Melissa Kent

Abstract

This descriptive study was designed to compare stress levels in school-age children according to weight category. The researcher hypothesized that when third-grade students’ scores on the Kent Stress Measurement Tool for children were compared according to weight category (underweight, appropriate weight, overweight), there would be no signifi­ cant difference. Sixty-four third-grade public school students participated in the study. Height and weight measurements were done, plotted on a growth percentile graph, and a weight category assigned. A researcher-designed question­ naire, the Kent Stress Management Tool for Children, was administered to the students. The one-way ANOVA was used to analyze the scores. The value was 7.202. Since this was significant at the ,05 level, the null hypothesis was rejected. The Newman-Keuls test revealed that the scores of normal weight children were significantly lower than the scores of underweight and overweight students. The researcher concluded that alterations in body weight are accompanied by higher stress scores.

Degree

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Graduate Nursing

Degree Date

8-1-1985

Publication Number

27924525

First Advisor

Mary Patricia Curtis

Second Advisor

Phyllis Werner

Document Type

Thesis

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Nursing Commons

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