Nivel de estrés en niños(as) de primer año de primaria y correlación con alteraciones en su conducta

Abstract

Continuous school activities under time pressure and unfavorable ambiances are stressful conditions which provoke adaptation reaction in children (and adults) are important causes of emotional problems. Stress con be helpful during certain moments because it alerts our senses, however, most of the time, it has a negative effect in our health. 

Objective: Identify stress level among children in their first year of elementary school, and also assess if this stress is correlated to their behavior alterations.

Methodology:  Basic, observational, correlational and descriptive study with a sample of 41 boys and girls in their first year of elementary school. A 27 item instrument was designed to estimate the stress level, and a 16 item instrument was designed to assess behavior alterations. Mann Whitney U test were used to assess the differences between boys and girls, Spearman correlations were obtained to assess the associations among stress and behavior variables.

Results: 34 children showed levels of stress from medium to high, and do alterations in their behaviors. Spearman’s rho was. 73. and turned out to be significant the 7 conduct variable indicators were all significant, especially aggressiveness and frustration.

Conclusions: 1 Identifying stress levels in children will result in strategies of control.

2 As nurses, this analysis should take por y of children´s regular assessments.