Cross-country discrepancies on public understanding of stress concepts: evidence for stress-management psychoeducational programs

Juliana Nery Souza-Talarico; Nathalie Wan; Sheila Santos; Patrícia Paes Araujo Fialho; Eliane Corrêa Chaves; Paulo Caramelli; Estela Ferraz Bianchi; Aline Talita Santos; Sonia J Lupien

doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0886-6

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Cross-country discrepancies on public understanding of stress concepts: evidence for stress-management psychoeducational programs

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Cross-country discrepancies on public understanding of stress concepts: evidence for stress-management psychoeducational programs

Juliana Nery Souza-Talarico, Nathalie Wan, Sheila Santos, Patrícia Paes Araujo Fialho, Eliane Corrêa Chaves, Paulo Caramelli, Estela Ferraz Bianchi, Aline Talita Santos and Sonia J Lupien

BMC psychiatry, Vol.16(1), pp.181-181

06/03/2016

DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-0886-6

PMCID: PMC4893292

PMID: 27260184

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Abstract

Negative effects of stress have pose one of the major threats to the health and economic well being of individuals independently of age and cultural background. Nevertheless, the term "stress" has been globally used unlinked from scientificevidence-based meaning. The discrepancies between scientific and public stress knowledge are focus of concern and little is know about it. This is relevant since misconceptions about stress may influence the effects of stress-management psychoeducational programs and the development of best practices for interventions. The study aimed to analyze stress knowledge among the Canadian and Brazilian general public and to determine the extent to which scientific and popular views of stress differ between those countries. We evaluated 1156 healthy participants between 18 and 88 years of age recruited from Canada (n = 502) and Brazil (n = 654). To assess stress knowledge, a questionnaire composed of questions regarding stress concepts ("stress is bad" versus "stress-free life is good") and factors capable of triggering the stress response ("novelty, unpredictability, low sense of control and social evaluative threat versus "time pressure,work overload, conflict, unbalance and children") was used. Both Canadian and Brazilian participants showed misconceptions about stress and the factors capable of triggering a stress response. However, the rate of misconceptions was higher in Brazil than in Canada (p < 0.05). These findings suggest a lack of public understanding of stress science and its variance according to a country's society. Psychoeducational programs and vulnerability of stress-related disorder are discussed.

Stress, Psychological - prevention & control

Public Opinion

Attitude to Health

Humans

Middle Aged

Male

Counseling - organization & administration

Socioeconomic Factors

Health Education - organization & administration

Young Adult

Canada

Stress, Psychological - epidemiology

Aged, 80 and over

Brazil

Adult

Surveys and Questionnaires

Aged

Cognitive Therapy - organization & administration

Details

Title: Subtitle: Cross-country discrepancies on public understanding of stress concepts: evidence for stress-management psychoeducational programs
Creators: Juliana Nery Souza-Talarico - Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419, São Paulo, SP, 05403 000, Brazil. junery@usp.br
Nathalie Wan - Center for Studies on Human Stress, Mental Health Research Center Fernand-Seguin, Hospital Louis-H. Lafontaine, Université de Montreal, 7401, rue Hochelaga, Montréal, Québec, H1N 3M5, Canada
Sheila Santos - Institute of Heart, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, São Paulo, SP, 05403000, Brazil
Patrícia Paes Araujo Fialho - Department of Internal Medicine, Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30130-100, Brazil
Eliane Corrêa Chaves - Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419, São Paulo, SP, 05403 000, Brazil
Paulo Caramelli - Department of Internal Medicine, Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30130-100, Brazil
Estela Ferraz Bianchi - Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419, São Paulo, SP, 05403 000, Brazil
Aline Talita Santos - Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419, São Paulo, SP, 05403 000, Brazil
Sonia J Lupien - Center for Studies on Human Stress, Mental Health Research Center Fernand-Seguin, Hospital Louis-H. Lafontaine, Université de Montreal, 7401, rue Hochelaga, Montréal, Québec, H1N 3M5, Canada
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: BMC psychiatry, Vol.16(1), pp.181-181
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-0886-6
PMID: 27260184
PMCID: PMC4893292
NLM abbreviation: BMC Psychiatry
ISSN: 1471-244X
eISSN: 1471-244X
Publisher: England
Language: English
Date published: 06/03/2016
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Nursing
Record Identifier: 9984065374302771

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