Advanced Stress Management: Integration of Physiological Signals and Personal Characteristics to Prevent and Manage Stress

• Autores: W. Daniel Scherz
• Directores de la Tesis: Juan Antonio Ortega Ramírez (dir. tes.), Ralf Seepold (dir. tes.)
• Lectura: En la Universidad de Sevilla ( España ) en 2024
• Idioma: inglés
• Número de páginas: 213
• Enlaces
  • Tesis en acceso abierto en: Idus
• Resumen

  • The doctoral thesis, entitled "Advanced Stress Management: Integration of Physiological Signals and Personal Characteristics to Prevent and Manage Stress," addresses the issue of stress, which has become a significant concern in modern society. Stress, whether subjectively or physiologically measured, has been shown to have a detrimental effect on decision-making abilities and to have a significant impact on an individual's health and wellbeing, as well as on the private and public economy. While technological advances simplify our daily lives, stress management is more challenging than ever due to individual perceptions, cultural nuances and personality traits. The need to respond quickly to the challenges of the workplace, traffic and the drive to achieve more and more is making chronic stress more prevalent and increasing the importance of understanding, measuring and predicting stress. In this dissertation, stress is defined as the effect of a stressor on the body. Stressors may be either short-term or long-term in nature and can result in the body functioning in a manner that differs from its normal functioning. However, they also facilitate the body's response to and coping with the situation. With regard to the most common methods of measuring stress, two main approaches can be identified. The first is the traditional approach, which involves the use of questionnaires or direct communication with individuals. The second is the use of physiological signals. In this research, questionnaires were employed to determine the baseline level of stress, to compare stress and physical activity, and to study the relationship between stress, personality traits and the demographics of the participants. It is acknowledged that stress cannot be entirely avoided in our lives. Stress has the function of optimising bodily functions and assisting in the coping with dangerous or challenging situations. However, it is possible to develop a system that helps us to understand and detect stress more efficiently, thus avoiding situations that are dangerous or hazardous. This approach enables a more comprehensive understanding of stress, enhanced management strategies, and a reduction in the long-term negative effects of stress.