Estresse e coping em estudantes do Ensino Técnico Integrado ao Médio

Abstract

This study sought to study the process of coping with the stress among students in the third year of Integrated Technical High School (Etim) of the Federal Institute of Paraíba (IFPB). Therefore, this work endeavored to identify stressors, symptoms and stress levels of these students, as well as to identify the coping strategies used by these students. This is a quali-quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study. The quantitative sample consisted of all students from the three classes of the third year of the Etim courses, who were willing to answer the following research instruments: open questionnaire, Adolescent Stress Scale (ESA) and the Mode of Coping with Problems Scale (EMEP). In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, data collection was obtained in a virtual form. Thus, for the analysis of data from the scales, the methodological guidelines of the instruments were followed. For the analysis of qualitative data, Bardin's content analysis was used. In the first study, which aimed to identify the symptoms of stress among students and the stressors found in the school environment, it was found that the most prevalent symptoms of stress were those related to the Interpersonal and Cognitive factor, and the predominant stress phase among the students refers to the Resistance and Exhaustion factors. Missing classmates, absence from school and difficulties in contacting teachers were the most frequent stressors reported by Etim students during the period of remote classes. The second study, through the Problem Coping Mode Scale, sought to identify coping strategies. Data analysis indicated that problem-focused strategies and the search for religious practices and fanciful thoughts were the most used by students. It was found that students with a family income higher than four minimum wages use the strategies of the Search for Social Support factor more than students with lower income. The data in this article point to the difficulties, faced by students of this sample, in relationships and, consequently, in obtaining support. These data reveal the importance of student’s interpersonal relationship to the point that its absence compromises the quality of teaching and causes problems, such as stress. Thus, both articles reflect the need to look critically at remote learning and reflect the challenges and repercussions that the Covid-19 Pandemic has brought to education.