Thesis Abstract

Abstract
Stressful life events have been found to have a significant impact on individuals' mental and physical health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between stressful life events and gender among Nigerians. The research involved a sample of 500 participants, including both males and females, who were assessed on their experiences of stressful life events using standardized measures. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in the types and frequency of stressful life events reported by males and females. Females reported higher levels of stress related to family issues, such as caregiving responsibilities and family conflicts, while males reported higher levels of stress related to work and financial concerns. These findings suggest that gender plays a role in the experience and perception of stressful life events among Nigerians. Furthermore, the study found that the impact of stressful life events on mental health outcomes differed by gender. Females were more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression in response to stressful life events compared to males. This highlights the importance of considering gender differences in the assessment and treatment of stress-related mental health issues in Nigeria. Overall, the findings of this study contribute to our understanding of the relationship between stressful life events and gender among Nigerians. The results underscore the need for tailored interventions that take into account the unique stressors faced by males and females in Nigeria. By addressing these gender-specific stressors, mental health professionals can better support individuals in coping with and managing the impact of stressful life events on their well-being. Future research in this area should continue to explore the intersection of gender and stressful life events in Nigeria, considering additional factors such as cultural norms and social support systems. By gaining a more comprehensive understanding of how gender influences the experience of stress and its impact on mental health outcomes, we can develop more effective and culturally sensitive interventions to support individuals in navigating stressful life events in Nigeria.

Thesis Overview

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between stressful life eventsi and anxiety during the period of adolescence. It is known that stressful life events are commonly studied risk and environmental factors in the development of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. In addition, physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety are often associated with stressful life events. These events are related to the different experiences of conflict and disrupted communication in the family.

Subsequently, these events directly or indirectly affect the self-esteem and the self-image of adolescents during the period of adolescence. This research starts with the assumption that stressful life events predicted anxiety during the period of adolescence. Another assumption, in this research, is that females have higher level of anxiety compared with males. This study was conducted on a sample  of 160 participants (80 girls and 80 boys) students in the fourth year of secondary school. The instruments used in the research include: scale of stressful life eventsi for children and adolescents – Stress-D, and the Scale for anxiety for children and adolescents – SCAD-62. The results showed that stressful life events were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms (r= .962, p<.01). Also, the symptoms of anxiety are closely associated with medical (F,24,135= .871, p<.05) and family stressful events (F,24,135= 2.017, p<.05).

There were significant relationship between medical stressful life events and gender (p= .045), and social stressful life eventsi and gender (p= .001). On the other hand, there was a negative correlation between academic stressful life events and gender (p= .944), and European Scientific Journal April 2016 edition vol.12, No.11 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e – ISSN 1857- 7431 333 family stressful life eventsi and gender (p= .564). In conclusion, the results of the study show that females have higher level of anxiety compared with males (r= .985, p<.01). The results show that there is a significant relationship between specific types of stressful life eventsi, including those related to physical health and family which discord the anxiety during the period of adolescence.