University Study: Stress Impact on Young Adults' Mental Health

This report delves into the significant impact of stress on the mental health and well-being of young adults. It begins by highlighting the prevalence of stress among this demographic, citing statistics from global health authorities. The study explores various stress factors, including those related to education, personal life, and societal pressures, and their effects on mental states and cognitive health. The research examines the psychoneuroimmunological mechanisms behind stress and its impact, focusing on how stress hormones and their byproducts can lead to mental health issues such as depression, irritability, and personality disorders. The report provides a comprehensive literature review, research methodology, data analysis, and thematic analysis to explore the relationship between different stress types and their effects on young adults. The report concludes with a discussion of the findings, recommendations for mitigating the impact of stress, and a call for further research to address gaps in understanding and develop targeted coping strategies for young adults facing stress-related mental health challenges.

Running head: IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULTS
Impact of stress on the mental health of young adults
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: 3
1.1 Introduction: 3
1.2 Background: 5
1.3 Rationale: 6
1.3 Aims and objectives: 8
1.4 Research questions: 9
1.5 Significance of the study: 9
1.7 Structure of the study: 10
1.6 Conclusion: 11
Chapter 2: Review of literature: 12
2.1. Overview: 12
2.2. Extraction table of the journal articles reviewed for the study: 13
Chapter 3: Research Methodology: 28
3.1 Stages of Systematic review 28
3.2 Inclusion criteria: 29
3.3 Phenomenon of interest 30
3.4. Exclusion criteria: 30
3.5 Search strategy: 30
3.6. Assessment of methodological quality: 31

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3.7 Data collection: 32
3.8. Data synthesis: 35
Chapter 4: Data analysis and results: 36
4.1 Findings and Analysis 36
4.2 Thematic Analysis 37
Chapter 5: Discussion, conclusion and recommendation: 45
5.1. Discussion: 45
5.2. Conclusion: 50
5.3. Recommendation: 51
Appendix 3: Gantt Chart: 54
References: 56

3IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULTS
Chapter 1:
1.1 Introduction:
The young generation is the most important generation in the hands of whom the fate of
the society is bestowed upon, however the young generation of the present day is sought with
extreme stress. Each and every day of their life is sought with different kinds of stress factors
that are associated with the fast- paced City life that young adults living in the present age.
According to the authors there are various kinds of stuff factors that can affect the mental health
and well-being of the younger girls who are associated with such fast paced life patterns.
Difference can be related to the educational life, personal life, professional life, or associated
with any societal abnormalities that they are going through (Abbott et al. 2014). However, it can
be stated in this context that whatever maybe the source of the stress that the young generation of
the present age is going through is reflected heavily on their mental states and their cognitive
health. According to the recent statistics published by the Global Health authorities, close to 35%
of the overstressed population belong to the young generation of our society (Cooper and
Marshall 2013).
According to recent statistics published the overall stress levels when charged in a scale
of 1 to 10,the young adults or the adolescence generation has been found to be experiencing and
overall stress factor of close to 6.5 to 8 in the scale on a daily basis. Many of the crucially
important factors that have been identified associated with the stress response in the body. It can
be stated on this context that the psychoneuroimmunological studies have attempted to explore
the mechanism behind the stress and its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of different

4IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULTS
individuals, and the most of the results indicate at serious health related issues for the young
adults on adolescence going to the extreme amount of stress (Evans and Kim 2012).
According to the recent studies it has been identified that the byproducts of different
stress hormones that are activated when human being is going through a particular stressing
scenario, this by-product can act as sedatives. Now the major function behind the sedatives that
are secreted in the body during the stress causing scenarios is to calm the person going through
the extreme amount of stress, and allow him to overcome the impact of stress without any
considerable detrimental effects on the mental health and well-being of the individual (Gard et
al. 2012). However it has to be understood that for the cases where the sedative chemical
substances are produced in abundance, the effect of these chemicals on the body is multiplied
several folds and inevitably this elevated effect causes the emergence of low energy,
hopelessness and even depression in the victim going through the stress.
Apart from depression, there are a multitude of different mental health problems that are
associated with the abundance of stress on the mental health of the overstressed individuals, and
for the young generation with highly impressionable minds and site that can be easily influenced
by the stress related complications, the impact of the stress is much more manifested in the
young adults. Along with mental health conditions like depression, irritability, aggressiveness,
personality disorders and mood swings are very common mental health problems that are
associated with the impact of stress factors on the psych of the young generation individuals
(Gerber et al. 2013). This research paper will explore the extent of damage that different types of
stress can facilitate on the metal health and wellbeing of the young adults and will also attempt to
formulate a set of recommendations which can help in minimizing the impact of the mental
stress on the individuals.

5IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULTS
1.2 Background:
According to many of the authors teenage years is considered to be one of the best time
of human life where the most of the psychological development takes place. However,
unfortunately the young adults and adolescents are the most overstressed generation of our
society according to the global health statistics. The impact of the stress on the young generation
can be one of the most important contributing factors behind the alarming scenario (Hamer et al.
2012). There have been many research studies that have contributed to the exploring the impact
of the stress on the mental health causing different kinds of Mental Health disorders, how far is a
significant lack of extensive cohort analysis studies to explore the differential impact that
differential kinds of stress factors can facilitate.
On a more elaborative note, many authors have distinguished that different kinds of stress
factors elicit different kinds of response on the victim. It can be a sudden change in the behavior
or body language, and it can also be a subtle change in the thought process and reaction response
of the victim under the stress. Now it has to be understood that the impact of the different kinds
of stress elements are deciding factors behind the different response it elicits in the victim (Han
et al. 2016). For instance, if professional stress is considered, the impact of professional stress
generally brings about irritability and behavioral shifts on the victim, whereas if personal stress
is considered then the response of this kind of stress factor is reflected as mood swings, low
energy and depression in the victims most usually. This differential effect of the stress of the
mental health of the different individuals does not only vary depending on the type of the stress
imposed on the particular individual, but the differential effects depend heavily upon the
different individuals as well. According to the recent discoveries, the psychological makeup of
every single individual is different from one person to another, and these differences impart a

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huge impact on the stress triggers (Linscott and Van Os 2013). Elaborating more, it can be stated
that the trigger for one particular peso with the different kinds of stress can be completely
different from another person; hence if a particular stress factor affects the mental sanity of ne
young adult, that particular stress factor might not elicit any triggering response in the other
young adults. Hence, there are various factors behind the effect of the stress on the mental health
deterioration in the young generation, and there is need for extensive research to discover the
mechanism of mental health deteriorate due to stress (Mahmoud et al. 2012).
1.3 Rationale:
In a research paper the impact of the problem statement is crucial and there has to be sound
rationale behind the choice of the problem statement and justification for the relevance and need
for the particular research topic. For the research study that is going to be undertaken here, the
problem statement can be identified as the differential impact of different stress factors on the
mental health of different young adults. Now it has to be mentioned that stress has become an
integral part of our everyday life, no one can unequivocally deny of having any mental stress all
throughout their life (Neece 2014). However the capacity of tolerance of stress is not necessarily
same for every other individual, different people have different tolerance level for stress and they
are very characteristically affected by stress or stress causing triggers. Wild availability of
susceptibility to stress related mental disorders vary from person to person; young adults on
adolescence are the most vulnerable victims of stress related disorders as per the recent statistics
shared by the Global Health authorities. 1out of 4 young adults have been discovered to be under
extreme mental stress that relates to as a personal, professional, or societal aspect of their life.
However the impact of mental stress on the young generation has become significant health
priority due to the fact that in the last 5 years the percentage of younger age groups suffering

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from a diverse range of mental disorders has increased in an astounding rate (Shilo and Savaya
2012). Hence if a preventative on coping strategy or policy program is to be introduced there is
need for extensive research on the mechanism how the different stress factors affect different
young adults and their mental States is crucial.
It has to be mentioned in this context that they have been many research studies dedicated to
exploring the impact of stress factors on the cognitive response mechanism of human mind and
how the accumulation of stress factors culminate to the establishment of a particular mental
disorder. the effect that have been made by the literature is published previously has to be
appreciated for the accurate and relevant data that provides a substantial inside on to the impact
of stress on the mental health and well-being, there has been a pressing gap evident in the
literature that caters to this particular scenario. One of the most evident research gaps is the range
of impact that particular stress factors on the human mental health (Sugaya et al. 2012). A very
generalized idea of the impact of stress factors on the mental health and wellbeing undoubtedly
health in bringing about clarity and trans parity on this topic but the lack of detail on how a
particular stress factor can alter the bringing about clarity and trans parity on this topic but the
lack of detail on how a particular stress factor can alter the cognitive functions of a particular
human being has become a pressing need in order to develop a targeted coping strategy. Another
very important research cat that have been left unaddressed is the fact that the young generation
has increasing to become one of the most frequent victims of mental disorders due to various
stress related factors, however there is minimal research that emphasizes on the extent of impact
only for the young generation (Tavolacci et al. 2013). Lastly and most importantly, another very
neglected but extremely important sector associated with the scenario is the difference of
different stress triggers in the lives of the young generation, which is still an untouched genre by

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the progressive research that has been going on. It has to be understood that without
characterizing and categorizing the prevalence of different stress triggers the impact of these
triggers can never be standardized accurately evaluated (Thoits 2013)
1.3 Aims and objectives:
A research study is left completely incomplete without a sound and targeted set of aims
and objectives driving that research study. Aims and objectives are the set goals or visions
behind the research study process the research study in the right direction so that goal can be
met. Now the aims and objectives of research study has to be very definite, well structured,
organized and extremely well thought out. It can be easily stated that aims and objectives are the
backbone behind a research study which provides the primary outcome for the study to achieve
in its completion (Tsang et al. 2015).
As the problem statement for this research study is the escalating rate of young adults
suffering from different mental disorders due to the trees and stress factors intricately linked with
their lifestyle and living conditions, the aims and objectives decided for this research study will
follow four particular elements associated with this scenario which are the potential contributing
factors to the escalating health issue under consideration in the research study (Ul Haq et al.
2017). This systematic review will attempt to explore and evaluate each of the decided for core
elements of stress related mental disorders in the young generation by the means of a well
structured and highly scientific systematic review incorporating accurate, relevant and
transferable research articles published in the last 5 years. Aims and objectives of this systematic
review study are:
 To recognize and characterize the stress factors prevalent in the lives of young adults
of the current age.

9IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULTS
 To explore lifestyle variables are contributing to the excessive stress in the young
adults.
 To explore and evaluate the impact of each of the different stress factors on the
mental health of the young adults.
 And lastly, to explore the overall awareness in society regarding the severity of the
deteriorating mental health of the young adults due to stress.
1.4 Research questions:
The research questions selected for this review study are:
 What are the stress factors prevalent in the lives of young adults of the current
age?
 What lifestyle variables are contributing to the excessive stress in the young
adults?
 What is the impact of each of the stress factors on the mental health of the young
adults?
 What is the overall awareness in society regarding the severity of the deteriorating
mental health of the young adults due to stress?
1.5 Significance of the study:
This study will primarily help in discovering the individual stress triggers that affect the
mental health of young generation and how the accumulation of these triggers escalate to
different kinds of mental the shortest for different groups of the young generation. A clear and
well articulated idea about the entire mechanism how stress impacts and alters the different
cognitive abilities and behaviors of a young adult will help excessively in designing curated and

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age appropriate prevent it is strategy which can help numerous young adults prevent manage and
overcome the mental complications which have become societal norm (VanKim and Nelson
2013). Along with that this systematic review study will also explore the level of awareness in
the society regarding the difference trust factors and how it affects the different young
individuals across different socio economic sectors. This will help in attaining a very clear and
transparent idea about this awareness in the public regarding the severity of the issue and will
help in designing different strategic actions that can facilitate higher awareness and compassion
regarding the different young individuals going through mental complications and will also help
establish a sound mental health literacy in all sectors of the society so that the intervention or
coping programs can be optimally utilized and the rate of young individuals going through
different mental disorders can be drastically reduced.
1.7 Structure of the study:
Chapter1IntroductionChapter2LiteraturereviewChapter3ResearchMethodologyChapter4ResultsofsystematicreviewChapter5DiscussionChapter6ConclusionandRecommendations

11IMPACT OF STRESS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG ADULTS
1.6 Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it can be stated that mental health and well-being is a basic human
right for any individual and no one should be denied the right to a healthy mind and body.
Where the young generation of the society should be the most cherished and nurtured so that
the responsibility of the society may fall upon able hands, the young generation of our
society is forcibly drowned in different kinds of stresses which is eventually but substantially
altering the cognitive abilities and deteriorating their mental health. That is the reason the
alarming ratio of young adults suffering from mental disorders is one of the most concerning
public health priorities and there is need for extensive research to focus on different aspects
of the scenario so that the young generation of our society could be saved with compassion
and care. The systematic review study will attempt to evaluate all the possible influential
sectors of this scenario which will inevitably help in devising a robust preventative or coping
strategy which will help numerous young adults.
This first chapter of the dissertation has been an introductory part of the actual research
that will be carried out to achieve the goals and objectives set in this chapter. An extensive
idea about the background of this societal health issue has also been included in this chapter
along with considerable justification or rationale behind the choice of this topic as the rising
public health priority. Hence, it can be hoped that this research study upon completion will
be an effective tool in discovering the essential factors that are playing the pivotal role in
escalating the chosen public health issue and help in arriving at the best possible solution to
overcome the issue.