Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112913

Michelle L. Nebergall, MA¹, Kristina N. Knight, BS², Elizabeth M. Gaier Larkin, MS², Jean Frank, MPH², and Scott, H. Frank, MD, MPH³. (1) Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division of Public Health, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106-4945, (2) Center for Adolescent Health, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., School of Medicine, WG-48, Cleveland, OH 44106, (3) Division of Public Health, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., School of Medicine, WG-57, Cleveland, OH 44106, 216 368-3725, shf2@po.cwru.edu

This paper examines the relationship of perceived stress to mental health indicators, health attitudes, and health risk behaviors in adolescents. The reliability of a six item measure of perceived stress for adolescents is demonstrated. Methods: In 2004, a modified Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) containing the Teen Brief Evaluation of Perceived Stress Instrument (Teen BEPSI) was administered to 2489 high school students representing eight Midwestern, suburban school districts. The six items contributing to the Teen BEPSI were subjected to data reduction utilizing principle component factor analysis, demonstrating a single factor. Crohnbach's alpha was computed. Pearson correlations were utilized to assess relationships of the Teen BEPSI with continuous health variables. T-tests were used to compare Teen BEPSI means for dichotomous variables while ANOVA served the same purpose for categorical variables. Results: The Teen BEPSI addresses stress and coping domains including demands, expectations, need fulfillment, uncertainty, perspective and control displaying a high degree of internal reliability (alpha= .895) with each item contributing to the scale. This measure of stress shows significant correlations with depressive symptoms (r= .79), suicidal ideation (r= .38) and suicide attempt (r= .17). Stress was significantly associated with violence behaviors including carrying weapons, fighting, dating violence, and forced intercourse; substance abuse behaviors including tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and other drug use and abuse; and to sexual health including current sexual activity and multiple partners. Finally, stress showed a significant relationship to permissive personal attitudes regarding use of cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana; and with perceived permissive parental attitudes regarding alcohol use.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participant learners in this session will be able to

• Define the concept of stress;
• Describe how the Teen BEPSI demonstrates high discriminate validity and high reliability;
• Recognize patterns in perceived stress among adolescents and describe the ways these patterns vary according to age, gender, race, and socio-economic status;
• Identify and describe the bi-directional relationships of stress to numerous mental health indicators and health risk behaviors;
• Assess the programmatic and policy implications of these findings.

Keywords: Adolescents, Stress

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.