Stress, anxiety and coping: a review of concepts, instruments of measuring and strategies of interventions for nursing practice

Abstract

This study revises the literature about: a) concepts of stress; b) instruments of measuring anxiety, stress and coping; c) nursing intervention to help the patient to cope with stress. This study considered the literature of the years 1995-96. The results defines the concepts referded above and identifies scales to detect anxiety; stress and coping: Hospital anxiety and depression, State-trait anxiety Inventory and Self-rating anxiety scale; "Scope-Stress List"; "Stress Syndrome List"; "Escala de acontecimientos vitales en poblacion española", "Inventário de estrés cotidiano" and "Parent perception Inventory"; "Scale of coping".In relation to nursing intervention were found respiratory exercises, relaxation exercises and phisycal exercises, talking about the subject , adequate nutrition.