techniques in
order to control the stress levels of college students. The program highlighted the negative and

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positive outcomes of stress in the human body. All reading and visual materials were thoroughly
reviewed by the program planners and the community leader to guarantee the accuracy of the
materials. The program encouraged participants to change their behavior and not only to educate
and inform them about stress. The program planners used incentives such as free foods, goody
bags, and gift cards in urging the student to participate to the program.
Georgia Southern University Prepared by: Program Planning
Students (Group 5)
Title of Program: “More Sweat, Less Stress” Program Length of Lesson: 60 minutes
Objectives:
1. By the end of the program, 30 college students will participate in the stress management
program provided by University Health Services.
2. Upon completion of the program, 75% of the participants will demonstrate knowledge of
how to manage their stress effectively through completion of a survey.
3. By the end of the program, all participants will be able to recognize one or more physical
activities and meditation as effective stress management techniques.
Materials:
Zumba instructor, music, meditation audio clip, inside area, PowerPoint Presentation,
projector, computer, foods, gifts
Time: Type Action
5 min
5 min
Discussion
Discussion
Consent form/ pretest
Discussion about the different stress management techniques

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30 min
10 min
5 min
5 min
Group Activity
Group Activity
Discussion
Wrap up
and effects of stress on the body
Zumba exercise
Listen to meditation clip
Answer any questions from the audience while conducting
post-test
Foods and gifts bags/prizes

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Budget
Place
Georgia Southern University Russell Union Ballroom
(Partnered through University Health Services)
$0
Equipment
2 Sand Bags @ $3.00 each $6
Bag of Balloons @ $2.98 $2.98
2 Rolls of Popping Paper @ $4.50 each $9
3 Bags of Candy @ $3.50 each $7
5 Bags of small plastic bags @ $2.50 each $5
4 Gift Cards of $15 each $60
People
Zumba Instructor $0
Donations

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2 Sand Funnels $0
100 Flyers $0
50 Water bottles $0
Total $89.98
Budget Justification
Place
Georgia Southern University Russell Union Ballroom
The Russell Union Ballroom is free for use for any Georgia Southern University
department. Since the program is being held through the University Health Services,
there will be no cost for its use.
Equipment
Sand Bags
The bags of sand will be used as a filler for the stress balls we will be making to
give out to participants of the program. The sand will be placed inside balloons that will
be sealed once full.
Balloons
The balloons will be used as the casing for the stress balls that will be passed out to the
program participants. The balloons will be filled with sand using a funnel and then sealed.
Popping Paper (Bubble Wrap)

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The popping paper (bubble wrap) will be used inside gift bags as a stress relieving tool. There
will be a note attached that instructs the program participants to pop a “stress relieving capsule”
any time they feel stressed.
Candy
The candy will be used inside the gift bags that will be handed out to the program
participants in addition to the bubble wrap. The candy will serve as an extra little treat for the
participants to enjoy after completing the program.
Small Plastic Bags
Small plastic bags will be used to place stress balloon (balloon with sand
inside), popping paper, and candy inside. These bags will be given to participants as gift
bags with instructions on how to use each item inside of the bag.
Gift Cards
Four gift cards will be raffled off at the end of the program as an incentive for
participating through the entire program.
People
Zumba Instructor
A Zumba instructor will be used to demonstrate and instruct participants on how
to use Zumba exercises’ for stress management. This will also allow the Zumba
instructor to promote future exercise classes for the participants.
Donations
Sand Funnels
Funnels are needed for making stress balls. It will be used to transfer the sand to
the balloons. Sand funnels will be donated by Constance Moorer.

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Flyers
Flyers will be used to promote and advertise the program. Flyers will be
distributed by the program planners around Georgia Southern University campus. These
flyers will be provided by the University Health Service for free.
Water Bottles
Water will be served as a beverage for participants that enter the program. Water
bottles are donated by the University Health Services.

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Logic Model and Timeline
Logic Model

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Timeline of Events
Events listed with checked marks have been completed. Events shaded in purple have not been
completed.
Tasks
Semester: Spring
2015
Months
January February March April May
Choose Community
Organization
ü
Develop Literature
Review
ü
Conduct Needs
Assessment
ü
Submission of Needs
Assessment
ü
Create Intervention ü
Develop mission,
goals and objectives
ü
Develop ü

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Measurement Chart
Create Framework
and Model
ü
Develop Intervention
Strategies
ü
Develop Planning
Committees
Submission
ü
Develop Program
Proposal for Final
Submission
ü
Contact Hears and
Hand Clinic Director
ü
Group Presentation ü
IRB Form
Submission
ü
Tasks
Semester:
Months

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Fall 2015
August September October November December
Contact Director ü
Redefine
Program Goals
and Objectives
ü
Meeting with
Community
Organization
ü
Create Lesson
Plan and
Timeline
ü
Create Consent
form
ü
Introduction
Submission
ü
Purchase Items
for Program
ü
Create consent
forms
ü
Create Stress
Goody Bags
ü
Develop
Methods[AC1]
ü
Program
Implementation
ü
External
Evaluation

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Data Analysis
Send Out Thanks
You Cards
Contact Director
Group
Presentations
Report Results
Discussion
Abstract
Group Binder
Submission

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Methods
Participants
Descriptive research design was used for the “More Sweat, Less Stress” program. A total
of eleven (n=11) students from Georgia Southern University attended the program that was held
on September 23rd, 2015. Participants were recruited from Georgia Southern University through
the utilization of social media, flyers, and word of mouth. The demographics of the students
ranged from ages eighteen to forty in addition to a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.
Participants were also composed mainly of female upperclassmen.
Intervention
Participants engaged in three different activities related to stress management after
completing a pretest and consent form. The first section of the program involved a PowerPoint
presentation that emphasized proper stress management techniques intended to keep stress levels
of college students healthy. The program planners asked participants to identify sources of stress
in their lives as well as activities they believed were healthy ways to cope with stress. The
presentation also highlighted the negative outcomes of stress in the human body if not properly
handled in addition to positive outcomes of engaging in proper stress management techniques.
The next section of the program involved a Zumba exercise, “a blend of rhythmic
choreography with a Latin and world flavor that works your core burns calories, all while
dancing to upbeat music” (Michelle, 2015). Two dance instructors stood at the front of the room
and directed the participants through five organized dance exercises intended to relieve stress.
This exercise helped to energize, relax the body and mind, and release any negative energy of the
participants.

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Lastly, participants sat on the floor and listened to an audio meditation clip intended to
slow down their heart rate and breathing, normalize blood pressure, and help their bodies use
oxygen more efficiently after exercising. Meditation also gave a sense of calm, peace and
balance that benefited both emotional well-being and overall health of the participants.
Following the meditation exercise, participants were asked to complete a post-test and the raffle
tickets were drawn in order to declare winners of gift cards to Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A. At the
conclusion of the program, participants were provided healthy sub sandwiches, water bottles, and
goodie bags filled with helpful stress management items to take home with them. The program
lasted for a total of sixty minutes and was conducted one time only.
Measures
“More Sweat, Less Stress” was created in order to measure knowledge about stress
management among college students at Georgia Southern University. Measurement was
conducted through the use of an evaluative pre- and post-test that program planners could use to
compare the knowledge levels of the participants before and after they completed the program.
Likert scale (strongly disagreed, disagreed, neutral, agreed, and strongly agreed) was used from
which respondents choose one option that best aligns their view. Confidentiality was maintained
by asking participants not to provide any type of identifying information.
Data Analysis
Data analysis for the “More Sweat, Less Stress” program was conducted through use of
the SPSS software (SPSS). Statistical analyses utilized in this study were inferential statistics
based on a post-program survey that measured the benefits of the program on the participants
and their stress levels. Mention the specific measures that will be analyzed if they are yet to be
done. Descriptive data was applied to all demographics (age, gender, race, GPA).

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Results
A total of eleven college students participated in the Stress Management Program (n=11).
All of the participants were administered a pretest and posttest. Table 1 shows the overall means
of knowledge in stress management of college students at Georgia Southern University. An
independent t-test was run to find the differences between the pretest and posttest. Data showed
that the P-Value is .089 and there was an increase in knowledge of stress management among the
participants. The grade average for the pretest was an estimated 25.8 and the grade average for
the posttest was an estimated 33.1.
Table 1. Comparing stress management knowledge of college students at Georgia Southern
University as determined by T-Test.
Variable n x2 SD t df Significance
Group -6.480 20 .089
Pre-test 11 25.8182 3.06001
Post-test 11 33.0909 2.11918
Participants were categorized in groups in regards to race, gender, age, classification,
GPA, and academic performance. The majority race in the group was African American
followed by Caucasian (refer to Figure 1). The participants were predominantly female, with
only 18.2% of the participants being male (refer to Figure 2). Over half of the participants, 54%,
were aged 18-21 years (refer to Figure 3). The majority of participants were upperclassmen
(Juniors 36.4% and Seniors 36.4%) with average academic performance and GPAs between 3.0
and 4.0 (refer to Figures 4, 5, and 6). Visual representations of these numbers can be found in the
figures below.

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Objectives:
1. By the end of the program, 30 college students will participate in the stress
management program provided by University Health Services.
2. Upon completion of the program, 75% of the participants will demonstrate
knowledge of how to manage their stress effectively through completion of a
survey.
3. By the end of the program, all participants will be able to recognize one or
more physical activities and meditation as effective stress management
techniques.
X
X
X
The Stress Management Program did not meet any of its 3 objectives. For objective 1, 30
college students was expected to come in the program but only 11 showed up and participated.
The cause of failure was due to lack of advertisement and time. Objective 2 was unsuccessful
even though there was an 8-point increase in the stress management knowledge of the
participants. Objective 3 was also unsuccessful because there was no evidence that physical
activity and meditation are personally effective of the participants. Even though the program did
not meet any of its objectives, the program was still successful for it made a positive impact on
the participants and was enjoyed by everybody including our community partner.

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Figure 1. Racial Demographics
Figure 2. Gender Demographics
Figure 3. Age Demographics

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Figure 4: Classifications
Figure 5: Academic Performance

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Figure 6: Grade Point Average

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Discussion
The purpose of this program is to implement a stress management program for college
students. The program will help the participants in making positive choices when dealing with
stress. The first activity of the “More Sweat, Less Stress” program was a lecture regarding the
importance of identifying one's stressors, negative impact of stress in the body, and the different
ways of stress management techniques. Next was a Zumba exercise where the participants that
dancing and exercise can be a way to relief stress. Lastly a meditation clip was provided to the
participants to show them another way to relief stress, and it was a good way to show how to
calm their mind and body.
A pretest and posttest was used as an assessment tool in determining the learning
outcomes of the participants before and after the program. The study had a total of 11
participants (n=11). After analyzing the pretest and posttest, findings shows that there was an 8-
point increase in the stress management knowledge of the participant. These results are
consistent with previous studies that have examined the effectiveness of stress management
programs for college students.
Looking back in the literature, many stress management program were implemented. In
one program conducted by Harvard Medical School, a group of 500 students were asked to
complete three sets of pre and post-tests containing questions related to perceived stress, as well
as stress management. After completing a lecture about stress and how to cope with it, the
students were then followed over a period of eight weeks for observations (Esch, 2013). This
study was different from our own in that the sample size was much larger, and the students were
followed over a period of time in order to observe the effects of the program. The results of this
program were similar to the “More Sweat, Less Stress” program. Both program found that the

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participants were very satisfied to the outcomes of the program and able to demonstrate a better
understanding of how to manage stress and improved the quality of life of college students. A
second program conducted by researchers at Bangor University in the UK had 23 students
complete a stress course and report on how satisfied they were three months after. The results of
this program differed from the “More Sweat, Less Stress” because of the way measurements
were taken. “More Sweat, Less Stress” program’s data were rated ordinally based on knowledge
whereas the data of this program was a binary survey asking if the participants were satisfied or
not (Bennett, 2015).
A third program took 44 medical students from a university and had them complete a
four-session workshop dealing with stress management. This study found that 82% of the
participants found that the workshop was feasible for most students and helped to increase self-
care behaviors, like sleeping and exercising (Greeson, 2015). The results of this study differed
from the “More Sweat, Less Stress” program in that behavior and perceived stress were
measured. Lastly, a fourth study was done using HIV-positive men in order to observe the effects
of a stress management program on anxiety levels. The program consisted of twenty biweekly
sessions of muscle relaxation therapy, meditation, and hypnosis. The results of this study showed
that meditation was very effective in reducing stress and anxiety levels (Taylor, 1995).
Although the program was carefully prepared, there were some unavoidable limitation.
Most of the participants in “More Sweat, Less Stress” program were women and African-
American, the results of the study may not be fully applied to men and other racial group.
Conducting pretest at the same time with posttest might have created a response bias for
measuring the participant’s knowledge. Participants might have recalled what was asked in the
pretest or they might have been motivated to provide a socially desirable response in order to

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make the program look good. Participants can also exhibit subject bias since they are trying to
improve their knowledge and want to see improvement.
The authors of the program feels that audience participation can be improved by
increasing the recruitment period. To determine the level of satisfaction of the participants within
the program, a brief questionnaire could have been included in the post test to see whether the
program was beneficial and if they would participate in a similar program in the future. This
feedback will help researchers and program planners to determine the weakness and strengths of
the program.
To improve stress management skills, practitioners could use the results from this study
to develop coping strategies that take a holistic approach to improving resiliency to stressors. By
combining both physical activity with meditation, practitioners can help college students address
the physical and psychological side effects of stress. The results from this study can also
advocate policy such as colleges and university should provide stress management programs for
the students.

35 | P a g e
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