An experimental analysis to monitor and manage stress among engineering students using Galvanic Skin Response meter

Elements of stress relieving strategies amongst engineering students

BACKGROUND

Stress relieving strategies (SRS) are quite significant to get rid of stress in engineering students.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to determine the SRS factors in the engineering universities in Punjab state of India. This effort also aims to check the determinants of SRS.

METHODS

The data is collected through a questionnaire survey conducted on engineering students of two different universities. The collected data out of 400 surveys is subjected to factor analysis and Anova.

RESULTS

The factor analysis exposed various factors that influence the SRS. The study has projected the effects of SRS on gender, age, engineering streams, nature of universities.

CONCLUSIONS

It is found that the SRS in students is partially influenced by engineering streams and gender of the engineering students.

Determinants of academic stress amongst engineering students

BACKGROUND

Academic stress is one of the active research domains in engineering institutions. As it can result in ill health of students, it is important to monitor the level of academic stress in students.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the academic stress factors in the engineering universities in Punjab state of India. This study also aimed to check the determinants of academic stress.

METHODS

The data was collected through a questionnaire survey conducted on engineering students of two different universities. The collected data out of 400 surveys is subjected to factor analysis and ANOVA.

RESULTS

Factor analysis revealed various factors that influence the academic stress. It was also found that the academic stress in students is most influenced by Engineering Streams and Nature of Universities.

CONCLUSIONS

The study projected the effects of Academic Stress on Gender, Age, Engineering Streams, Nature of Universities.

Gauging the effectiveness of music and yoga for reducing stress among engineering students: An investigation based on Galvanic Skin Response

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of music and yogic breathing for the management and control of stress.

OBJECTIVE

To discover the most effective stimuli to handle stress by measuring the effect of types of musical drills and yogic breathing on engineering students using the Galvanic Skin Response Sensor Meter (GSRSM).

METHODS

The present study attempts to study the effectiveness of music and yoga drills for relieving and managing stress. The study used a stratified random sampling method selecting engineering students from four streams. The GSRSM was used as a tool to record the responses after 300 seconds for the experimental and the control groups of 200 students each. Each group was comprised of 52 females (26%) and 148 males (74%).

RESULTS

The experimental group reported reduction in mean value in Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) when they underwent deep yogic breathing, listened to religious hymns and listened to flute music.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of the results, the researchers suggest that all three techniques i.e practicing yogic breathing, listening to religious hymns and listening to flute music were effective in reducing the stress level of engineering students. Listening to flute music emerged from these three drills, as the most effective stimulus for stress management.

Stress monitoring through non-invasive instrumental analysis of skin conductivity

BACKGROUND

This paper envelops the notion of yogic breathing and its applications as one of the techniques for stress management through regulation of skin conductivity among Indian engineering students. Stress perturbs the normal physiological or psychological functioning of an individual. Thus, it is extremely vital to manage stress.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the consequence of yogic breathing on skin conductivity using galvanic skin response sensor meter (GSRSM) on engineering students, of different universities.

METHODS

The study uses stratified random sampling technique for the experimental study undertaken to measure skin conductivity. 471 Engineering students, in the age group of 18-22 years who gave informed written consent were screened, of which 71 (15%) dropped out and 400 students (84.9%) completed the study. The GSRSM was used to record skin conductivity (pre and post) among experimental (n = 200) and Control group (n = 200) each comprising of 52 females (26%) and 148 males (74%). The Experimental group underwent yogic breathing whereas the Control group did not do so.

RESULTS

The experimental group reported reduction in mean value in skin conductivity after deep breathing for the time period (t = 300 sec) as compared to the control group, and this was significant (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It is recommended that, this uncomplicated and yet extremely effectual ancient technique of yogic breathing could be included in core curriculum to reduce and manage stress among engineering students. The paper thus highlights the use of yogic technique as an effective mode for Stress Management amongst Indian Engineering students.