Women Are Still Reporting Higher Levels Of Stress Compared To Men And Can Benefit From More Social Support, According To A Recent Survey Conducted By The American Psychological Association
In the latest Stress In America survey conducted by the American Psychological Association in October, which involved over 3,000 adults across the nation, it was found that women reported higher stress levels on average compared to men– 5.3 versus 4.8 on a scale of 10.
Additionally, a greater percentage of women– approximately 27%– rated their stress between 8 and 10, compared to 21% of men.
Furthermore, women were more inclined to strongly agree with the statement that no one comprehends the extent of their stress and were less likely to say that they recover from stress quickly.
According to Rosalind S. Dorlen, a clinical psychologist who has been studying women’s stress for decades, women nearly always report feeling more stressed out than men.
“Men experience stress differently. They are much more able to dissociate,” she said.
But despite psychologists not being shocked by the persistent feelings of being overwhelmed reported by women, they are still extremely worried and see the survey results as a dire prompt for action.
In this year’s survey, individuals across all genders identified with health and financial concerns as major stress factors. However, women were more prone than men to feel overwhelmed by financial issues– 50% of women compared to 44% of men– including stress related to both necessary and unforeseen expenses.
Additionally, women more frequently than men pointed to family obligations– 58% versus 52%– and relationships– 49% versus 44%– as significant sources of stress in their lives.
A strong support network is an essential countermeasure to stress, as studies demonstrate it can mitigate the physical and mental impacts of stress.
Photo 78467413 © Olena Yakobchuk – Dreamstime.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
However, both men and women often hesitate to seek social support. Although women more frequently admit they could have benefited from additional support– 68% compared to 63% of men– they are also more likely to have called off social engagements in the past month– 27% compared to 22% for men.
This might be because women tend to have more social engagements in the first place, but withdrawing is usually not the best way to handle stress, according to Dorlen.
“What seems to benefit women the most is having a sense of community,” she concluded.
To read the survey’s complete findings, visit the link here.
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