2. ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
Stress is common to everyone; however, we differ in how we respond to
our stressors. When we are under or over aroused, we cannot perform our task
at our best. Peak performance is achieved when we are in a state of optimum
arousal. In our every day situation, if we are in control of our thinking, feeling
and action we can reduce the stress and increase our performance. We tend to
think, feel and act in a consistent way in accordance with our own beliefs and
coping strategies. Most of us habitually react to our life events without much
awareness. If we learn to think, feel and act in a helpful, flexible and realistic
way we can reduce stress and can gain something out of our stressful life
events. This programme designed to cultivate coping resources to minimize the
impact and maximize the benefits from our every day stressful events.
OBJECTIVES
1. Identifying present, future stressors and our responses to that stress
2. Providing multiple skills to achieve a sense of mastery over stressors
3. Increase awareness of use of maladaptive ways of coping with stress
4. Build up general personal resources to meet upcoming challenges and
personal growth
5. Identify and use beneficial source of social support
RATIONAL FOR THE PROGRAM
The prevalence of stress is increasing among college students.
Maladaptive coping may lead to adjustment problems and unhealthy outcomes.
The ways in which an individual appraises and cope with the situation are more
important to psychological well-being. Avoidance of coping is not always
helpful in learning situation, confront or appraising a stressors as a challenge
would be beneficial. Stress coping skills prevents stress related problems and
promotes personal growth. Training of certain skills such as problem solving
and social skills would prevent stress and enhance coping skills. In order to
prevent stress related problems it is necessary to improve the competencies of

3. students, making them more able to cope with whatever difficulties life might
bring. Some of the competencies that seem be related to stress coping skills are
1) anticipate or detect potential stressors and identifying functional,
dysfunctional coping; 2) taking responsibility for one’s behaviour and its
outcome; 3) building satisfying relationship with others; 4) develop effective
cognitive problem solving and decision making skills. Those students who are
unskilled in these areas might experience and avoid stress. Training in these
skills makes them more competent and coping efficiency is maximized.
RESEARCH METHOD
This study adopted quasi-experimental design. Two-group pre-test, post-
test non-equivalent group design was utilized in this study. The training
programme was developed to enhance the following skills: critical thinking,
problem solving, decision-making, communication, interpersonal skills and self-
regulation. The sample of this study comprises of 88 students of two sections
from III year BSc computer science, from Arts and Science College,
Puducherry. Forty-four students were assigned as experimental group, and
forty-four students were assigned as control group. The pre-test was
administered to both groups and homogeneity was established. The control
group did not receive any training whereas the experimental group received
training for 21 days. The post-test was administered to both groups and
effectiveness was assessed.
RESULTS
The finding of the resent study reveals that through intensive training
programme the coping skills can be enhanced significantly. If the students are
provided with the sense of competence through the coping skills training
programs they will become more competent which in turn will help them to
prevent various stress related problems and dysfunctional coping.

4. Session- I
KNOW MORE ABOUT STRESS
Aim: 1. To understand the concept of stress
2. To understand their source and existence of stress
3. To understand their reactions to stress
NATURE OF STRESS
Stress = Demand - coping resources
1. Stress is inevitable
2. Stress can be positive as well as negative
3. Stress can be harmful to health
4. We can prevent, control and cope up with stress.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS
1. Promoting negative thinking
2. Damaging self-confidence
3. Narrowing attention
4. Preoccupation
5. Consumes mental energy
6. Generate unpleasant emotion
7. Interpersonal problem
8. Many of our bad habits and illness are due to the effect of stress
POSITIVE EFFECTS
1. Stress is a source of energy
2. Prepare the body to meet challenges
3. Physiological alertness and arousal give signal to us

5. STRESS AND OUR PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP
Controllable
High Personal responsibility
Choice
Active Confused
performance
Energetic
Uncontrollable
Levels of
Chance
Get help
Relax Cut down
Passive Withdraw
Bored
Low
Stress
Figure – 1 shows the relationship between stress and performance
Passive – waiting for something to happen (chance)
Active – make something to happen (choice)
Confused – obstacle or lack of clear plan or goal (confuse)
Withdraw – give up, avoidance (cut down)
Confusion – red
Chance – yellow similar to traffic signal
Choice - green

6. Example of our thinking, feeling and action and its outcome;
Your Chance Choice Confusion
Thinking No thinking Clear thinking Unclear /wrong
Believe in luck Plan and goal thinking
Believe your ability Doubt
Feeling Don’t feel the importance Regulated feelings Heightened,
No motivation Self-motivation unregulated feelings
External motivation
Action Joy in inaction Joy in action Work on unclear plan
Pleasure seeking Moderate risk taking and goal
Low risk taking
Example Not preparing well Active preparation Unrealistic
Upcoming Procrastinate Regular study habit expectation
exam/interview Conflicting motives
Stress Distress probably will Good stress Distress now
follow
Session - 2
OUR THINKING, FEELING AND ACTING
Aim:
1. To be aware of our thought feeling and actions
2. To identify links between thinking, feeling and acting and its outcome
3. To improve consequential thinking
4. To know more about helpful and unhelpful thought feeling and actions.
Everyone thinks, it is our nature to do so. However, much of our thinking,
left to itself is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed and prejudiced. Critical
thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to
improving it. Critical thinking helps us to be more successful and experience
more positive emotions.

7. NATURE OF THINKING, FEELING AND ACTING
Thinking
Feeling Acting
Fig: 2 shows the reciprocal relationship between thinking, feeling and
action
Role play:
1. You are waiting for an interview in a room
2. You are kept waiting for a very long time
3. You are not successful in this interview.
This is the fourth interview where you have been rejected.
Role of thinking, feeling and acting discussed with Participants after the role-play
Check it whether you react or respond
React Respond
Thinking Reflexive Thoughtful
Feeling Unpredictable Predictable
Action Out of control In control
Possible outcome Dissatisfied Satisfied
Reflexive – impulsive, habitual without much awareness
Unpredictable – without assuming the likelihood of the probable out come.
Out of control – not much awareness of your action and its probable out come
Dissatisfied – the end result of thinking, feeling and action

8. Perception
Feedback
Fig: 3 shows the link between thinking, feeling, action and its outcome
When a stress event occurs, first we have to be aware of our thoughts,
feelings and actions. Next check is it helpful to deal with the situation, and then
we make a change if necessary. We all differ in how we perceive, express and
manage emotions. We need to understand and regulate our emotions so that
they are most appropriate to the task or situation at hand. Different emotions
create different information processing and vice versa. Coping with our own
thoughts, emotions help us to cope better.
Check your thinking
Flexible Rigid
Realistic Unrealistic
Helpful Unhelpful
Session - 3
PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING
Aim:
1. To understand the complexity of the problems
2. To understand the importance of systematic approach to some problems
3. Provide problem solving &decision making skills

9. Problem solving involves finding our way towards a goal. The object of
problem solving is usually a solution, answer or conclusion. Decision making is
about deciding what action to take; it usually involves choice between options.
Ineffective problem solving and hasty decision making are more likely leads to
emotional distress and stressful pay off. We need to develop systematic
approach when we are dealing with complex real life problems. There are
different models; the five step model shown below has provend effective,
IDEAL
Identify problems and opportunities – what is my real problem
Define goals – desired goal
Explore possible strategies – plan, steps and priority
Anticipate outcomes and act
Look back and learn – feedback
Why some problems are complex
1. Conflicting motives
2. Uncertain, ambiguous situation
3. Risk involved
4. Different perspectives/ point of views
5. Many people involved
6. Different solution
Barriers
1. Lack of knowledge / skills
2. Personal / social factors- values, attitudes, emotion, expectation
pressure.
Session - 4
COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Aim:
1. To provide communication skills
2. Aware of interpersonal issues
3. Giving and receiving emotional support

10. Relationship can be a common source of stress and also important
resource for combating stress. The ability to communicate care and concern is
essential to maintain a good relationship. Building strong relationship is very
essential to cope up with stress. High quality social relationships involves being
aware of our thinking, feeling and then communicating those ideas. Maintain
relationship involves recognizing difficulties early and dealing with our own
hidden agenda, mind reading and negative assumptions etc.
Role play
1. making request
2. handling conflicts
3. expressing difficult feelings
4. giving emotional support
5. understanding different point of views
6. understanding other persons emotions and handle
Effective communication in our interaction with others can be a significant
way of lowering our own stress levels even in unpleasant situations; we can feel
good about our own skillful responses. Learning to communicate better will get
us involved with others and help us express our needs more clearly and calmly.
We need to learn to understand and regulate emotions of other people to cheer
them up when they are down, to engage them when we want them to listen to
us.
BALL GAME
Three pair of participants is needed to perform this game. One person from
each pair is instructed privately as follows, (1) Serve and receive your ball with
genuine interest. (2) Not serve your ball in such a way the ball cannot be caught.
(3) Serve your ball correctly, but do not catch the ball while your partner serves
you.

11. When each pair is playing the game, the participants are observed silently.
At the end of the game, the players share their feelings. As expected, the first
pair played their game interestingly and it lasted for long. Other two pairs may
tend to manipulate each other and the game ended abruptly. Finally, the
researcher explained that the same analogy was true when we were not
communicating or receiving the information with genuine interest. In such
situation, our conversation will not give the positive benefits.
COMMUNICATION HANDOUT
Receive Send
Resist Impulsive
R
E Mind reading Blame
A Misinterpret Criticize
C
T Judge Revenge
I Passive Dominate
V Avoid
E Preoccupation
Rigid
Open Acceptance
P
R Attend Respect
O Listen Positive
A
C Empathize Supportive
T Understand Express
I
V
E
7 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION
1. Listen more carefully and responsively
2. Explain your conversational intent and invite consent
3. Express yourself more clearly and completely
4. Translate your complaints and criticisms into specific request and explain
your request

12. 5. Ask questions more open ended and more creatively
6. Express more appreciation
7. Adopt the continuous learning approach to living
PUSH AND PULL GAME
The participants are asked to count 1 and 2 to divide the group into two.
Group one participants are instructed as follows ‘you have to bring your partner
to the target fixed by the trainer for example to the other side of the room. You
can use any strategies like push, pull, or convince your partner to come along
with you. The other group is instructed as follows, ‘you can do what you wish
to do. One person from group one and one person from group two are asked to
form a pair. The first person stands in front and the other person stand behind
the other. Now, the trainer starts the game, each one use his or her own
strategies, after given time (10 to 15 minutes) game will be stopped. At the end,
the trainer explains the games purpose. The same analogy is true when we
interact with others especially during conflict. We use win-lose or lose-win
strategies instead of win-win strategies. But it is very important to understand
the other person’s point of view to gain co-operation.
Session - 5
COPING SKILLS TRAINING
Aim:
1. To modify appraisal of daily events
2. To use cognitive restructuring
3. To reduce the risk of using maladaptive coping
Our personal experiences can influence our perception, appraisal of the
situation and coping strategies. Under stress, we are not much thoughtful to
processing information as when our lives are calm. Changing the relational

13. meaning of what is happening is a very powerful and widely employed device
for regulating thoughts and feelings. Self-regulation consists of learning to
delay action, being aware of both what one is feeling and thinking as well as
how one is presenting oneself. Our responses to stressful events are the key to
successful adaptation and personal growth. The first step in coping with our life
events is to become aware of our own habitual reaction to the situation. The
second step is to assume responsibility to engage our thinking in helpful ways.
Third step will be to choose our action in appropriate manner so that we can
cope with it more constructively.
Events, our appraisal and its outcome
Optimum Goal
Challenge arousal mastery
Event Person’s
appraisal
Threat Under Physical/
Harm Psychological
/over
Loss distress
arousal
Activity
Brainstorming – how you take it if you face failure, loss, conflict,
pressure and change Role-play

14. COPING STRATEGIES - HANDOUT

15. COPING SKILLS HANDOUT
What is lacking in you? Each area is important to handle life events
1. Knowledge- gathers relevant information
2. Skills – acquire needed skills
3. Objectives- take a new look, make new meaning, have clear goal and plan
4. Practice – do the daily routine such as regular exercise diet, relaxation and
carryout action towards the goal/plan
5. Social support – give and receive help from others, talk to someone you
trust
NEEDED SKILLS
1. Critical thinking skill
Critical thinking skills help us to reduce the errors in our thinking.
2. Problem solving & decision making skill
Systematic approach to complex problems will help us to improve our
quality of life.
3. Communication skill
Appropriate communication prevents us from much stress. For example
aggressive people dominate others; non assertive people avoid the issue.
4. Interpersonal skill
Family and friends are important in helping us to cope with stress.
Developing and maintaining satisfying relationship may be necessary during a
period of stressful life situation.
5. Self-regulation
We need to regulate our thinking, feeling and acting so that they are most
appropriate to the situation which prevents stress.
These five skills are complementary to each other and are essential for us
to coping with our stressful life events.

16. About me
My name is K. Kumar. I am a counseling psychologist and psychotherapist. I
have received my PhD in Psychology. I have been founder director of CIRPE -
Center for Improving Relationship and Personal Effectiveness, Puducherry, India.
Visit: www.kumarmahi.com
To know more about me