essay about family stress

Stress in Family: Understanding and Coping

Family is meant to be a source of love, support, and stability, but sometimes stress can creep into the picture. Dealing with stress in the family can be challenging and often requires open communication and understanding from all parties involved. In this article, I’ll explore some common sources of stress within families and discuss strategies for managing it effectively.

One major source of stress in families is financial strain. Money-related issues like debt, job loss, or disagreements over spending can create tension and anxiety within the household. Additionally, balancing work and family responsibilities can lead to feelings of overwhelm and burnout for both parents.

Another common cause of family stress is conflict between parents or other adult family members. Whether it’s disagreements about parenting styles , differing opinions on important decisions, or unresolved conflicts from the past, ongoing tension between adults can have a negative impact on everyone in the family.

As we delve further into this topic, we’ll explore practical tips for reducing stress within families, such as effective communication techniques, setting boundaries, practicing self-care, seeking professional help when needed, and fostering a supportive environment for all members.

By addressing these sources of stress head-on and implementing healthy coping mechanisms as a family unit, it’s possible to create a more harmonious home environment where each member feels heard and valued. So let’s dive in together to understand how we can navigate through the challenges of familial stress and build stronger bonds along the way.

The Impact of Stress on Family Dynamics

Stress can have a profound impact on family dynamics , affecting relationships, communication patterns, and overall well-being. When stress infiltrates the home environment, it can create tension among family members and disrupt the harmony that is crucial for healthy functioning. Let’s delve into some examples to understand how stress manifests in various aspects of family life .

• Strained Relationships: High levels of stress can strain relationships between family members. Constant worry, financial pressures, work demands, or other external factors can lead to increased conflicts and arguments within the household. For instance, a couple experiencing job-related stress may find themselves arguing more frequently or becoming emotionally distant from one another.
• Communication Breakdown: Stress has the power to hinder effective communication within families. When individuals are overwhelmed by their own anxieties and worries, they may struggle to express their thoughts and emotions clearly. This breakdown in communication can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations and further escalate tensions within the family unit.
• Emotional Well-being: The emotional well-being of each family member is deeply intertwined with the overall dynamic of the household. Chronic stress not only affects individuals directly but also indirectly impacts those around them. For example, a parent dealing with work-related stress may unintentionally exhibit irritability or mood swings that affect the emotional climate of the entire family.
• Parent-Child Relationships: Stress in parents can significantly influence their relationship with their children. Parents who are overwhelmed by stress might find it challenging to provide emotional support or engage in quality time with their kids due to preoccupation with their own concerns. This lack of parental involvement can potentially strain parent-child bonds and hinder healthy development.
• Role Changes: In times of prolonged stress, role changes within a family unit may occur as different members adapt to cope with new challenges or responsibilities arising from external pressures such as illness or financial burdens. These shifts in roles can disrupt familiar family dynamics and require adjustment from all individuals involved.

It is essential to recognize the impact of stress on family dynamics, as it allows us to develop strategies and support systems to mitigate its negative effects. By promoting open communication, seeking professional help when needed, and fostering a supportive environment, families can navigate through stressful periods with resilience and strengthen their bonds in the face of adversity.

Identifying Sources of Stress in the Family

When it comes to understanding the sources of stress within a family unit, it’s important to recognize that each family is unique and may face different challenges. However, there are some common factors that can contribute to stress in many families. Let’s explore a few examples:

• Financial Pressures: Money matters can be a significant source of stress for families. Struggling with debt, living paycheck to paycheck, or facing unemployment can create tension and strain on relationships. The pressure to provide for one’s family and meet financial obligations can take a toll on both parents and children.
• Parenting Challenges: Raising children is undoubtedly rewarding but also comes with its fair share of stressors. Balancing work demands with parenting responsibilities, dealing with behavioral issues, navigating adolescence, or coping with special needs can all add strain to family dynamics.
• Communication Breakdowns: Effective communication is vital for healthy relationships within a family. When communication breaks down or becomes strained, misunderstandings and conflicts often arise, leading to increased tension and stress.
• Lack of Work-Life Balance: Juggling multiple roles as a parent, spouse/partner, and employee can be overwhelming. When individuals feel overwhelmed by work-related pressures or find it challenging to maintain a healthy work-life balance, it can spill over into their family life and cause added stress.
• Major Life Transitions: Significant life events such as divorce/separation, relocation/moving homes, the birth of a new baby, or the loss of a loved one can disrupt the equilibrium within a family. These transitions often bring about emotional upheaval and adjustment challenges that contribute to heightened levels of stress .

It’s crucial not only to identify these sources of stress but also to develop strategies for managing them effectively within the context of your own family dynamic. Remember that seeking support from professionals such as therapists or counselors can provide valuable guidance during times of increased familial stress.

As we delve deeper into the topic of “stress in the family,” it’s important to recognize that these examples are just a starting point. Every family is unique, and there may be additional stressors specific to your situation. By understanding and acknowledging these sources of stress, you can take proactive steps toward creating a healthier and more harmonious family environment.

Communication Challenges and Conflict Resolution Strategies

When it comes to family dynamics , communication challenges can often arise, leading to conflicts that need resolution. In this section, I’ll delve into some common communication challenges within families and provide strategies for effective conflict resolution.

One of the key communication challenges in families is miscommunication or a breakdown in dialogue. It’s not uncommon for family members to misunderstand each other’s intentions or fail to convey their thoughts and feelings effectively. This can result in frustration and resentment and further exacerbate existing conflicts.

To address this challenge, it’s crucial for family members to actively listen to one another. Active listening involves giving full attention to the speaker, asking clarifying questions when needed, and validating their emotions. By fostering a safe space where everyone feels heard and understood, families can overcome miscommunication hurdles more easily.

Another common communication challenge is the presence of unhelpful communication patterns such as criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, or contemptuous behavior. These negative patterns can escalate conflicts and hinder effective problem-solving within the family unit.

Implementing healthy conflict resolution strategies is essential in breaking these detrimental cycles. Encouraging open and respectful communication is paramount. Family members should strive to express their concerns without resorting to personal attacks or blame-shifting. Instead of focusing on who is right or wrong during disagreements, shifting the focus towards finding mutually beneficial solutions promotes collaboration rather than competition.

Moreover, establishing regular family meetings or check-ins can create a dedicated time for constructive conversations. This allows all family members an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns while working together toward compromise and understanding.

Therefore, effective communication plays a pivotal role in maintaining harmony within families by addressing communication challenges head-on and employing conflict resolution strategies that foster understanding and cooperation among its members. By actively practicing active listening skills, promoting open dialogue free from destructive behaviors, and creating dedicated spaces for productive discussions, families can navigate conflicts more effectively and strengthen their bonds in the process.

Coping Mechanisms for Managing Family Stress

When it comes to managing stress within the family, there are various coping mechanisms that can help alleviate tension and foster a healthier environment. Here are a few examples:

• Open Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication is crucial in navigating family stress. Encouraging family members to express their thoughts and emotions creates an atmosphere of understanding and support. Regular family meetings or check-ins can provide a safe space for everyone to share their concerns, brainstorm solutions, and strengthen relationships.
• Establishing Boundaries: Setting clear boundaries is essential in managing stress within the family dynamic. Each member should have their own personal space and time to decompress without interruptions or demands from others. By respecting one another’s boundaries, conflicts can be minimized, allowing for greater harmony at home.
• Practicing Self-Care: Taking care of oneself is not selfish but rather vital for effectively managing family stress. Encourage each family member to engage in activities that bring them joy and relaxation, whether it’s reading a book, practicing yoga, going for a walk, or pursuing hobbies. Making self-care a priority helps individuals recharge and approach challenges with renewed energy.
• Seeking Support Outside the Family: Sometimes external support can make a significant difference in dealing with familial stressors. It may be beneficial to seek assistance from therapists, counselors, or support groups specializing in family dynamics or stress management techniques. These professionals can offer guidance tailored to your specific situation and provide valuable insights into effective coping strategies.
• Embracing Flexibility: Rigidity often exacerbates stress within the family unit. Embracing flexibility allows room for adaptability when facing unexpected challenges or changes in routine. By promoting flexibility among all members of the household, you create an environment where problem-solving becomes easier, and tensions are less likely to escalate.

Remember that each family has its unique dynamics; what works for one might not work for another. It’s essential to explore and experiment with different coping mechanisms to find what best suits your family’s needs. By implementing these strategies, you can foster a more resilient and harmonious family unit, better equipped to navigate the stresses that come along the way. Stay tuned for more insights in this ongoing article!

Supporting Children and Adolescents in Times of Stress

When it comes to supporting children and adolescents during times of stress, there are several key strategies that can make a significant difference in their well-being. As a parent or caregiver, it’s important to provide the necessary support and guidance to help them navigate through challenging situations. Here are some effective ways to offer support:

• Open Communication: Encouraging open communication is crucial for children and adolescents to express their feelings and concerns. Create a safe space where they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts without judgment or criticism. Be an active listener, allowing them to vent or ask questions while offering reassurance and understanding.
• Validate Their Emotions: It’s vital to validate the emotions your child or adolescent is experiencing during stressful times. Let them know that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or upset in certain situations. Validating their emotions helps build trust and strengthens your relationship with them.
• Establish Routines: Maintaining consistent routines can provide stability and a sense of control for children and adolescents amidst chaotic times. Establish regular meal times, bedtimes, study schedules, and leisure activities as part of their daily routine. This structure helps create a sense of security during periods of uncertainty.
• Teach Coping Skills: Empowering young individuals with effective coping skills equips them with tools to manage stress more effectively on their own. Encourage healthy coping mechanisms such as deep breathing exercises, journaling, engaging in hobbies they enjoy, practicing mindfulness techniques, or seeking support from trusted friends or family members.
• Seek Professional Help if Needed: In some cases, the stress experienced by children and adolescents may require professional intervention. If you notice persistent signs of distress like prolonged sadness, changes in behavior patterns, academic decline, or social withdrawal, consider reaching out to a mental health professional who specializes in working with young individuals.

Remember that each child is unique and may respond differently to stress. Be patient, flexible, and understanding as you support them through their individual journeys. By implementing these strategies, you can create a nurturing environment where children and adolescents feel supported and equipped to navigate stressful situations with resilience.

• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Mayo Clinic

Balancing Work and Family Life to Reduce Stress

Finding a balance between work and family life is crucial for reducing stress levels. In today’s fast-paced world, many of us find ourselves juggling multiple responsibilities, which can lead to feelings of overwhelm and burnout. However, by implementing effective strategies, we can create harmony between our professional and personal lives. Here are some practical examples:

• Prioritize Time Management: Start by evaluating your daily schedule and identifying areas where you can make adjustments. Consider setting boundaries around work hours, allocating specific time slots for family activities, and being mindful of distractions that hinder productivity.
• Delegate Responsibilities: Remember that you don’t have to do it all on your own. Delegate tasks both at work and home to lighten your load. Whether it’s assigning projects to colleagues or involving family members in household chores, sharing responsibilities can help free up valuable time.
• Set Realistic Expectations: Avoid the temptation to strive for perfection in every aspect of your life. Understand that there will be times when certain areas require more attention than others. By setting realistic expectations for yourself and acknowledging that you cannot do everything flawlessly all the time, you’ll alleviate unnecessary pressure.
• Establish Boundaries: It’s essential to establish clear boundaries between work time and personal time. Turn off notifications or set specific periods where you’re unavailable for work-related matters outside of working hours. Similarly, during designated family time, try your best to disconnect from work-related obligations.
• Practice Self-Care: Taking care of yourself is vital in maintaining a healthy balance between work and family life while reducing stress levels overall. Make sure to prioritize self-care activities such as exercise, hobbies, relaxation techniques like meditation, or deep breathing exercises – whatever helps you recharge.

Remember that finding the right balance may take time and experimentation, as everyone’s circumstances are unique. The key is to remain flexible while consistently reassessing priorities based on what works best for you and your family. By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce stress and create a more harmonious work-life dynamic.

The Role of Extended Family and Social Support Networks

When it comes to navigating the challenges of stress within a family, the role of extended family and social support networks cannot be underestimated. These valuable resources play a significant part in easing burdens, providing emotional support, and offering practical assistance. Let’s delve into how these networks contribute to alleviating stress and promoting overall well-being.

• Emotional support: Extended family members and close friends can be a crucial source of emotional solace during difficult times. They offer a safe space for individuals to express their feelings, share their concerns, and find comfort in knowing that they are not alone in their struggles. Whether it’s through heartfelt conversations or lending a compassionate ear, these networks provide an essential outlet for releasing pent-up emotions.
• Practical assistance: The presence of extended family members can bring relief by lightening the load of day-to-day responsibilities. From helping with childcare duties to offering assistance with household chores or errands, having an extended network of supportive individuals can significantly ease the burden on parents or caregivers who may be experiencing stress within the family unit.
• Sharing wisdom and experience: One invaluable aspect of the extended family is the wealth of knowledge that comes from generations past. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and older siblings often possess unique insights gained through their own life experiences. Their guidance can prove invaluable when facing challenging situations within the family dynamic. Drawing upon this wisdom can provide fresh perspectives and suggestions for resolving conflicts or managing stress more effectively.
• Building resilience: The presence of strong social support networks has been shown to enhance resilience in individuals facing adversity or stressful situations within the family unit. Knowing that there are people who care deeply about your well-being strengthens one’s ability to cope with difficulties head-on while maintaining a positive outlook on life.
• Creating lasting memories: Lastly, spending quality time with extended family members creates opportunities for bonding and creating cherished memories together as a family unit. These shared experiences can serve as a source of joy and respite from the everyday stresses of life, reinforcing the importance of maintaining strong connections with extended family members.

Incorporating these elements into one’s life can help cultivate a robust support system that aids in navigating stress within the family. By fostering relationships with extended family members and nurturing social support networks, individuals are better equipped to weather the storms and find solace in times of need.

Seeking Professional Help for Overwhelming Family Stress

When it comes to dealing with overwhelming family stress, seeking professional help can be a beneficial step toward finding solutions and improving overall well-being. Here are a few examples of situations where reaching out to a professional may be necessary:

• Persistent Conflict Resolution: If your family is constantly facing conflicts that you find difficult to resolve on your own, consulting with a family therapist or counselor can provide valuable guidance. They can help identify the underlying issues causing tension and teach effective communication strategies to promote healthier relationships within the family.
• Parenting Challenges: Raising children can be demanding, especially when faced with behavioral or emotional difficulties. Seeking assistance from a child psychologist or parenting coach can offer insights into effective discipline techniques, strategies for managing challenging behaviors, and support in navigating complex parenting issues.
• coping with Trauma or Loss: Families experiencing significant traumatic events or coping with the loss of a loved one often struggle to process their emotions and navigate through grief together. Engaging in therapy sessions specifically designed for families dealing with trauma or bereavement can help facilitate healing and foster resilience.
• Mental Health Concerns: When one or more family members are grappling with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or other psychiatric disorders, seeking professional help becomes crucial. Mental health professionals possess the expertise to diagnose conditions accurately and recommend appropriate treatment options tailored to each individual’s needs.
• Balancing Work-Life Demands: In today’s fast-paced world, juggling work responsibilities while meeting familial obligations can create immense stress for both parents and children alike. Consulting an organizational psychologist or work-life balance coach can assist families in establishing healthy boundaries , managing time effectively, and reducing overall stress levels.

Remember that seeking professional help does not indicate weakness; rather, it demonstrates strength as you take proactive steps toward improving your family’s well-being. By addressing overwhelming stress head-on through therapeutic interventions, you can lay the foundation for a more harmonious and fulfilling family life.

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31 Family Stress Examples And Coping Strategies

Table of Contents

What is family stress

Family stress is anything that disturbs, upsets, or puts pressure on the family system, creating a demand-resources imbalance. It can be as mild as spilling milk on the kitchen floor or as severe as having a house burned down.

Stress does not always cause damage. It can affect a family’s equilibrium in positive or negative ways.

Some families can bend under pressure and grow stronger, but some do not survive stressful situations.

Types of family stress

There are two main types of stress that affect families- positive stress and negative stress.

Positive stress is eustress, such as getting married. Eustress leads to positive feelings and a healthy body. A positive stressful experience can bring families closer, strengthen them, build shared experiences, and help them overcome new challenges. Planning a birthday party or preparing for a competition are some examples of positive stressors.

Negative stress is distress, such as family discord. Distress is associated with negative emotions and impairments. They can challenge a family’s resilience, causing difficult emotional states and reactions within the family unit. Having a conflict or facing a rejection are examples of negative stressors.

A family stressor can be categorized into the following types.

• internal (e.g., divorce) or external (e.g., war)
• normative (e.g., enrolling in a new school) or catastrophic (e.g., natural disaster)
• predictable (e.g., getting bad grades) or unexpected (e.g., sudden death of a family member)
• ambiguous (e.g., child acting out for unclear reasons) or clear (e.g., unemployment)
• chronic (e.g., busy schedules) or acute (e.g., car accident)
• cumulative (e.g., parent constantly yelling at kids) or isolated (e.g., parent yelling in a dangertous situation)

Family Stress Examples

Here are some of the positive and negative examples of stressors.

Eustress – Positive stress examples

• Starting a new job or business
• Moving to a new house or city
• Planning a wedding or other special event
• Welcoming a new baby to the family
• Planning a family vacation
• Organizing gatherings for holidays and traditions
• Starting a new hobby or activity as a family
• Celebrating a milestone or achievement, such as a graduation or anniversary.
• Renovating the family house
• Supporting a family member through a major accomplishment, such as a sports tournament

Distress – Negative stress examples

• Divorce or separation of parents
• Injury or chronic illness of a family member
• Death of a family member or close friend
• Financial difficulties or job loss
• Domestic violence or abuse
• Substance abuse or addiction within the family
• Academic or behavioral problems with a child
• Legal problems or incarceration of a family member
• Infidelity or betrayal within the family
• Mental health challenges or diagnoses within the family
• Cultural or generational conflicts within the family
• Homelessness or housing instability
• Blended family challenges or adjustment difficulties
• Unemployment of a parent
• Immigration or cultural adaptation challenges
• Caregiving responsibilities for an aging or ill family member
• Natural disasters that impact the family or community
• Family estrangement
• Parental burnout

How stress affects a family

Stress impacts parents’ mental well-being.

Most family stresses influence parents directly more than children, leading to psychological distress in parents.

For example, economic hardship, particularly for mothers living in rural poverty, is strongly associated with symptoms of depression, hostility, anxiety, and other mental distress.

Parental stress disrupts family dynamics

Psychological distress in parents can disrupt both parenting practices and relationships between spouses.

Such distress may lead to insensitive parenting, decreased family time, overcontrolling behavior, and harsh discipline. Consequently, these families are at higher risk for child abuse and neglect.

Additionally, parental mental distress can lead to marital conflicts and less spousal support, reducing relationship satisfaction.

Children’s adjustment suffers due to disrupted parenting

Distressed parents may engage in inconsistent or harsh discipline practices , monitor their children less frequently, or withdraw emotional support.

Effects of stress may manifest in child adjustment issues, including temper tantrums , externalizing behavior , conduct disorders, poor academic performance, and internalizing symptoms .

Risk factors vs. protective factors

Every family is unique, and their reactions to stress vary significantly, as different sources of stress can manifest in different ways.

But psychologists have found that how a family responds to a stressor event is often influenced by existing resources, their beliefs, and the family’s ability to deal with problems. These factors play a pivotal role in determining whether a family struggles with (risk factors) or recovers from stress (protective factors).

Risk factors may escalate stress into a crisis, making it harder for the family to cope. On the other hand, protective factors can prevent this escalation, enhancing a family’s resilience during stressful times.

The following are examples of risk and protective factors that can exacerbate or alleviate familial stress.

How to deal with family stress

Here are some coping strategies for family problems that can help overcome family stress and mitigate its negative effects.

Make changes

Engaging in active problem-solving and taking the initiative to change a situation is associated with stress relief.

For instance, parents can seek help from various sources, including their extended family, friends, neighbors, or family therapist. They can also analyze the root cause of the problem and devise strategies to change or prevent its occurrence.

Support each other

Turn stressful family experiences into a family bonding opportunity. Strengthen relationships by attending to the emotional connection between family members. 

A family under stress can benefit significantly from mutual support and understanding.

Have a family meeting to discuss the issue and validate each other’s feelings. You can support each other without necessarily endorsing all of their views. Showing empathy, providing a listening ear, or giving a hug can help ease stress.

Being flexible in rules and accepting others despite having different opinions improves family resilience when facing challenges.

By approaching stress as a team and working together towards a common goal, families can weather the storms of stress and may come out even stronger on the other side.

Seek social support

Parents can seek social support from their circle of friends, extended family, neighbors, and the local community.

During difficult times, this support system becomes one of the most valuable resources, helping a struggling family to overcome major crises and restore stability.

Leveraging social support is associated with less significant stress, more effective parenting practices, and positive child outcomes. Utilizing these relationships can create a healthy environment fostering parents’ and children’s resilience and well-being.

Adjust mindset

When faced with stress, finding ways to adjust to the situation mentally can help relieve the pressure.

Some ways to do this include changing expectations to be more realistic, accepting what can’t be changed, or finding something positive even in difficult times.

Thinking positively and trying to see stressful events in a new light can lead to better mental well-being and reduce stress.

On the other hand, avoiding the topic, pretending it doesn’t exist, or wishing it would go away might feel easier in the short term but these approaches can cause more problems in the long run.

Self-care for the whole family

Taking care of both mental and physical health is essential for coping with stress. Good coping skills include practices that promote overall well-being, such as getting enough sleep and engaging in regular exercise.

Incorporating a healthy living approach into family life makes it easier to handle stress and build resilience.

Family activities that promote this lifestyle can be both fun and beneficial. Examples include walking, jogging, riding bikes together, meditating, playing sports or board games, or participating in exercise classes or fitness challenges. These activities offer the family a chance to connect and take refreshing breaks from stressful times, contributing to a more balanced and harmonious life.

References For Family Stress

• 1. Warren EJ, Font SA. Housing Insecurity, Maternal Stress, and Child Maltreatment: An Application of the Family Stress Model. Social Service Review . Published online March 2015:9-39. doi:https://doi.org/10.1086/680043
• 2. McCubbin HI, Patterson JM. The Family Stress Process. Marriage & Family Review . Published online April 27, 1983:7-37. doi:https://doi.org/10.1300/j002v06n01_02
• 3. Hall NC, Chipperfield JG, Perry RP, Ruthig JC, Goetz T. Primary and secondary control in academic development: gender-specific implications for stress and health in college students1. Anxiety, Stress & Coping . Published online June 2006:189-210. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800600581168
• 4. Daks JS, Peltz JS, Rogge RD. Psychological flexibility and inflexibility as sources of resiliency and risk during a pandemic: Modeling the cascade of COVID-19 stress on family systems with a contextual behavioral science lens. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science . Published online October 2020:16-27. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2020.08.003
• 5. Leske JS. Comparison of Family Stresses, Strengths, and Outcomes After Trauma and Surgery. AACN Clinical Issues: Advanced Practice in Acute and Critical Care . Published online February 2003:33-41. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/00044067-200302000-00005
• 6. McConnell D, Breitkreuz R, Savage A. From financial hardship to child difficulties: main and moderating effects of perceived social support. Child: Care, Health and Development . Published online December 9, 2010:679-691. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01185.x
• 7. Hall NC, Perry RP, Chipperfield JG, Clifton RA, Haynes TL. Enhancing Primary and Secondary Control in Achievement Settings Through Writing–Based Attributional Retraining. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology . Published online April 2006:361-391. doi:https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2006.25.4.361
• 8. Santiago CD, Etter EM, Wadsworth ME, Raviv T. Predictors of responses to stress among families coping with poverty-related stress. Anxiety, Stress & Coping . Published online May 2012:239-258. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2011.583347
• 9. Rone-Adams SA, Stern DF, Walker V. Stress and Compliance with a Home Exercise Program Among Caregivers of Children with Disabilities. Pediatric Physical Therapy . Published online 2004:140-148. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/01.pep.0000136006.13449.dc

Disclaimer: The content of this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical concerns.

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How to Deal With Family Members Who Stress You Out

Better in-the-moment responses towards difficult family members..

Posted January 26, 2018 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

• What Is Stress?
• Take our Burnout Test
• Find a therapist to overcome stress

​ “Families are like fudge…mostly sweet with lots of nuts.”

After the holidays, I see a lot of people recovering from spending too much time with their families. Before the holidays, they mistakenly thought to themselves, “This year will be different; this year we’ll have a nice time together.” But then it’s never different. The time they spent with their families was like walking on hot coals; they couldn’t wait for it to be over. It’s like all their reasoning and maturity went away when faced with close-minded comments and overly opinionated uncles. Then, to top it all off, they get mad at themselves for letting these things bother them. Can you relate?

Feeling overly agitated, like you’re going to burst whenever you’re around family, isn’t a new phenomenon. However, there are ways to better prepare yourself any time you have an unwanted family reunion.

Dealing with stressful situations in the moment

So, your annoying aunt asks why you aren’t married yet, or your parents scream at you to help them with something before you've even had a chance to close the door. Going in with a clear mind and making a deal with yourself to take on any situation in a rational way is a good start, no matter how you’re greeted. But at the same time, it’s important to acknowledge that you have the right to naturally get upset by others’ unthoughtful actions. The crucial part is knowing that just because you’re upset doesn’t mean you have the right to act out from those emotions. In fact, it will probably only make the situation worse if you retaliate.

A good place to start is by taking a few deep breaths, trying to reduce your anxiety around the stressful situation by bringing in your rational mind. Breathe out, and disengage by remaining factual. If your parents are asking you to run off and help with something, tell them you’ll look into it after you close the door and are able to say hi to everyone, or maybe even after you eat. If your pushy aunt asks you why you’re still single, make a joke. If you’re too agitated, just say you’ll talk about it later. That will give you time to relax and think about how you want to deal with the situation if you want to talk about it at all.

Sometimes just acknowledging that you’re annoyed is enough to give you room to deal with the frustration and anger . If it's not enough, practice a coping skill like deep breathing, or talk yourself down from the situation by telling yourself, “They don’t mean to be annoying,” or, “Things will calm down once I get settled.”

Develop a strong sense of self

When people fail to develop a strong self, their well-being and functioning usually depend on what others say or don’t say, instead of on what they personally think. Essentially, their sense of self-vanishes in the presence of others, especially in the presence of family. This happens because many people try to manage the anxiety of everyone in their family instead of their own. It would better serve them to look inside themselves and see how they’re managing and feeling, rather than being so concerned with others’ behaviors. When we lack a strong sense of self, we want to be and do what everyone in our family expects of us. Ignoring our own needs results in an experience of anxiety and discomfort whenever we’re surrounded by multiple family members at once.

Ask yourself, “What difference would it make if I held the belief that the people in my family can handle themselves?” Change happens when you shift the way you view a situation. Whenever an issue or argument arises in your family, do you get uncomfortable? Do you think you have to ease the situation and be the one to carry the conversation? Do you get uncomfortable when others get agitated? Then, when you can’t stand being with your family, do you believe the only solution is to distance yourself and ignore them? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re emotionally connected to others. This is normal, of course; however, there are ways you can better regulate your reactivity towards your family while staying emotionally connected to them.

By developing a sense of self, you build the ability to self-regulate and better manage your anxiety, which brings about changes that allow you to be less reactive to your family members; thus, your need for everything to go smoothly decreases, as do your expectations and feelings of distress.

Feeling less stressed around family is all about learning to manage your own part in your relationships with others, instead of trying to manage everyone else’s feelings. It means being part of your family while being able to control your own functioning at the same time. What a lot of us unknowingly do is adjust our internal functioning to help keep our family in harmony, which has adverse effects on how we feel about ourselves. By paying attention to your body, mind, and emotions when you’re interacting with your family, you become capable of balancing your co-occurring needs for togetherness and individuality.

Remember, you don't have to always agree with your family.

Family is family; they can be a source of comfort or the main source of stress at times, but they’re still a big part of your life. We think that we should agree all the time and get along in order to be a nice, functional family. However, there’s no rule that says you have to get along with everyone in your family all the time. Being related doesn’t mean you’ll get along in every situation, share the same political views, or even enjoy each other's company.

It's a fantasy to assume that just because there’s a family event, you automatically have to become a picture-perfect family to enjoy it. You’re only responsible for yourself. So be kind and respectful, but don't force yourself neglect your true views out of fear that someone else will have a different opinion. Be strong enough to excuse yourself if a conversation gets out of hand, and spend more time with your favorite cousins or siblings.

Remember, when a difficult family situation arises and anxiety is high, avoiding the issue and distancing from family isn’t particularly helpful. Work on being who you want to be, even when you’re around people who have different opinions or make annoying remarks; that includes responding in ways that are suitable for you and beneficial to your functioning and health.

Ilene S. Cohen, Ph.D. , is a psychotherapist and blogger, who teaches in the Department of Counseling at Barry University.

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Navigating Family Stress: Causes, Impact, and Solutions

This essay about the complexities of familial strain, exploring its triggers, ramifications, and adaptive strategies. It discusses how financial instability, interpersonal conflict, and external pressures contribute to family stress. Emphasizing the importance of effective communication and resilience-building, the essay offers insights into navigating the challenges of familial strain. Ultimately, it underscores the potential for growth and unity amidst adversity, urging families to embrace adaptive strategies to emerge stronger and more resilient.

How it works

Within the intricate tapestry of human relationships, the familial bond stands as both a sanctuary and a battleground, where love and tension intermingle in a delicate dance. As we embark on an expedition into the realm of family stress, it becomes evident that its roots delve deep into the soil of human experience, sprouting from a myriad of intertwined causes. From the gnarled roots of financial instability to the tempestuous winds of interpersonal conflict, the landscape of familial strain is vast and varied.

At the forefront of familial strife lies the perennial challenge of financial instability. Like a relentless tide, economic hardships can inundate the family unit, casting a shadow of uncertainty over its inhabitants. From the strain of making ends meet to the specter of mounting debts, the weight of financial burdens can bear heavily upon familial shoulders, straining relationships and eroding resilience. Moreover, the ripple effects of economic instability extend far beyond the confines of the household, permeating every aspect of daily life and exacerbating existing tensions.

Yet, amidst the tumult of financial strain, another force looms large on the horizon: interpersonal conflict. Like thunderclouds gathering on the horizon, unresolved conflicts can cast a pall over familial relationships, breeding resentment and sowing seeds of discord. Whether stemming from clashing personalities, divergent values, or unresolved grievances, these conflicts can serve as a crucible in which familial bonds are tested and tempered. Left unchecked, they can metastasize, poisoning the wellspring of familial harmony and fracturing the ties that bind.

Furthermore, the external pressures of modern life serve as a formidable adversary in the battle against familial strain. From the relentless demands of work to the ever-present specter of societal expectations, the external forces that assail the family unit are manifold and multifaceted. Caught in the crossfire of competing obligations and expectations, families find themselves navigating treacherous waters, buffeted by the winds of change and uncertainty. In such turbulent times, resilience becomes not just a virtue but a necessity, a lifeline to cling to amidst the storm.

Yet, despite the myriad challenges that beset the familial landscape, there exists a beacon of hope amidst the darkness: the power of adaptive strategies. Like intrepid explorers charting a course through uncharted waters, families can harness the tools at their disposal to navigate the labyrinth of stress and emerge stronger on the other side. Effective communication serves as a compass, guiding them through the rocky terrain of conflict and discord. By fostering open dialogue and active listening, families can bridge the gap between differing perspectives and cultivate a sense of empathy and understanding.

Moreover, the cultivation of resilience serves as a bulwark against the onslaught of adversity, equipping families with the fortitude to weather life’s inevitable storms. Like a sturdy vessel navigating stormy seas, resilience enables families to withstand the turbulence of familial strain and emerge unscathed on the other side. Through resilience-building exercises and coping mechanisms, families can shore up their defenses and fortify their bonds, forging a path towards greater harmony and cohesion.

In conclusion, the journey through the labyrinth of familial strain is fraught with peril and uncertainty, yet it is also replete with opportunity and growth. By unraveling the tangled threads of causality, acknowledging the far-reaching impact, and embracing adaptive strategies, families can chart a course towards greater resilience and well-being. Like intrepid explorers forging a path through uncharted territory, they can navigate the twists and turns of familial stress with courage and determination, emerging stronger and more united than ever before.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Stress Management — Stress Cause And Effect

Stress Cause and Effect

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Published: Mar 13, 2024

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Causes of stress, effects of stress.

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Family and Academic Stress and Their Impact on Students' Depression Level and Academic Performance

1 School of Mechatronics Engineering, Daqing Normal University, Daqing, China

2 School of Marxism, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China

Jacob Cherian

3 College of Business, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Noor Un Nisa Khan

4 Faculty of Business Administration, Iqra University Karachi Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan

Kalpina Kumari

5 Faculty of Department of Business Administration, Greenwich University Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan

Muhammad Safdar Sial

6 Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan

Ubaldo Comite

7 Department of Business Sciences, University Giustino Fortunato, Benevento, Italy

Beata Gavurova

8 Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Kosice, Kosice, Slovakia

József Popp

9 Hungarian National Bank–Research Center, John von Neumann University, Kecskemét, Hungary

10 College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Associated Data

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Current research examines the impact of academic and familial stress on students' depression levels and the subsequent impact on their academic performance based on Lazarus' cognitive appraisal theory of stress. The non-probability convenience sampling technique has been used to collect data from undergraduate and postgraduate students using a modified questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. This study used the SEM method to examine the link between stress, depression, and academic performance. It was confirmed that academic and family stress leads to depression among students, negatively affecting their academic performance and learning outcomes. This research provides valuable information to parents, educators, and other stakeholders concerned about their childrens' education and performance.

Introduction

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are believed to be one of the strongest pillars in the growth of any nation ( 1 ). Being the principal stakeholder, the performance of HEIs mainly relies on the success of its students ( 2 ). To successfully compete in the prevailing dynamic industrial environment, students are not only supposed to develop their knowledge but are also expected to have imperative skills and abilities ( 3 ). In the current highly competitive academic environment, students' performance is largely affected by several factors, such as social media, academic quality, family and social bonding, etc. ( 4 ). Aafreen et al. ( 2 ) stated that students continuously experience pressure from different sources during academic life, which ultimately causes stress among students.

Stress is a common factor that largely diminishes individual morale ( 5 ). It develops when a person cannot handle their inner and outer feelings. When the stress becomes chronic or exceeds a certain level, it affects an individual's mental health and may lead to different psychological disorders, such as depression ( 6 ). Depression is a worldwide illness marked by feelings of sadness and the inability to feel happy or satisfied ( 7 ). Nowadays, it is a common disorder, increasing day by day. According to the World Health Organization ( 8 , 9 ), depression was ranked third among the global burden of disease and predicted to take over first place by 2030.

Depression leads to decreased energy, difficulty thinking, concentrating, and making career decisions ( 6 ). Students are a pillar of the future in building an educated society. For them, academic achievement is a big goal of life and can severely be affected if the students fall prey to depression ( 10 , 11 ). There can be several reasons for this: family issues, exposure to a new lifestyle in colleges and universities, poor academic grades, favoritism by teachers, etc. Never-ending stress or academic pressure of studies can also be a chief reason leading to depression in students ( 12 ). There is a high occurrence of depression in emerging countries, and low mental health literacy has been theorized as one of the key causes of escalating rates of mental illness ( 13 ).

Several researchers, such as ( 6 , 14 , 15 ) have studied stress and depression elements from a performance perspective and reported that stress and depression negatively affect the academic performance of students. However, Aafreen et al. ( 2 ) reported contradictory results and stated that stress sharpens the individual's mind and reflexes and enables workers to perform better in taxing situations. Ardalan ( 16 ) conducted a study in the United States (US). They reported that depression is a common issue among students in the US, and 20 percent of them may have a depressive disorder spanning 12 months or more. It affects students' mental and physical health and limits their social relationships and professional career.

However, the current literature provides mixed results on the relationship between stress and performance. Therefore, the current research investigates stress among students from family and academic perspectives using Lazaru's theory which describes stress as a relation between an individual and his environment and examines how it impacts students' depression level, leading to their academic performance. Most of the available studies on stress and depression are from industrial perspectives, and limited attention is paid to stress from family and institutional perspectives and examines its impact on students' depression level, leading to their academic performance, particularly in Pakistan, the place of the study. Besides, the present study follows a multivariate statistical technique, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationship between stated variables which is also a study's uniqueness.

This paper is divided into five main sections. The current section provided introduction, theoretical perspective, and background of the study. In the second section, a theoretical framework, a detailed literature review and research hypotheses of the underlying relationships are being proposed. In the third and fourth section, methodology and analysis have been discussed. Finally, in the last section, the conclusion, limitations, implications, and recommendations for future research have been proposed.

Theory and Literature

The idea of cognitive appraisal theory was presented in 1966 by psychologist Richard Lazarus in Psychological Stress and Coping Process. According to this theory, appraisal and coping are two concepts that are central to any psychological stress theory. Both are interrelated. According to the theory, stress is the disparity between stipulations placed on the individuals and their coping resources ( 17 ). Since its first introduction as a comprehensive theory ( 18 ), a few modifications have been experienced in theory later. The recent adaptation states that stress is not defined as a specific incitement or psychological, behavioral, or subjective response. Rather, stress is seen as a relation between an individual and his environment ( 19 ). Individuals appraise the environment as significant for their well-being and try to cope with the exceeding demands and challenges.

Cognitive appraisal is a model based on the idea that stress and other emotional processes depend on a person's expectancies regarding the significance and outcome of an event, encounter, or function. This explains why there are differences in intensity, duration, and quality of emotions elicited in people in response to the environment, which objectively, are equal for all ( 18 ). These appraisals may be influenced by various factors, including a person's goals, values, motivations, etc., and are divided into primary and secondary appraisals, specific patterns of which lead to different kinds of stress ( 20 ). On the other hand, coping is defined as the efforts made by a person to minimize, tolerate, or master the internal and external demands placed on them, a concept intimately related to cognitive appraisal and, therefore, to the stress-relevant person-environment transactions.

Individuals experience different mental and physiological changes when encountering pressure, such as stress ( 21 , 22 ). The feelings of stress can be either due to factors in the external environment or subjective emotions of individuals, which can even lead to psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression. Excess stress can cause health problems. A particularly negative impact has been seen in students due to the high level of stress they endure, affecting their learning outcomes. Various methods are used to tackle stress. One of the methods is trying to pinpoint the causes of stress, which leads us to different terms such as family stress and academic stress. The two factors, stress and depression, have greatly impacted the students' academic performances. This research follows the Lazarus theory based on stress to examine the variables. See the conceptual framework of the study in Figure 1 .

Conceptual framework.

Academic Stress

Academic issues are thought to be the most prevalent source of stress for college students ( 23 ). For example, according to Yang et al. ( 24 ), students claimed that academic-related pressures such as ongoing study, writing papers, preparing for tests, and boring professors were the most important daily problems. Exams and test preparation, grade level competitiveness, and gaining a big quantity of knowledge in a short period of time all contribute to academic pressure. Perceived stress refers to a condition of physical or psychological arousal in reaction to stressors ( 25 , 26 ). When college students face excessive or negative stress, they suffer physical and psychological consequences. Excessive stress can cause health difficulties such as fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. Academic stress has been linked to a variety of negative effects, including ill health, anxiety, depression, and poor academic performance. Travis et al. ( 27 ), in particular, discovered strong links between academic stress and psychological and physical health.

Family Stress

Parental participation and learning effect how parents treat their children, as well as how they handle their children's habits and cognitive processes ( 28 ). This, in turn, shapes their children's performance and behaviors toward them. As a result, the parent-child relationship is dependent on the parents' attitudes, understanding, and perspectives. When parents have positive views, the relationship between them and their children will be considerably better than when they have negative attitudes. Parents respond to unpleasant emotions in a variety of ways, which can be classified as supportive or non-supportive ( 29 ). Parents' supportive reactions encourage children to explore their emotions by encouraging them to express them or by assisting them in understanding and coping with an emotion-eliciting scenario. Non-supportive behaviors, such as downplaying the kid's emotional experience, disciplining the child, or getting concerned by the child's display, transmit the child the message that expressing unpleasant emotions is inappropriate and unacceptable. Supportive parental reactions to unpleasant emotions in children have been linked to dimensions of emotional and social competence, such as emotion comprehension and friendship quality. Non-supportive or repressive parental reactions, on the other hand, have been connected to a child's stored negative affect and disordered behaviors during emotion-evoking events, probably due to an inability or unwillingness to communicate unpleasant sentiments ( 30 , 31 ).

Academic Stress and Students' Depression Levels

Generally, it is believed that mental health improves as we enter into adulthood, and depression disorder starts to decline between the age of 18 and 25. On the other hand, excessive depression rates are the highest pervasiveness during this evolution ( 15 ), and many university students in the particular screen above clinical cut-off scores for huge depression ( 14 , 32 ). Afreen et al. ( 2 ) stated that 30% of high school students experience depression from different perspectives. This means a major chunk of fresh high school graduates are more likely to confront depression or are more vulnerable to encountering depression while enrolling in the university. As the students promote to a higher level of education, there are many factors while calculating the stress like, for example, the syllabus is tough to comprehend, assignments are quite challenging with unrealistic deadlines, and accommodation problems for the students who are shifted from other cities, etc. ( 33 ). Experiences related to university can also contribute while studying depression. The important thing to consider is depression symptoms vary from time to time throughout the academic years ( 34 ); subjective and objective experiences are directly connected to the depression disorder ( 6 ), stress inherent in the university situation likely donates to the difference in university students' depressing experiences.

Stress negatively impacts students' mental peace, and 42.3% of students of Canadian university respondents testified devastating levels of anxiety and stress ( 35 , 36 ). Moreover, there were (58.1%) students who stated academic projects are too tough to handle for them. In Germany, Bulgaria, and Poland, a huge sample of respondents consider assignments a burden on their lives that cannot stand compared to relationships or any other concern in life ( 14 ).

In several countries, university students were studied concerning stress, and results show that depression disorder and apparent anxiety are correlated to educational needs and demands ( 37 ). In their cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of 900 Canadian students, Lörz et al. ( 38 ) concluded that strain confronted due to academic workload relatively has high bleak symptoms even after controlling 13 different risk affecting factors for depression (e.g., demographic features, abusive past, intellectual way, and personality, currently experienced stressful trials in life, societal support). Few have exhibited that students who are tired of educational workload or the students who name them traumatic tend to have more depressing disorders ( 15 ).

These relations can be described by examining the stress and coping behaviors that highlight the role of positive judgments in the stress times ( 39 ), containing the Pancer and colleagues' university modification framework ( 40 , 41 ). The evaluation concept includes examining the circumstances against the available resources, for instance, the effectiveness of coping behavior and societal support. As per these frameworks, if demand is considered unapproachable and resources are lacking, confronted stress and interrelated adverse effects will be high, conceivably giving birth to difficulties in an adjustment like mental instability. Stress triggering situations and the resources in the educational area led to excessive workload, abilities, and study and enhanced time managing skills.

Sketching the overall evaluation frameworks, Pancer et al. ( 40 ) established their framework to exhibit the constructive and damaging adjustment results for the university students dealing with the academic challenges. They stated that while students enroll in the university, they evaluate all the stress-related factors that students confront. They consider them manageable as long as they have sufficient resources. On the other hand, if the available resources do not match the stress factors, it will surely result in a negative relationship, which will lead students to experience depression for sure. Based on the given arguments, the researcher formulates the following hypothesis:

• H1: Increased academic stress results in increased depression levels in students.

Family Stress and Students' Depression Levels

According to Topuzoglu et al. ( 42 ), 3% to 16.9% of individuals are affected by depression worldwide. There are fewer chances for general people to confront depression than university students ( 43 , 44 ). In Mirza et al.'s ( 45 ) study, 1/3 of students encounter stress and depression (a subjective mean occurrence of 30.6%) of all participant students, which suggests students have a 9% higher rate of experiencing depression than general people. Depression can destroy life; it greatly impacts living a balanced life. It can impact students' personal and social relationships, educational efficiency, quality of life, affecting their social and family relationships, academic productivity, and bodily operations ( 46 , 47 ). This declines their abilities, and they get demotivated to learn new things, resulting in unsatisfactory performances, and it can even result in university dropouts ( 48 ). Depression is a continuous substantial risk aspect for committing suicide for university students ( 49 ); thus, it is obliged to discover the factors that can give rise to students' depression.

Seventy-five percentage of students in China of an intermediate school are lucky enough to enroll in higher education. The more students pursue higher education, the more they upsurge for depression (in 2002, the depression rate was 5 to 10%, 2011 it rises 24 to 38%) ( 5 ). Generally, University students' age range is late teens to early twenties, i.e., 18–23 years. Abbas ( 50 ) named the era of university students as “post-adolescence. Risk factors for teenage depression have several and complicated problems of individual characteristics and family and educational life ( 51 ). Amongst the huge depression factors, relationship building with family demands a major chunk of attention and time since factors like parenting and family building play an important role in children's development ( 52 , 53 ). Halonen et al. ( 54 ) concluded that factors like family binding play a major role in development, preservation, and driving adolescent depression. Generally speaking, depressed teenagers tend to have a weaker family relationship with their parents than non-depressed teenagers.

There are two types of family risk factors, soft and hard. Hard factors are encountered in families with a weak family building structure, parents are little to no educated at all, and of course, the family status (economically). Several studies have proved that students of hard risk factors are more likely to encounter depression. Firstly, students from broken families have low confidence in every aspect of life, and they are weak at handling emotional breakdowns compared to students from complete and happy families ( 55 – 57 ). Secondly, the university students born in educated families, especially mothers (at least a college degree or higher degree), are less likely to confront depression than the university students born in families with little to no educated families. Secondly, children born with educated mothers or mothers who at least have a college degree tend to be less depressive than the children of less-educated mothers ( 58 ). However, Parker et al. and Mahmood et al. ( 59 , 60 ) stated a strong relationship between depression and mothers with low literacy levels.

On the other hand, Chang et al. ( 46 ) couldn't prove the authentication of this relationship in university students. Thirdly, university students who belong to lower class families tend to have more unstable mental states and are more likely to witness depression than middle or upper-class families ( 61 ). Jadoon et al. and Abbas et al. ( 62 , 63 ) said that there is no link between depression and economic status. Their irrelevance can be because medical students often come from educated and wealthy families and know their jobs are guaranteed as soon as they graduate. Therefore, the relationship between the hard family environment and depression can be known by targeting a huge audience, and there are several factors to consider while gauging this relationship.

The soft family environment is divided into clear factors (parenting style example, family guidelines, rules, the parent with academic knowledge, etc.) and implied factors (family norm, parent-child relationship, communication within the family, etc.). The soft factor is the key factor within the family that cannot be neglected while studying the teenagers' mental state or depression. Families make microsystems within the families, and families are the reason to build and maintain dysfunctional behavior by multiple functional procedures ( 64 ). Amongst the soft family environmental factors, consistency and struggles can be helpful while forecasting the mental health of teenagers. The youth of broken families, family conflict, weak family relationships, and marital issues, especially unhappy married life, are major factors for youth depression ( 65 ). Ruchkin et al. ( 66 ) stated that African Americans usually have weak family bonding, and their teenagers suffer from depression even when controlling for source bias. Whereas, few researchers have stated, family unity is the most serious factor while foreseeing teenagers' depression. Eaton noted that extreme broken family expressions might hurt emotionality and emotional regulation ( 67 , 68 ).

Social circle is also considered while studying depression in teenagers ( 69 – 71 ). The traditional Pakistani culture emphasizes collectivism and peace and focuses on blood relations and sensitive sentiments. Adolescents with this type of culture opt to get inspired by family, but students who live in hostels or share the room with other students lose this family inspiration. This transformation can be a big risk to encounter depression ( 72 ). Furthermore, in Pakistan securing employment is a big concern for university students. If they want a good job in the future, they have to score good grades and maintain GPA from the beginning. They have to face different challenges all at once, like aggressive educational competition, relationships with peers and family, and of course the biggest employment stress all alone. The only source for coping with these pressures is the family that can be helpful for fundings. If the students do not get ample support the chances are of extreme depression. The following hypothesis is suggested:

• H2: Increased family stress level results in increased depression levels in students.

Students' Depression Levels and Students' Academic Performance

University students denote many people experiencing a crucial conversion from teenagers to adulthood: a time that is generally considered the most traumatic time in one's ( 73 ). This then gets accumulated with other challenges like changes in social circle and exams tension, which possibly puts students' mental health at stake. It has been concluded that one-third of students experience moderate to severe depression in their entire student life ( 74 ). This is the rate that can be increased compared to the general people ( 75 , 76 ). Students with limited social-class resources tend to be more helpless. Additionally, depressed students in attainable-focused environments (for instance, higher academic institutes) are likely to score lower grades with a sense of failure and more insufficient self-assurance because they consider themselves failures, find the world unfair, and have future uncertainties. Furthermore, students with low self-esteem are rigid to take on challenging assignments and projects, hence they are damaging their educational career ( 77 ).

Depression can be defined as a blend of physical, mental, bodily processes, and benightedness which can make themselves obvious by symptoms like, for example, poor sleep schedule, lack of concentration, ill thoughts, and state of remorse ( 78 , 79 ). But, even after such a huge number of depressions in students and the poor academic system, research has not explored the effect of depression on educational performance. A study has shown that the relationship between emotional stability and academic performance in university students and financial status directly results in poor exam performance. As the study further concluded, it was verified depression is an independent factor ( 80 ). Likewise, students suffering from depression score poor grades, but this relationship vanished if their depression got treated. Apart from confidence breaking, depression is a big failure for their academic life. Students with depression symptoms bunk more classes, assessments, and assignments. They drop courses if they find them challenging than non-depressed peers, and they are more likely to drop out of university completely ( 81 ). Students suffering from depression can become ruthless, ultimately affecting their educational performance and making them moody ( 82 ).

However, it has been stated that the association between anxiety and educational performance is even worse and ambiguous. At the same time, some comprehensive research has noted that the greater the anxiousness, the greater the student's performance. On the other hand, few types of research have shown results where there is no apparent relationship between anxiety and poorer academic grades ( 83 ). Ironically, few studies have proposed that a higher anxiety level may improve academic performance ( 84 , 85 ). Current research by Khan et al. ( 86 ) on the undergraduate medical students stated that even though the high occurrence of huge depression between the students, the students GPA is unharmed. Therefore, based on given differences in various research findings, this research is supposed to find a more specific and clear answer to the shared relationship between students' depression levels and academic performance. Based on the given arguments, the researcher formulates the following hypothesis:

• H3: Students' depression level has a significant negative effect on their academic performance.

Methodology

Target population and sampling procedure.

The target audience of this study contains all male and female students studying in the public, private, or semi-government higher education institutions located in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The researchers collected data from undergraduate and postgraduate students from the management sciences, engineering, and computer science departments. The sampling technique which has been used is the non-probability sampling technique. A questionnaire was given to the students, and they were requested to fill it and give their opinion independently. The questionnaire is based on five points Likert scale.

However, stress and depression are the most common issue among the students, which affects their learning outcomes adversely. A non-probability sampling technique gathered the data from February 2020 to May 2020. The total questionnaires distributed among students were 220, and 186 responses were useful. Of which 119 respondents were females, 66 males, and 1 preferred not to disclose. See Table 1 for detailed demographic information of respondents.

Respondent's demographic profile.

Measurement Scales

We have divided this instrument into two portions. In the first section, there is demographic information of respondents. The second section includes 14 items based on family stress, academic stress, students' depression levels, and students' academic performance. Academic and family stress were measured by 3 item scale for each construct, and students' depression level and academic performance were measured by 4 item scale for each separate construct. The five-point Likert scale is used to measure the items, in which one signifies strongly disagree (S.D), second signifies disagree (D.A), third signifies neither agree nor disagree (N), fourth signifies agree (A.G), and the fifth signifies strongly agree (S.A). The questionnaire has been taken from Gold Berg ( 87 ), which is modified and used in the given questionnaire.

Data Analysis and Results

The researchers used the SEM technique to determine the correlation between stress, depression, and academic performance. According to Prajogo and Cooper ( 88 ), it can remove biased effects triggered by the measurement faults and shape a hierarchy of latent constructs. SPSS v.23 and AMOS v.23 have been used to analyze the collected data. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test is used to test the competence of the sample. The value obtained is 0.868, which fulfills the Kaiser et al. ( 89 ), a minimum requirement of 0.6. The multicollinearity factor was analyzed through the variance inflation factor (VIF). It shows the value of 3.648 and meets the requirement of Hair et al. ( 90 ), which is < 4. It also indicates the absence of multicollinearity. According to Schwarz et al. ( 91 ), common method bias (CMB) is quite complex in quantitative studies. Harman's test of a single factor has been used to analyze CMB. The result obtained for the single factor is 38.63%. As stated by Podsakoff et al. ( 92 ), if any of the factors gives value < 50% of the total variance, it is adequate and does not influence the CMB. Therefore, we can say that there is no issue with CMB. Considering the above results are adequate among the measurement and structural model, we ensure that the data is valued enough to analyze the relation.

Assessment of the Measurement and Structural Model

The association between the manifest factors and their elements is examined by measuring model and verified by the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). CFA guarantees legitimacy and the unidimensional of the measurement model ( 93 ). Peterson ( 94 ) stated that the least required, i.e., 0.8 for the measurement model, fully complies with its Cronbach's alpha value, i.e., 0.802. Therefore, it can confidently be deduced that this measurement model holds satisfactory reliability. As for the psychological legitimacy can be analyzed through factor loading, where the ideal loading is above 0.6 for already established items ( 95 ). Also, according to the recommendation of Molina et al. ( 96 ), the minimum value of the average variance extracted (AVE) for all results is supposed to be >0.5. Table 2 gives detail of the variables and their quantity of things, factor loading, merged consistency, and AVE values.

Instrument reliability and validity.

A discriminant validity test was performed to ensure the empirical difference of all constructs. For this, it was proposed by Fornell and Larcker ( 97 ) that the variance of the results is supposed to be greater than other constructs. The second indicator of discriminant validity is that the square root values of AVE have a greater correlation between the two indicators. Hair et al. ( 90 ) suggested that the correlation between the pair of predictor variables should not be higher than 0.9. Table 3 shows that discriminant validity recommended by Hair et al. ( 90 ) and Fornell and Larcker ( 97 ) was proved clearly that both conditions are fulfilled and indicates that the constructs have adequate discriminant validity.

Discriminant validity analysis.

Acd. Strs, Academic Stress; Fam. Strs, Family Stress; Std. Dep. Lev, Student's Depression Level; Std. Acd. Perf, Student's Academic Performance .

Kaynak ( 98 ) described seven indicators that ensure that the measurement model fits correctly. These indicators include standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR), root means a square error of approximation (RMSEA), comparative fit index (CFI), normative fit index (NFI), adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI), the goodness of fit index (GFI) and chi-square to a degree of freedom (x 2 /DF). Tucker-Lewis's index (TLI) is also included to ensure the measurement and structural model's fitness. In the measurement model, the obtained result shows that the value of x 2 /DF is 1.898, which should be lower than 2 suggested by Byrne ( 99 ), and this value also meets the requirement of Bagozzi and Yi ( 100 ), i.e., <3. The RMSEA has the value 0.049, which fully meets the requirement of 0.08, as stated by Browne and Cudeck ( 101 ). Furthermore, the SRMR acquired value is 0.0596, which assemble with the required need of < 0.1 by Hu and Bentler ( 102 ). Moreover, according to Bentler and Bonett ( 103 ), McDonald and Marsh ( 104 ), and Bagozzi and Yi ( 100 ), the ideal value is 0.9, and the values obtained from NFI, GFI, AGFI, CFI, and TLI are above the ideal value.

Afterward, the structural model was analyzed and achieved the findings, which give the value of x 2 /DF 1.986. According to Browne and Cudeck ( 101 ), the RMSEA value should not be greater than 0.08, and the obtained value of RMSEA is 0.052, which meets the requirement perfectly. The minimum requirement of Hu and Bentler ( 102 ) should be <0.1, for the structural model fully complies with the SRMR value 0.0616. According to a recommendation of McDonald and Marsh ( 104 ) and Bagozzi and Yi ( 100 ), the ideal value must be up to 0.9, and Table 4 also shows that the values of NFI, GFI, AGFI, CFI, and TLI, which are above than the ideal value and meets the requirement. The above results show that both the measurement and structural models are ideally satisfied with the requirements and the collected data fits correctly.

Analysis of measurement and structural model.

Testing of Hypotheses

The SEM technique is used to examine the hypotheses. Each structural parameter goes along with the hypothesis. The academic stress (Acd. Strs) with the value β = 0.293 while the p -value is 0.003. These outcomes show a significant positive relationship between academic stress (Acd. Strs) and students' depression levels (Std. Dep. Lev). With the β = 0.358 and p = 0.001 values, the data analysis discloses that the family stress (Fam. Strs) has a significant positive effect on the students' depression level (Std. Dep. Lev). However, the student's depression level (Std. Dep. Lev) also has a significant negative effect on their academic performance (Std. Acd. Perf) with the values of β = −0.319 and p = 0.001. Therefore, the results supported the following hypotheses H 1 , H 2 , and H 3 . The sub-hypotheses analysis shows that the results are statistically significant and accepted. In Table 5 , the details of the sub-hypotheses and the principals are explained precisely. Please see Table 6 to review items with their mean and standard deviation values. Moreover, Figure 2 represents the structural model.

Examining the hypotheses.

Description of items, mean, and standard deviation.

Structural model.

Discussion and Conclusion

These findings add to our knowledge of how teenage depression is predicted by academic and familial stress, leading to poor academic performance, and they have practical implications for preventative and intervention programs to safeguard adolescents' mental health in the school context. The outcomes imply that extended academic stress positively impacts students' depression levels with a β of 0.293 and a p -value sof 0.003. However, according to Wang et al. ( 5 ), a higher level of academic stress is linked to a larger level of school burnout, which leads to a higher degree of depression. Satinsky et al. ( 105 ) also claimed that university officials and mental health specialists have expressed worry about depression and anxiety among Ph.D. students, and that his research indicated that depression and anxiety are quite common among Ph.D. students. Deb et al. ( 106 ) found the same results and concluded that depression, anxiety, behavioral difficulties, irritability, and other issues are common among students who are under a lot of academic stress. Similarly, Kokou-Kpolou et al. ( 107 ) revealed that depressive symptoms are common among university students in France. They also demonstrate that socioeconomic and demographic characteristics have a role.

However, Wang et al. ( 5 ) asserted that a higher level of academic stress is associated with a higher level of school burnout, which in return, leads to a higher level of depression. Furthermore, Satinsky et al. ( 105 ) also reported that university administrators and mental health clinicians have raised concerns about depression and anxiety and concluded in his research that depression and anxiety are highly prevalent among Ph.D. students. Deb et al. ( 106 ) also reported the same results and concluded that Depression, anxiety, behavioral problems, irritability, etc. are few of the many problems reported in students with high academic stress. Similary, Kokou-Kpolou et al. ( 107 ) confirmed that university students in France have a high prevalence of depressive symptoms. They also confirm that socio-demographic factors and perceived stress play a predictive role in depressive symptoms among university students. As a result, academic stress has spread across all countries, civilizations, and ethnic groups. Academic stress continues to be a serious problem impacting a student's mental health and well-being, according to the findings of this study.

With the β= 0.358 and p = 0.001 values, the data analysis discloses that the family stress (Fam. Strs) has a significant positive effect on the students' depression level (Std. Dep. Lev). Aleksic ( 108 ) observed similar findings and concluded that many and complicated concerns of personal traits, as well as both home and school contexts, are risk factors for teenage depression. Similarly, Wang et al. ( 109 ) indicated that, among the possible risk factors for depression, family relationships need special consideration since elements like parenting styles and family dynamics influence how children grow. Family variables influence the onset, maintenance, and course of juvenile depression, according to another study ( 110 ). Depressed adolescents are more likely than normal teenagers to have bad family and parent–child connections.

Conversely, students' depression level has a significantly negative impact on their academic performance with β and p -values of −0.319 and 0.001. According ( 111 ), anxiety and melancholy have a negative influence on a student's academic performance. Adolescents and young adults suffer from depression, which is a common and dangerous mental illness. It's linked to an increase in family issues, school failure, especially among teenagers, suicide, drug addiction, and absenteeism. While the transition to adulthood is a high-risk period for depression in general ( 5 ), young people starting college may face extra social and intellectual challenges that increase their risk of melancholy, anxiety, and stress ( 112 ). Students' high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress have serious consequences. Not only may psychological morbidity have a negative impact on a student's academic performance and quality of life, but it may also disturb family and institutional life ( 107 ). Therefore, long-term untreated depression, anxiety, or stress can have a negative influence on people's ability to operate and produce, posing a public health risk ( 113 ).

Theoretical Implications

The current study makes various contributions to the existing literature on servant leadership. Firstly, it enriches the limited literature on the role of family and academic stress and their impact on students' depression levels. Although, a few studies have investigated stress and depression and its impact on Students' academic performance ( 14 , 114 ), however, their background i.e., family and institutions are largely ignored.

Secondly, it explains how the depression level impacts students' academic learning, specifically in the Asian developing countries region. Though a substantial body of empirical research has been produced in the last decade on the relationship between students' depression levels and its impact on their academic achievements, however, the studies conducted in the Pakistani context are scarce ( 111 , 115 ). Thus, this study adds further evidence to prior studies conducted in different cultural contexts and validates the assumption that family and academic stress are key sources depression and anxiety among students which can lead toward their low academic grades and their overall performance.

This argument is in line with our proposed theory in the current research i.e., cognitive appraisal theory which was presented in 1966 by psychologist Richard Lazarus. Lazarus's theory is called the appraisal theory of stress, or the transactional theory of stress because the way a person appraises the situation affects how they feel about it and consequently it's going to affect his overall quality of life. In line with the theory, it suggests that events are not good or bad, but the way we think about them is positive or negative, and therefore has an impact on our stress levels.

Practical Implications

According to the findings of this study, high levels of depressive symptoms among college students should be brought to the attention of relevant departments. To prevent college student depression, relevant departments should improve the study and life environment for students, try to reduce the generation of negative life events, provide adequate social support for students, and improve their cognitive and coping capacities to improve their mental qualities.

Stress and depression, on the other hand, may be managed with good therapy, teacher direction, and family support. The outcomes of this study provide an opportunity for academic institutions to address students' psychological well-being and requirements. Emotional well-being support services for students at Pakistan's higher education institutions are lacking in many of these institutions, which place a low priority on the psychological requirements of these students. As a result, initiatives that consistently monitor and enhance kids' mental health are critical. Furthermore, stress-reduction treatments such as biofeedback, yoga, life-skills training, mindfulness meditation, and psychotherapy have been demonstrated to be useful among students. Professionals in the sector would be able to adapt interventions for pupils by understanding the sources from many spheres.

Counseling clinics should be established at colleges to teach students about stress and sadness. Counselors should instill in pupils the importance of positive conduct and decision-making. The administration of the school should work to create a good and safe atmosphere. Furthermore, teachers should assume responsibility for assisting and guiding sad pupils, since this will aid in their learning and performance. Support from family members might also help you get through difficult times.

Furthermore, these findings support the importance of the home environment as a source of depression risk factors among university students, implying that family-based treatments and improvements are critical in reducing depression among university students.

Limitations and Future Research Implications

The current study has a few limitations. The researcher gathered data from the higher education level of university students studying in Islamabad and Rawalpindi institutions. In the future, researchers are required to widen their region and gather information from other cities of Pakistan, for instance, Lahore, Karachi, etc. Another weakness of the study is that it is cross-sectional in nature. We need to do longitudinal research in the future to authoritatively assert the cause-and-effect link between academic and familial stress and their effects on students' academic performance since cross-sectional studies cannot establish significant cause and effect relationships. Finally, the study's relatively small sample size is a significant weakness. Due to time and budget constraints, it appears that the capacity to perform in-depth research of all firms in Pakistan's pharmaceutical business has been limited. Even though the findings are substantial and meaningful, the small sample size is predicted to limit generalizability and statistical power. This problem can be properly solved by increasing the size of the sample by the researchers, in future researches.

Data Availability Statement

Ethics statement.

Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent for participation was not required for this study in accordance with the national legislation and the institutional requirements.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to conceptualization, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing and editing of the original draft, and read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This work was funded by the 2020 Heilongjiang Province Philosophy and Social Science Research Planning Project on Civic and Political Science in Universities (Grant No. 20SZB01). This work is supported by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy Sciences as part of the research project VEGA 1/0797/20: Quantification of Environmental Burden Impacts of the Slovak Regions on Health, Social and Economic System of the Slovak Republic.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank all persons who directly or indirectly participated in the completion of this manuscript.

Family Nursing and Stress Theory Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

The history of the model, the major concept of the framework, major assumptions of the theory concerning family and nursing.

A family stress theory is a social abstract that tends to explain the observations concerning family strains, which have occurred over the years. In fact, this is considered as a critical aspect of the social life (Babbie, 2004). Like most theories in nursing, family stress theory is an explanation of observations concerning family conducts that can be used to design clinical intervention strategies, predict the behavior and guide further health studies. Even though stress theories are relatively new and still evolving, it has been widely applied in the social, psychological, psychiatric and healthcare intervention strategies (Babbie, 2004). Stress theories consist of the individual and the family anxiety presumptions. However, the individual, family models, and stress management frameworks are applied and remain critical in most family strain-management interventions (Babbie, 2004).

Various studies on the strain concept have advanced overtime in the domestic arena. The evolution in the study of the family strains and the emergence of the family stress theory has led researchers to divide the family strain preposition into four distinct eras (Babbie, 2004). Even though the stages are distinct, the models are closely related and developed from one stage to the other. Both the family and individual stress theories began in the 1920s with researchers particularly concerned with the strains that affected both the individuals and families. The stress theories were developed through researchers in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, anthropology, and sociology (Babbie, 2004). However, its application span across various fields including health sciences.

The first era in the development of the family stress theory started with the studies in the 1920s and ended in the development of the assumption in the mid-1940s (Babbie, 2004). The first era of the family stress theory is associated with the works of Angel in 1936, Cavan and Ranck in 1938, Koos in 1946 and Hill in 1949 (Babbie, 2004).

The researchers established different stresses affecting families resulting from the economic changes (Babbie, 2004).

The second era in the development of family stress theory was advanced via the works of Hill in 1958. In the study, Hill developed the ABCX model, which became the foundation of the current family stress theory. During the second era most of the researches revolved around testing the Hill’s ABCX model (Babbie, 2004).

In the third era, the focus of the studies was on the family strengths, adaptation strategies as well as the concepts of the family systems (Babbie, 2004). The third era depended on the works of McCubbin and Patterson who expanded the ABCX model to double ABCX and FAAR models in 1982 and 1983 respectively. McCubbin and McCubbin also came up with typology and resiliency models in 1987 and 1991 respectively (Babbie, 2004).

The fourth era in the development of family stress theory also saw a transformation to the postmodern stressors with a lot of emphasis on the changing focus to industrial processes, cultural transformations, shared family meanings and contexts (Babbie, 2004). The fourth era is mainly associated with the works of Boss in 2002.

The current applications of the family stress theory are based on the postmodern studies conducted mainly in the fourth era. The main idea is to utilize the modern family setting in explaining the health phenomena as well as to provide guidance to the nursing practice (Votroubek, 2010). Essentially, the whole concept surrounds a clinical setting in which the family forms an integral part of the intervention. The whole idea is to apply the family stress theory in clinical practice particularly, to support healthcare programs during typical family unit transitions as well as in evaluating changes in the family during one of the member’s heightened or persistent poor health (Votroubek, 2010).

Based on the assumptions that a number of realities and truths exists, postmodern interventions is distinct from the notion that realities can be conceived. The postmodern therapies are founded on the idea that families create meanings in their lives through mutual communications (Votroubek, 2010). In fact, the post-modern approach put more emphasis on determining the strengths and resources of the clients. The post-modern approaches steered clear of the concept of pathologizing the clients and disregarded the issue of diagnosis (Votroubek, 2010). The post-modern approaches also kept away from the processes of searching for the underlying causes of the family problems.

Four major assumptions are associated with the family stress model. The theory assumed that most stresses are due to unexpected events (Babbie, 2004). Besides, the theory assumed that stresses that come from unexpected events cause more disruption to families compared with stressors that result from external events including economic downturn, war and related circumstances. In addition, the concept assumed that the increased awareness of anxiety originates from the deficiency of experience of the preceding stressor. Finally, the theory assumed that the stressors originating from uncertain actions are stressful compared with non-ambiguous events (Babbie, 2004). The assumptions remain critical in understanding how the families cope. Besides, the assumptions help the nurses to determine the stressors and the family coping relationships, which in turn led to the establishment of the resilient outcomes.

Babbie, E. (2004). The practice of social research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson.

Votroubek, W. (2010). Pediatric home care for nurses: A family-centered approach. Boston, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

• Quality and Safety Education for Nurses
• Equipping Nurses With Fundamental Competencies
• Postmodern View and Spirituality in Healthcare
• The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge
• Post-Modern Perspective on Mental Health Nursing
• Enhanced Patient Recovery Methods
• Romana T. Mercer Theory of Maternal Role Attainment
• Assessment of Neurological Symptoms
• Urinary Tract Infections and Dementia Management
• Diabetes Mellitus and HFSON Conceptual Framework
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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I use an AI assistant as a doctor and cut hours off my workload. But, I'm still cautious about AI's future.

• Dr. Jennifer J. Bryan used to work an extra 10 to 20 hours a week, note-taking for her job.
• Last fall, she began using an AI assistant to create notes and says it's alleviated her stress.
• She doesn't see AI ever replacing doctors but is cautious about its place in the medical world.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Dr. Jennifer J. Bryan, 47, about using an AI voice assistant in the medical field. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I work in family medicine, treating newborns up to patients in their 90s.

I graduated from my residency in family medicine in 2006. I've been practicing in Mississippi for 18 years and joined the Hattiesburg Clinic a year ago.

I work at my clinic 40 hours a week, but I used to spend a lot of my time documenting patient notes outside those hours. Documentation admin would take an extra 10 to 20 hours a week.

Last fall, I started using Suki AI , an AI-powered voice assistant, to help me make notes from patient interactions. I now use it all the time.

It reminded me of the old days of practicing medicine when I wasn't constantly typing notes into a computer. It's provided a more organic way for me to interact with patients and alleviated a lot of stress about note-taking.

I'm in favor of using AI for notetaking , but do have hesitations about using it for other purposes in the medical field.

I used to type my notes or use a dictation software

When I first started practicing medicine in 2006, I took handwritten notes. I'd get hand cramps sometimes, but I could get my notes done during consultations.

When electronic health records came into effect, doctors could type notes, but typing while interacting with patients was distracting. So, most typing would happen over a lunch break or at home on the couch. This is when the time I spent documenting notes increased significantly, and it also caused burnout for a lot of physicians around the country.

As the president of the Mississippi State Medical Association, I speak to a lot of physicians. They say button-clicking and typing adds extra strain to their lives. Personally, I never burned out, but I was often stressed and looked to alleviate it.

Related stories

I started using dictation software around six years ago. I would speak into a handheld microphone, and it would type my words out. It was a good product, but verbally recreating each visit took a long time, and it misspelled and misheard some words.

A fellow physician at my clinic encouraged us to try using an AI assistant for note-taking. I signed up to trial Suki AI, which I heard the American Academy of Family Physicians endorsed , and a competitor product. I preferred Suki, and it's the product I still use today.

(Editor's note: A spokesperson for Suki AI told BI that the company has no financial partnership with either Hattiesburg Clinic or the AAFP, and the listing price for the technology is $399 a month per provider.)

How the AI assistant works

Suki is an AI assistant app on my phone that I use for notes. When I walk into a room with a patient, I ask my patients for consent to use the software. I'll hit record and my phone will listen to the conversation with the patient. I'll walk out of the room and stop recording.

Unlike the dictation software I used before, which couldn't produce summaries of what I said to it, Suki generates a summarizing note from the appointment, which I send to my computer.

If my phone dies or I don't have it on me, I can speak directly to Suki about the appointment. It creates a solid note as if it were listening to the exam room interaction, but I think it's more accurate when I have it in the room with the patient.

At the end of the day, I'll spend 15 minutes going through my notes on my computer, making sure the AI spelled the drugs correctly, and cleaning things up. It's a huge contrast from the 10 hours a week I used to spend on notetaking.

I'm very legal-minded, and one of my first questions about Suki was how long it stores patient information. I learned that the audio and transcript from patient interactions are erased from Suki after seven days, so I felt comfortable with how it handles privacy. Before the notes are erased from Suki, I send them to my computer, and they're permanently stored in my electronic records.

Using AI at work has reduced my stress, but the technology isn't perfect

I use Suki all the time now. I pay for the service, which is deducted from my paycheck.

It's made my workflow easier. I'm more able to accommodate patients into my schedule. Patients have also noticed that I don't have to type anymore and can keep eye contact without looking over a computer.

It's alleviated stress in my personal life. I'd never miss family events for work because family is my priority, but I did overload myself and would have to stay up late to finish notes. Now, when I'm home, my family and I are watching movies or doing homework, and I don't have to type notes for work on my laptop.

The technology isn't perfect. Sometimes, when it generated notes, there were two paragraphs that almost said the same thing, so I'd cut one out when editing. Every now and then, it will misunderstand a medicine I say and put in something else.

I don't see this as a problem. There are plenty of errors with scribbly doctor's handwriting and some with other dictation software. As physicians, we're responsible for reviewing notes for accuracy. With any technology, there will be an acceptable degree of edits that need to be made.

I'm in favor of using AI for transcription and cautiously welcome it in other medical areas

AI has been part of medical care for quite some time now, particularly in radiology and surgery .

When it comes to medical transcript and scribe work, I see AI as a welcome relief from typing for physicians, who were trained to diagnose and treat, not to type.

I don't see AI ever replacing the physician , but I can see it chipping away at the medical scribe career. Scribes sit in exam rooms and type for doctors, but they're very expensive to have on board.

I cautiously welcome AI in the medical field. There are definitely benefits that can help humans practice medicine , such as using it to detect breast cancer . However I am cautious about errors from AI when it comes to patient lives and patient safety. In medicine, you can never underestimate the value of human interaction and understanding pain and feelings.

I'm all in when it comes to using AI for transcription and summing up visits, but we have to make sure we have appropriate guardrails when going beyond that.

Do you have a personal story about AI in the workplace you want to share with Business Insider? Email [email protected]

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