CHAPTER -IINTRODUCTION

1.1 EDUCATIONEducation is never ending. It starts with the birth of an individual and it goes on till the last day of the individual. Education makes an individual real human being. It is an essential human virtue. Education equips the individual with the social, moral, cultural, and spiritual aspects and thus makes the life progressive, cultured and civilized.In a limited sense, education is confined to the school and the University instruction. Education starts from the day a child is admitted in a school and it ends when the child completes studies and leaves at the college or University stage. Here education is limited to class room teaching. This type of education is intentional and not incidental.In the broader sense, education means totality of experience gained by an individual from birth to death. It is not communication of information by the teacher. It is also not just the acquisition of knowledge by the student. The fact is that is the total development of the personality. Here learning is through any agency such as home, street, society, temple, play-ground, cinema, etc.T.Raymont remarked: One is educated by ones vocation, by home life, by friendship, by marriage, by parenthood, by reaction, by travel, and so forth.Education is a process in which and by which knowledge, character and behaviour of the young are shaped and moulded. (Draver)Education is the harmonious and progressive development of all the innate powers and faculties of man- physical, intellectual and moral. (Pestalozzi)

Education is not a preparation for life, rather it is the living. Education is the process of living through a continuous reconstruction of experiences. It is the development of all those capacities in the individual which will enable him to control his environment and fulfill his possibilities. (John Dewey)1.1.1 NATURE OF EDUCATION Education is both unilateral as well as bi-polar in nature It is a continuous process. It is knowledge or experience. It is development of particular aspects of human personality or a harmonious integrated growth. It is conducive for the good of the individual or the welfare of the society. It is a liberal discipline or a vocational course. It is stabilizer of social order, conservator of culture, an instrument of change and social reconstruction. Education is preparation for We through Me experience. Education is the modification of behaviour. Education is adjustment with the environment.1.1.2 STRESS Stress is a word derived from the Latin word stringere, meaning to draw tight, and was used in the seventeenth century to describe hardship and affliction. Stress is any situation that evokes negative thoughts and feelings in a person. The same situation is not evocative or stressful for all people and all people do not experience the same negative thoughts and feelings when stressed.

Stress is the combination of psychological, physiological, and behavioral reactions that people have in response to events that threaten or challenge them. Stress can be good or bad. Sometimes stress is helpful, providing people with the extra energy or alertness they need. Unfortunately, stress is often not helpful and can even be harmful when not managed effectively.

1.1.3 STRESS DEFINITIONOne of the difficulties about stress is that it can work for you or against you, just like a car tire. When the pressure in the tire is right, you can drive smoothly along the road.if it is too low, you feel all the bumps and the control feel sluggish .If it is too high, you bounce over the potholes, and easily swing out of control. (Butler & Hope, 1995).Lazarus, (1996) pointed out that One model that is useful in understanding stress among students is Person - Environment Model (PEM). According to one variation of this model, stressful events can be appraised by an individual as "challenging" or "threatening". Stress may be defined as mental and/or physical strain resulting from adjustive demands or challenges. Selye (1956)1.1.4 SOURCES OF STRESS

The most common cause of stress is:

(A) Psychological Sources: Adaptation, Frustration, Overload Self - perception, Behavior, Anxiety, lack of control.

(B) Physiological Sources: Nutrition and vitamin deficiency Over-eating and under-eating Smoking, noise and techno stress.

1.1.5 TYPES OF STRESS:Psychologists categorize stress into three different types:1. Acute stress, 2. Episodic stress, and3. Chronic stress.Acute StressAcute stress is the most widely experienced one, since it typically is caused by the daily demands and pressures encountered by each one of us. While the word stress connotes a negative impression, acute stress is what actually brings about excitement, joy and thrill in our lives. For example, when the long and windy ride is over, you might feel the effects of too much acute stress, such as vomiting, tension headaches, and other psychological and/or physiological symptoms. Acute stress occurs only at a very short period of time.Symptoms Emotional distress, such as anger, anxiety, irritability, and acute periods of depression Physical problems, such as headache, pain, stomach upset, dizziness, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, hypertension and bowel disorders

Episodic StressAcute stress that is suffered too frequently is called episodic stress. This type of stress is usually seen in people who make self-inflicted, unrealistic or unreasonable demands which get all clamoured up and bring too much stress in their attempt to accomplish these goals. Episodic stress is not like chronic stress, though, because this type of stress ceases from time to time yet not as frequently as acute stress does.Episodic stress is also typically observed in people with Type A personality, which involves being overly competitive, aggressive, demanding and sometimes tense and hostile.

Symptoms Longer periods of intermitted depression, anxiety disorders and emotional distress Ceaseless worrying Persistent physical symptoms similar to those found in acute stress Coronary heart diseases, or other heart problems

Chronic StressChronic stress is the total opposite of acute stress; its not exciting and thrilling, but dangerous and unhealthy. Chronic stress tears the life of a person apart his mind, body or spirit.This type of stress is brought about by long-term exposure to stressors, such as unhappy marriage, traumatic experiences, unwanted career or job, stress of poverty, chronic illnesses, relationship conflicts, political problems, and dysfunctional families. These stressful situations seem to be unending, and the accumulated stress that results from exposure to them can be life-threatening, and can even lead a person to resort to violence, suicide and self-harm. Serious illnesses like stroke, heart attack, cancer, and psychological problems such as clinical depression and post-traumatic disorder can originate from chronic stress.Physical signs and symptoms of chronic stress are: dry mouth difficulty in breathing pounding heart stomach ache headache diaphoresis frequent urination tightening of muscles

Mental signs and symptoms include: sudden irritability tension problems with concentration difficulty in sleeping narrowed perception frequent feelings of fatigue

1.1.6 ACADEMIC STRESSPeople of all ages are affected by stress and anxiety. High school students seem especially vulnerable to this reality. Adolescence is a time of rapid biological change, personal development, social interactions, social expectations, and peer influence. The locus of much of this phenomenon is in the school environment. For many students, high school may be stressful. Students feel the effects of stress in harsh and also negative ways. Some of these effects include a sudden drop in grades, depression, general fatigue, insomnia, mood swings, temper tantrums and aggression. Studies show that stress and anxiety during adolescence may even have a negative effect on cardiovascular health of otherwise healthy teenagers. Not only does stress and anxiety affect the human body physically, it also can harm a persons emotional well being as well. Stress and anxiety levels affect the students academically and change the way the person thinks and acts during school or time spent in studying.

1.1.7 ACADEMIC STRESS DEFINITIONMorris (1990) stated High school students always face Academic stress in school and they compete each other to get better grades.

Stress has a relationship with a specific situation like a learning environment in school and the inability to do work perfectly and the failure to achieve anything that is desired. The issues of students doing things like punching teachers, cursing, slandering and hurting teachers, prostitution and etc is connected to the stress situation among high school students. (Levine, 1970) Adams (1983) stated that the biggest problem among schooling teenagers is the matters associated with their schooling. Other than that, problems that female students have to deal with are communication and family problems. For the male students, their side problems are problems with getting involved in sports, recreation and also financial problems. The many responsibilities and pressure cause stress to the high school students like the need to achieve good academic grades, character building and also good attitude besides trying to comprehend with their personal needs.

1.1.8 EFFECT OF ACADEMIC STRESS DURING ADOLESCENCEStudents in their teens are the ones who are going through the transitional phase, which is an intermediate of childhood and adulthood. During the teen years, a lot of biological, physical, mental and emotional changes are happening, as well as the changes in responsibility and role. In order to stabilize these changes, the students are always confronted with problems and conflicts. For some students who are not capable of dealing with it, the changes will create stress and tension to them. If it is not dealt with in the early stages, the student may experience mental problems. Stress is believed to be caused by the various problems that exist such as problems at school, financial problems, family problems and problems in their surroundings. Adolescents also experience stress because they are sometimes trapped between making decisions which is to follow rules and orders or to be free and discover the world like they should. Adolescents in the previous days were trained for things that were suitable with their age so that they can use it to manage their lives. But now, adolescents have to follow their parents desires which are preparing them to compete in the social system where the society is scrambling towards modernization so that they are not left behind. If it is not managed well, stress can ignite psychological disturbances among them when they are grown up. These disturbances will cause stress to the adolescents in the future if they are not overcome now. According to Zulkifli (1988), adolescents always face problems in adjusting. Teenagers especially those who are students always face learning problems, career management and also problems in solving personal and social matters. These are the factors that contribute to stress in life. Students are starting to shift from a life that is dependent on others to a life that needs them to release the dependency and start carrying their own responsibilities.

1.1.9 OUTCOME OF STRESS ON HEALTH STATUS:Stress is defined as a mentally or emotionally distracting condition occurring because of difficult pressures. Stress affects a persons physical and mental health too. The following are the outcomes of stress on body, thoughts and feelings and behaviour.Effect on your body A tendency to sweat Back pain Chest pain Childhoodobesity Cramps or muscle spasms Erectile dysfunction Fainting spells Headache Heart disease Hypertension (high blood pressure) Loss of libido Lower immunity against diseases Muscular aches Nail biting Nervous twitches Pins and needles Sleeping difficulties Stomach upset

Effect on your thoughts and feelings Anger Anxiety Burnout Depression Feeling of insecurity Forgetfulness Irritability Problem concentrating Restlessness Sadness Fatigue

Effect on your behavior Eating too much Eating too little Food cravings Sudden angry outbursts Drug abuse Alcohol abuse Higher tobacco consumption Social withdrawal Frequent crying Relationship problems

1.1.10 STRESS COPING TECHNIQUES

There are three broad methods that can follow to treat stress they are Self-help Self management and Medication.Self help Exercise- Exercise has been proven to have a beneficial effect on a person's mental and physical state. For many people exercise is an extremely effective stress buster.

Division of labor- Delegate or share the responsibilities at work.

Assertiveness Be assertive in accepting or rejecting the taskAlcohol and drugs- Alcohol and drugs will not be a solution to manage the stress better.Caffeine Reducing the consumption ofcoffeeand other drinks which contain high caffeine to protect the health status.

Nutrition- Healthy and balanced diet helps in promoting the health status.

Time Time should be used in order to organize ones life, relax, and pursue ones own interests.

Breathing- there are some effective breathing techniques which will slow down the stress and help to relax both mind and the body.

Talk Expressing the thoughts to the family, friends, work colleagues and boss helps in reducing the stress and worries.

Seek professional help- Heightened stress for prolonged periods can be bad for both physical and mental health so consulting the doctor helps in getting remedy from the problem.

Relaxation techniques- Meditation, Massage, or Yoga have been known to greatly help people with stress.Stress management techniques

Stress management can help to remove or change the source of stress, alter the way of viewing a stressful event, lower the impact that stress might have on ones body, and teach the alternative ways of coping. Stress management therapy will have the objective of pursuing one or more of these approaches.

Stress management techniques can be gained if ones read self-help books, or attends a stress management course. It also seeks the help of a counselor or psychotherapist for personal development or therapy sessions.Many therapies such as aromatherapy, reflexology helps in having a beneficial effect.

Medicines

Doctors will not usually prescribe medications for coping with stress, unless the patient has an underlying illness, such as depression or some type of anxiety. If that is the case, the doctor is actually treating a mental illness. In such cases, anantidepressantmay be prescribed. Bear in mind that there is a risk that all the medication will do is mask the stress, rather than help to deal and cope with it.

1.2 NEED FOR THE STUDY

Students are the backbone of the educational process. Education is the process and act as an instrument to bring out the innate behaviour of the individual. The destiny of the nation lies in its class room. The strength of our nation depends on the students ability i.e., well- educated, responsible and well-adjusted youth. Adolescence stage is the turning point at the transitional stage of life prior to full maturity, results from the rapid changes in the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. This is the period of development where the academic Stress of students is found to be a considerable factor which influences both the academic achievement and health status. The overall academic stress consists of learning difficulties, attitude towards school, time management, exam stress, and peer group relations among the students which indirectly plays a major role in physical health development. The investigator interested in the area of assessing the level of academic stress and its influence on health status among Xth standard students in order to create an awareness in helping young adolescents in coping with the academic stress and preparing them to face the challenges that lie ahead as they move into the adult world.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMThe problem undertaken by the investigator is stated as A STUDY ON THE LEVEL OF ACADEMIC STRESS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE HEALTH STATUS AMONG Xth STANDARD STUDENTS.

1.4 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

Stress

Stress is a reaction to a change or a strain. The change or strain can be primarily physical, such as having an illness or an injury. It can also be primarily emotional, such as being worries, upset, anxious or depressed. Everyone has lots of small stress every day. Stress affects most people in some way.

Academic stress

Academic Stress is the anxiety and stress that comes from schooling and education. There is often a lot of pressure that comes along with pursuing a degree and one's education. There is the stress of doing all of their work, balancing their time and finding time for their extracurricular activities.

1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

To find out the level of academic stress among the Xth Standard Students. To find out the level of health status among the Xth Standard Students. To find whether there is a significant relationship between the academic stress and health status among the Xth Standard Students. To find out whether there is a significant difference between the male and female of the Xth Standard Students with respect to academic stress. To find out whether there is a significant difference between the Government \ Government Aided and Private school of the Xth Standard Students with respect to academic stress. To find out whether there is a significant difference between the Nuclear and Joint family of the Xth Standard Students with respect to academic stress.

1.6 NULL HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

Xth Standard Students do not have academic stress. Xth Standard Students do not have awareness about the health status. There is no significant relationship between the academic stress and health status among the Xth Standard Students. There is no significant difference between the male and female of the Xth Standard Students with respect to academic stress. There is a significant difference between the Government \ Government Aided and Private school of the Xth Standard Students with respect to academic stress. There is a significant difference between the Nuclear and Joint family of the Xth Standard Students with respect to academic stress.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

1. The study is confines to Theni district only.2. The study is carried out taking 250 students as sample.3. The study is based on random sampling technique and survey method.4. The study is alone during the academic year 2014 -2015 alone.

1.8 CHAPTERISATION

The study has been organized in 5 chapters.1. The first chapter presents the introductory part. It also deals with the need for the study, statement of the problem, objective, hypothesis and limitation of the study.2. The second chapter deals with the review of literature available for the investigator.3. The third chapter explains the methodology adopted, tool and sample for the study.4. The fourth chapter describes the analysis and interpretation of data.5. The fifth chapter consists of findings, suggestions for further research and recommendation.

1.9 CONCLUSIONThis chapter provides a general introduction, need for the study, objectives of the study, hypothesis, and statement of the problem and limitations of the present study. Review of related literature to the study is discussed in the next chapter.