Eustress and distress among the general population
Method Stream: Other
ECs: Only 14 EC (standard, no new/own data collection. Applicable in case of a clinical internship)
Description:
Stress is a common party of daily life. Many people experience stress at work, have difficulties when balancing multiple responsibilities, or when facing uncertainty regarding future prospects. This detrimental form of stress, referred to as distress, has been shown to negatively affect both mental and physical health. Its positive counterpart, eustress, is much less examined. Eustress emerges when challenges are perceived as motivating and are accompanied by positive affect. Much like repeated physical exercise promotes physical health, recurrent experiences of eustress may foster psychological well-being and enhance performance. Nevertheless, empirical research in this domain remains limited.
In this assignment, you will explore the extent to which people experience eustress and distress, along with contributing factors such as life experiences, compassion, gender, and religiosity. You may also examine whether differences in mental health are linked to varying levels of distress and eustress.