Sources of stress in Australian families and characteristics of stress resilient children

In the present study 647 families with a kindergarten aged child along with their teachers were surveyed and a sub-group of parents were interviewed with a view to understanding the types of potentially stressful events the child had experienced along with their kindergarten adjustment. Commonly experienced personal events included birth of a brother/sister, hospitalisation and death of some-one they knew. Social and economic events commonly encountered included moving home and unemployment of a parent. In all, 25.3% of children were rated by teachers as ‘poorly’ or ‘very poorly’ adjusted at kindergarten. Stress resilient compared with stress affected children were adjudged by teachers to (1) be better able to tolerate frustration, (ii) to show leadership abilities and (iii) to enjoy better peer relations. One outcome of this study has been the development of a video/discussion package entitled ‘stressed out and growing up’. Developed in consultation with parents, teachers and health educators the package provides a resource for examining the effects of stress on children and adolescents