In the context of the socio-political instability that exists in Ukraine, the problem of stress resistance among psychological service professionals has emerged. The aim of the research is to analyse the professional activity of psychologists in Ukraine at the present stage under the influence of stress factors. The following methods were used to study the nature of stress and its impact on the personality of a psychologist: analytical and synthesis methods, statistical, comparative, survey and interpretive methods. (...) The research results theoretically reveal the peculiarities of the concept of stress, the stages of stress development, and identify the main stressors of professional activity. An empirical study of the stress resistance of psychologists was conducted. The influence of stress on the quality of psychological care was determined. Professional qualities in the psychologist's personality structure were identified, the phenomenon of professional exhaustion, the role of countertransference in counselling were studied, the importance of the code of ethics for psychologists and its violation in the course of practice were revealed. The importance of interventions and supervision as a means of psychological support for the professional development of psychologists was investigated, and statistical indicators of the level of stress were analysed. The practical significance of the research is determined by the current coverage of the problem of the impact of stress on the professional activity of a psychologist and in the creation of effective ways of emotional self-preservation and development of stress resistance, which provide the search for their resources for self-healing and effective work. (shrink)

The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between environmental and individual factors and Stress of Conscience among nursing staff in psychiatric in-patient care. A questionnaire involving six different instruments measuring Stress of Conscience, the ward atmosphere, the psychosocial work environment, Perceived Stress, Moral Sensitivity, and Mastery was answered by 93 nursing staff at 12 psychiatric in-patient wards in Sweden. The findings showed that Sense of Moral Burden, Mastery, Control at Work and Angry and Aggressive Behavior (...) were related to Stress of Conscience. We conclude that Mastery and Control at Work seemed to work as protective factors, while Sense of Moral Burden and perceptions of Angry and Aggressive Behavior made the nursing staff more vulnerable to Stress of Conscience. Future research should investigate whether measures to increase the level of perceived control and being part of decision making will decrease the level of Stress of Conscience among the staff. (shrink)

Stress is a health problem that affects today's society, it is reflected in the degree of reaction to events or academic situations faced by the university student. The level of academic stress was analyzed according to sociodemographic factors in university students in a period of confinement due to COVID-19. 525 randomly chosen students from private and licensed universities in the city of Arequipa participated, an instrument was used to assess academic stress consisting of 21 items that (...) measure stressors, symptoms, and coping strategies. The results show that students have a moderate academic stress level with a tendency to be severe, it´s caused by the overload of academic work, the form of evaluation, and the type of work that teachers ask for, thus affecting their health due to the presence of somatic symptoms that affect students at the biopsychosocial level. Keywords: Academic stress, university students, sociodemographic factors. (shrink)

An intriguing question in the field of stress is what makes an individual more likely to be susceptible or resilient to stress‐induced depression. Predisposition to stress susceptibility is believed to be influenced by genetic factors and early adversity. However, beyond genetics and life experiences, recent evidence has highlighted social rank as a key determinant of susceptibility to stress, underscoring dominant individuals as the vulnerable ones. This evidence is in conflict with epidemiological, clinical, and animal work (...) pointing at a link between social subordination and depression. Here, we review and analyze rodent protocols addressing the relevance of social rank to predict vulnerability to chronic social stress. We also discuss whether a specific social status (i.e., dominance or subordination) is the appropriate predictor of vulnerability to develop stress‐induced depression or rather, the loss of social rank and resources. (shrink)

The SRL vs. ERL theory has shown that the combination of levels of student self-regulation and regulation from the teaching context produces linear effects on achievement emotions and coping strategies. However, a similar effect on stress factors and symptoms of university students has not yet been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to test this prediction. It was hypothesized that the level of student self-regulation (low/medium/high), in interaction with the level of external regulation from teaching (low/medium/high), would (...) also produce a linear effect on stress factors and symptoms of university students. A total of 527 undergraduate students completed validated questionnaires about self-regulation, regulatory teaching, stress factors and symptoms. Using an ex post facto design by selection, ANOVAs and MANOVAs (3 x 3; 5 x 1; 5 x 2) were carried out. The results confirmed that the level of self-regulation and the level of regulatory teaching jointly determined the level of stress factors and symptoms of university students. Once again, a five-level heuristic of possible combinations was configured to jointly determined university students’ level of academic stress. We concluded that the combination of different levels of student regulation levels and regulation from teaching process jointly determines university students’ level of academic stress. The implications for university students’ emotional health, stress prevention and well-being are established. (shrink)

BackgroundDuring extensive outbreaks of infectious diseases, people who are impacted, particularly the subgroups of the community who are at an increased risk of mental health problems, may experience increased stress and mental health difficulties. University students are one such susceptible population and are prone to experiencing high levels of stress as compared with the general population. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing perceived stress and identifying its associated factors among university students in Ethiopia during the late (...) stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among university students in Ethiopia from 30 May to 30 June 2021. Students were asked to fill out an online survey on Google Forms that included consent, sociodemographic information, the UCLA-8 Loneliness Scale, the standard validated stress scale questionnaire, and the three-item Oslo Social Support Scale to assess social support. The collected data were exported to SPSS 26. Descriptive and analytical statistics were carried out. Binary and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to find associated factors, and variables with a p-value of 0.05 were considered statistically significant variables.ResultsA total of 426 university students were included in the survey, among whom 268 were male participants. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 37 years. Health-related departments accounted for 37.1% of the participants, while non-health-related departments accounted for 62.9%. The prevalence of stress was 18.3% in the study population. In this study, extreme susceptibility to COVID-19, sleeping problems, poor self-efficacy to prevent COVID-19, and loneliness were significantly associated with perceived stress.ConclusionStress was prevalent among university students in Ethiopia during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Extreme susceptibility to COVID-19, sleeping problems, poor self-efficacy, and loneliness were identified as factors for stress. Therefore, we suggest that universities should provide opportunities for safe social connection, counseling, and guidance for students. (shrink)

In the teaching process, teachers and students are under different psychological pressures. Especially under the influence of the epidemic, many teaching modes have been transformed from traditional classroom teaching to online teaching. Under the new teaching mode, especially the promotion and application of the blended teaching mode, classroom teaching is facing new challenges, and both students and teachers are facing new psychological pressures. If the psychological pressure is not resolved, the classroom effect will be even worse. Therefore, the purpose of (...) this paper is to analyze the source of the influencing factors of psychological stress under the new teaching mode, which is a rarely involved direction in the teaching field, and is of great significance for the promotion and application of the new teaching mode. Aiming at the blended teaching model, this paper focuses on the SPOC+PBL blended teaching model, designs a new teaching model of “English-Chinese translation and interpretation”, and studies the sources of pressure under the new model. Aiming at the influencing factors of psychological pressure, a psychological pressure model is established to explore the influence of six factors on psychological pressure. The experimental results of this paper show that the factor loadings of all variables are greater than 0.5, indicating that “self-esteem strength”, “self-efficacy”, “help-seeking experience”, “psychological counseling cognitive bias”, “counseling object positioning bias” and “psychological counseling” “Resources” and “availability” have a greater impact on psychological stress. (shrink)

Background: Risks to healthcare workers have escalated during the pandemic and they are likely to experience a greater level of stress. This cross-sectional study investigated mental distress among healthcare workers during the early phase of Coronavirus disease-2019 outbreak in India.Method: 140 healthcare workers of a tertiary care hospital in India were assessed for perceived stress and insomnia. A factor analysis with principal component method reduced these questions to four components which were categorized as insomnia, stress-related anxiety, (...) class='Hi'>stress-related irritability, and stress-related hopelessness. Further statistical analyses were done on these factor scores to identify the predictors and investigate the differences between the different categories of healthcare workers.Result: Doctors had the highest level of anxiety among the healthcare workers. Both doctors and nurses perceived a greater level of irritability than the other HCWs. Compared to doctors and nurses, other HCWs were more likely to experience insomnia. Lower age, higher education, female gender, and urban habitat were associated with greater perception of anxiety. Older age, being quarantined, and single marital status were the significant predictors of irritability. Female gender, single marital-status, and higher number of medical ailments contributed to perceived hopelessness. Quarantine significantly predicted insomnia.Conclusion: Different categories of healthcare workers are experiencing varied mental health problems owing to their heterogeneous socio-demographic backgrounds. Tailored and personalized care, as well as policies, might help in alleviating their problems. Further research is warranted to explore the psychological distress and remedies among these frontline workers during and after the ongoing pandemic crisis. (shrink)

ObjectiveTo investigate post-traumatic stress disorder, perceived professional benefits and post-traumatic growth status among Chinese nurses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare the differences between nurses working inside and outside Hubei.MethodsFrom February 18 to February 25, 2020, the authors constructed the questionnaire using the Questionnaire Star platform, and convenience sampling was used to distribute the questionnaire via WeChat. Nurses who worked at the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic were the research subjects.ResultsA total of 3,419 questionnaires were (...) received, of which 2,860 nurses were working outside Hubei Province and 559 nurses were working inside Hubei Province. Both groups were exposed to COVID-19. The results indicated that gender, job title, department, average monthly income, the number of night shifts per month, hospital classification, specialization, and previous experience with assisting during disasters were statistically significant. The t-test results showed that the difference in perceived professional benefits scores between the two groups was not statistically significant, and the differences in PTG scores and PTSD scores between the two groups were statistically significant. The chi-square test indicated that the difference in PTSD prevalence between nurses working outside and inside Hubei Province was statistically significant and that the PTSD prevalence of nurses working outside Hubei Province was higher than that of nurses working inside Hubei Province. One-way ANOVA and independent sample t-test results showed that age, job title, job assignment, length of service, average monthly income, number of night shifts per month, number of children, and the Nurses’ Perceived Professional Benefits Scale and post-traumatic growth inventory scores influenced the prevalence of PTSD. Logistic regression showed that the occurrence of PTSD was associated with average monthly income, length of service, number of children, and the PTGI and NPPBS scores.ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses working outside Hubei Province reported greater PTSD than those working inside Hubei Province. The occurrence of PTSD was related to average monthly income, length of service, number of children, and the PTGI and NPPBS scores. (shrink)

This study aimed to investigate the status and risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder in patients with acute myocardial infarction after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention in acute and convalescence phases. A longitudinal study design was used. Two questionnaire surveys were conducted in the acute stage of hospitalization, and 3 months after onset in patients. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for PTSD in AMI patients. The incidence of PTSD was 33.1 and 20.4% in acute (...) and convalescent patients, respectively. The risk factors related to PTSD were door-to-balloon time, left ventricular ejection fraction, smoking, anxiety, and depression. AMI patients after PCI had PTSD in the acute and convalescent stage. The findings indicate that tailored measures should be developed and carried out to prevent PTSD and improve the mental health of patients with AMI after undergoing PCI. (shrink)

ObjectivesThe study aims to investigate the state anxiety of parents of special needs children during the 2019 coronavirus disease epidemic and the influence of parental stress, social support, and other related variables on the anxiety of parents.MethodsBespoke questionnaires of children’s and parent’s mental and behavioral problems during the epidemic were used in the study. We also used the State Anxiety Inventory, the Parenting Stress Index—Short Form-15, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The (...) data used in the study were pooled from an online survey of parents of special needs children and analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and multiple linear regression.ResultsOverall, 1,451 individuals were included, of which 402 were fathers and 1,049 were mothers. ANOVA results showed that educational background, family monthly income, and type of their child’s disability made parents’ state anxiety significantly different. The results of multiple linear regression showed that during the epidemic, social support negatively predicted parents’ state anxiety, whereas parenting stress and parental mental and behavioral problems positively predicted parents’ state anxiety.ConclusionsDuring the outbreak of COVID-19, parents of special needs children suffered mental and behavioral problems, together with parenting stress and social support, which influenced their state anxiety. These findings can be used to develop relevant psychological interventions to improve the mental health of vulnerable groups during a pandemic like COVID-19. (shrink)

IntroductionChildhood maltreatment is a developmental risk factor and can negatively influence later psychological functioning, health, and development in the next generation. A comprehensive understanding of the biopsychosocial underpinnings of CM transmission would allow to identify protective factors that could disrupt the intergenerational CM risk cycle. This study examined the consequences of maternal CM and the effects of psychosocial and biological resilience factors on child attachment and stress-regulatory development using a prospective trans-disciplinary approach.MethodsMother-child dyads participated shortly after parturition, (...) after 3 months, and 12 months later. Mothers’ CM experiences were assessed at t0, attachment representation at t1 and psychosocial risk and social support were assessed at t1 and t2. At t2, dyads participated in the Strange Situation Procedure. Children’s attachmen status were classified as organized vs. disorganized, including their level of disorganized behavior, and heart rate and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were recorded as stress response measures of the autonomic nervous system. Maternal caregiving during SSP was assessed using the AMBIANCE scale. Child’s single nucleotide polymorphisms rs2254298 within the oxytocin receptor and rs2740210 of the oxytocin gene were genotyped using DNA isolated from cord blood.ResultsMaternal CM experiences were significantly associated with an unresolved attachment status, higher perceived stress and more psychological symptoms. These negative effects of CM were attenuated by social support. As expected, maternal unresolved attachment and child disorganized attachment were significantly associated. Maternal caregiving did not mediate the relationship between maternal and child attachment but influenced children’s HR and RSA response and disorganized behavior. Moreover, the rs2254298 genotype of the OXTR gene moderated the stress response of children from mothers with CM. Children carrying the rs2740210 risk allele of the OXT gene showed more disorganized behavior independent from maternal CM experiences.ConclusionWe replicated and extended existing CM and attachment models by co-examining maternal attachment, social support, and child genetic susceptibility on child attachment and cardiovascular stress regulation. The findings contribute to an extended understanding of risk and resilience factors and enable professionals to target adequate services to parents and children at risk. (shrink)

The present study examined effects of sociodemographic, risk, and resilience factors on marital, parental, and financial stress early in the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 480 married Palestinians living in Israel, using self-report questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were computed. Then, hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to predict each of the three stress measures. Finally, dominance analyses were conducted to compare the contributions of sociodemographic, risk, and resilience factors. The results (...) showed considerable differences between predictors of marital and parental stress and predictors of financial stress. For marital and parental stress, resilience factors mainly family resilience were the strongest predictors, followed by risk factors and then sociodemographic characteristics. For financial stress, risk factors were the strongest predictors, followed by sociodemographic characteristics and resilience factors. These results suggest that family and individual resilience reduce marital and parental stress under difficult conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Though resilience has been found to ameliorate financial stress to some extent, it appears that other measures are required to manage stress related to financial difficulties. (shrink)

The purposes of this article were to obtain mechanical properties of the dry femur cortical bone samples through a tensile load and stress concentration factor approach and to provide simulations to predict experimental behaviors based on manipulations of certain properties and parameters of the biomaterial. Since bone samples have characteristics and geometries, the development of a mathematical model was necessary to describe the combination of stresses interacting in the bone when a tension load is applied. The samples have average (...) diameters and lengths of 0.5 and 2 inches respectively and were tested using a 10 kN Universal Tensile Machine to determine mechanical properties such as yield and ultimate stress, young module, and fracture, among others. Several simulations were conducted to evaluate failure criteria like “Von Mises”, “Tresca” and “Tsai-Wu”. Finally, was concluded that 83% of the data obtained from the 22 samples observed in the “Stress-Strain” charts showed a directly proportional relationship. (shrink)

ObjectiveThe novel coronavirus is linked to increases in emotional distress and may be particularly problematic for those with pre-existing mental and physical conditions, such as chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder. However, little empirical research has been published on resilience factors in these individuals. The present study aims to examine authenticity as a resilience factor among those with chronic pain and/or PTSD.MethodsPrior to the national response to the pandemic, participants were screened for pain-related disability and PTSD symptoms, and (...) on the basis of those responses were categorized into one of four groups: healthy, chronic pain only, PTSD only, or comorbid chronic pain and PTSD. During the CV-19 pandemic, participants responded again to the ODI and PCL-5, in addition to the Wood Authenticity Scale, Brief Pain Inventory, and items related to the CV-19 pandemic.ResultsA total of 110 participants, aged 42.19, completed the survey during the pandemic. The comorbid group endorsed higher levels of CV-19 Threat and Impact compared to all other groups. Authenticity moderated this relationship relevant to CV-19 Threat among those in the chronic pain only group, and not in any other group.ConclusionThe comorbid group endorsed higher levels of CV-19 Threat and Impact compared to all other groups. Importantly, greater authenticity was associated with less CV-19 Threat in the chronic pain only group, and not in any other group. The present study also highlights the importance of engaging authentically for those with chronic pain during the pandemic. (shrink)

Background: Previous systematic review indicated the prevalence of prenatal anxiety as 14–54%. Pregnant women are a high-risk population for COVID-19. However, the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and related factors is unknown in Chinese pregnant women during COVID-19 outbreak.Objective: To investigate the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and the related factors in Chinese pregnant women who were attending crisis intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The data of this cross-sectional study were collected in about 2 months. Data analysis was performed from (...) April to May 2020. Participants completed a set of questionnaires via the Wechat Mini-program before starting the online self-help crisis intervention for COVID-19 epidemic. A total of 2,120 Chinese pregnant women who were attending a self-help crisis intervention participated in this study. A survey was developed to address possible stress-related factors in pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak, including demographic, socioeconomic, and pregnancy-related factors, as well as COVID-19 related factors. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale and the 10-item perceived stress scale were, respectively, employed to measure anxiety and stress-related factors.Results: A total of 21.7% of pregnant women reported at least mild anxiety, and only 82 women reported moderate to severe anxiety. Factors associated with at least mild anxiety included living in Hubei province, nobody providing everyday life support, pelvic pain or vaginal bleeding, and higher perceived stress. Having relatives or neighbors with a diagnosis of COVID-19 was not associated with anxiety.Conclusions and Relevance: Our findings indicate that evaluation and intervention for maternal and infant health are necessary in pregnant women with anxiety during COVID-19 epidemic, especially those with higher perceived stress, less everyday life support, or vaginal bleeding. Interactions among these related medical, social and psychological factors need to be investigated in future studies. (shrink)

It has been suggested that metallothioneins, discovered about 45 years ago, play a central role in heavy metal metabolism and detoxification, and in the management of various forms of stress. The metal‐regulatory transcription factor‐1 (MTF‐1) was shown to be essential for basal and heavy metal‐induced transcription of the stress‐responsive metallothionein‐I and metallothionein‐II. Recently it has become obvious that MTF‐1 has further roles in the transcriptional regulation of genes induced by various stressors and might even contribute to some aspects (...) of malignant cell growth. Furthermore, MTF‐1 is an essential gene, as mice null‐mutant for MTF‐1 die in utero due to liver degeneration. We describe here the state of knowledge on the complex activation of MTF‐1, and propose a model with MTF‐1 as an interconnected cellular stress‐sensor protein involved in heavy metal metabolism, hepatocyte differentiation and detoxification of toxic agents. BioEssays 23:1010–1017, 2001. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (shrink)

IntroductionWe aimed to study post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in breast cancer patients during the coronavirus disease pandemic.Materials and methodsWe included BC patients receiving medical treatment during the first COVID-19 lockdown in France. PTSD symptoms were evaluated using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised questionnaire. Quality of life [Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General ], cognitive complaints [Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Cognitive Function ], insomnia [Insomnia Severity Index ], and psychosocial experiences during lockdown were also evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to (...) identify clinical factors and psychosocial factors associated with PTSD symptoms.ResultsAmong the 253 included BC patients, 46% had metastatic cancer and 52% were treated by chemotherapy alone. COVID-19-induced adjustments in medical oncology practices were experienced by 27% of patients. No case of COVID-19 was reported; 23% of BC patients had PTSD symptoms. Compared to other patients, patients with PTSD symptoms had more fears relative to COVID-19 infection, had more feeling of isolation, and had more prescription or increased use of psychotropic drugs. In the multivariable model adjusted for clinical factors, fears relative to COVID-19 and increased use of psychotropic drugs were independently associated with PTSD symptoms. Besides, patients with PTSD symptoms had poor quality of life, and more cognitive complaints and insomnia.ConclusionPost-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were observed in 23% of BC patients during the first COVID-19 lockdown in France. Psychological supports are needed for patients treated during the COVID-19 pandemic. (shrink)

Mental health issues are becoming increasingly prevalent amongst university students. However, research on the psychological profile of the general university population is relatively limited. Thus, this study analyses the current state of university students’ psychological conditions; the demographic differences in depression, anxiety, and stress and the influencing factors. The objectives are to provide additional appropriate guidance in mental health for university students with different demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study of 6,032 university students nationwide was conducted from October 2020 (...) to January 2021. A randomized whole-group sampling method was used to select the study participants, and the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale was used. P < 0.05 in the final model were considered statistically significant. The number of university students with no complain of depression, anxiety, or stress was 3,751. The odds of developing complain of depression were higher amongst anxious respondents and senior year than their counterparts. Students with “myopia” were 1.263 times more likely to be anxious. In terms of “impaired” or not, impaired is defined as any injury, such as sprain, strain, and fracture, “impaired” university students were 1.321 times more likely to be anxious. Furthermore, history of impairment and myopia increased the odds of stress by 1.305 and 1.305, respectively. Myopia, physical-activity-related injury and irrational eating habits are risk factors for complain of anxiety and stress. Males, upper grades, low parental education, and irrational eating habits are risk factors for complain of depression. Low physical activity levels are also an influential factor for complain of depression. DASS consists of interchangeable risk factors and multiple complains of DASS may coexist. (shrink)

Many formerly incarcerated people have civil legal needs that can imperil their successful re-entry to society and, consequently, their health. We categorize these needs and assess their association with cardiovascular disease risk factors in a sample of recently released people. We find that having legal needs related to debt, public benefits, housing, or healthcare access is associated with psychosocial stress, but not uncontrolled high blood pressure or high cholesterol, in the first three months after release.

Stresses on healthcare systems and moral distress among clinicians are urgent, intertwined bioethical problems in contemporary healthcare. Yet conceptualizations of moral distress in bioethical inquiry often overlook a range of routine threats to professional integrity in healthcare work. Using examples from our research on frontline physicians working during the COVID-19 pandemic, this article clarifies conceptual distinctions between moral distress, moral injury, and moral stress and illustrates how these concepts operate together in healthcare work. Drawing from the philosophy of healthcare, (...) we explain how moral stress results from the normal operations of overstressed systems; unlike moral distress and moral injury, it may not involve a sense of powerlessness concerning patient care. The analysis of moral stress directs attention beyond the individual, to stress-generating systemic factors. We conclude by reflecting on how and why this conceptual clarity matters for improving clinicians’ professional wellbeing, and offer preliminary pathways for intervention. (shrink)

Research indicates that the well‐being and productivity of over 100 million people in the global workforce may be compromised by posttraumatic stress (PTS). Given that work‐related experiences are often the source of the trauma that leads to PTS, and that PTS due to any cause can interfere with employees’ job performance, organizations would do well to consider the antecedents and consequences of PTS. This review of research—primarily within fields adjacent to business—on the types, antecedents, consequences, and organizational implications of (...) PTS is presented to advance inquiry within the field of business. The definition of PTS requires attention to the new classification of complex posttraumatic stress disorder that can result from threats that are not life‐threatening such as bullying and sexual harassment. PTS antecedents include organizational and extraorganizational traumas, and risk and resilience factors. Absenteeism, impaired cognitive functioning, strained relationships, and growth are among the consequences of PTS. Organizations can assist through disaster planning, empathetic leaders, mental health literacy initiatives, and employee assistance programs. Many research questions arise that, when answered, will allow organizations to better understand how they can improve employee productivity and well‐being by attending to PTS. (shrink)

The aim of this article is to describe the synthesis of the concept of moral stress and to attempt to identify its preconditions. Qualitative data from two independent studies on professional issues in nursing were analysed from a hypothetical-deductive approach. The findings indicate that moral stress is independent of context-given specific preconditions: (1) nurses are morally sensitive to the patient’s vulnerability; (2) nurses experience external factors preventing them from doing what is best for the patient; and (3) (...) nurses feel that they have no control over the specific situation. The findings from this analysis are supported by recent research on stress in the workplace but differ in that the imperatives directing work are moral in nature. Stress researchers have found that persons who experience that they have no control over their work situation and at the same time experience high demands may be prone to cardiovascular diseases. An important question raised by this study is whether moral stress should be recognized as a health risk in nursing. Further research is required in order to generate intervention models to prevent or deal with moral stress. (shrink)