How australians are coping with life
Prevalence vs Effectiveness of Ways of Managing Stress
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Help Seeking Behaviour (2011-2015 average)
- Mental Health (2011-2015 average)
- Physical Health (2011-2015 average)
- Wellbeing by Age (2011-2015 Average)
- Wellbeing by Level of Education (2011-2015) - Average is 47.8)
- Wellbeing by Employment (2011-2015 Average)
- Wellbeing by Income (2011-2015 Average)
- Workplace wellbeing increased in 2015 compared to 2014 but again has not returned
- Young people are more likely to find ‘environmental issues’ as a source of stress ‘
- Spiritual wellness: a guiding sense of meaning or value in life ‘
- The impact on teens of social media is much greater than its impact on
- Time Spent Connected to Social Media by Age and Gender
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Prevalence vs Effectiveness of Ways of Managing Stress Prevalence Effectiveness
20 4.4.3. Relationship between ways of managing stress and experience of distress, anxiety and depression symptoms When looking at those who report the highest levels of distress, depression and anxiety symptoms an interesting pattern emerges in their reported choice of stress management strategies. People with higher levels of distress and anxiety and depression symptoms were more likely than other Australians to engage in a range of activities, including taking recreational drugs, smoking, drinking alcohol, gambling, and playing video games to help manage their stress. For example, 31 per cent of those reporting severe distress compared with three per cent reporting normal distress said they take recreational drugs as a stress management strategy. Figure 8: Stress Reliever by K10 Distress Category Figure 9: Stress Reliever by DASS-21 Depression Category NOTE: The figure above denotes the percentage of people in each of the four K10 distress classifications who engage in the listed stress relief practices. NOTE: The figure above denotes the percentage of people in each of the five DASS-21 Depression classifications who engage in the listed stress relief practices.
Stress & wellbeing 21 Figure 10: Stress Reliever % by DASS-21 Anxiety Category Figure 11: Prevalence of Help Sought to Manage Stress, 2011-2015 NOTE: The figure above denotes the percentage of people in each of the five DASS-21 Anxiety classifications who engage in the listed stress relief practices. ^not asked in 2011 NOTE: The percentages in the figure above represent the proportion of respondents who chose any of the forms of help sought, in a free-choice format in which they could choose any, all or none of the options. 4.4.4. How do we seek help for stress? Overall, a very consistent pattern of findings for help-seeking behaviour emerged across the five years (see Figure 11 below). Australians are still most likely to seek help from family and friends, followed by their GP, with 15 per cent reporting they sought help from a psychologist or other mental health specialist (e.g. psychiatrist). 51% 26%
25% 19%
9% 6% 6% 4% 2% None Family Friend
General Practitioner / Doctor Psychologist ^Self-help programs
available via books or
internet sites Other mental health specialist (e.g. psychiatrist) ^Social
networking sites (e.g. facebook, twiter)
Employee Assistance Program
22 4.4.5. How do we think stress affects us? Stress continues to affect the mental and physical health of Australians. The majority of Australians (72%) feel stress is having at least some impact on their physical health (see Figure 12 below), while 64 per cent believe it is having an impact on their mental health. Of those experiencing stress, four in 10 Australians believe it is having a moderate to very strong impact on their physical health (39%) and mental health (37%). This is consistent with research that indicates that stress has a deleterious effect on both physical and mental health. Figure 12: Perceived % Impact of Stress on Physical Health Figure 13: Perceived % Impact of Stress on Mental Health NOTE: The percentages in the figure above represent the proportion of respondents who feel that stress is affecting their mental health, ranging from ‘Not at all’ to ‘Very strong impact’. NOTE: The percentages in the figure above represent the proportion of respondents who feel that stress is affecting their mental health, ranging from ‘Not at all’ to ‘Very strong impact’. 4.5. Wellbeing Overall levels of wellbeing (2011 to 2015) were measured by using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). A higher score on the scale indicates a higher level of wellbeing. While there is no significant difference in wellbeing between genders, on other key demographic variables, such as age, patterns of significance and interest do emerge in relation to wellbeing. 37%
27% 18%
12% 7% Not at all Slight impact Moderate impact Strong impact Very strong impact Mental Health (2011-2015 average) Australian Psychological Society Stress and wellbeing in Australia survey 2015 Stress & wellbeing 29% 33%
21% 12%
6% Not at all Slight impact Moderate impact Strong impact Very strong impact Physical Health (2011-2015 average) 23 Figure 14: Mean Wellbeing Score, 2011-2015 NOTE: WEMWBS score Minimum 14-Maximum 70 4.5.2. By age Year-on-year the youngest age group (18-25) has reported the lowest levels of wellbeing, whilst older people have consistently reported the highest levels of wellbeing (56 and above). Figure 15: Wellbeing Score by Age Group, 2011-2015 NOTE: As measured on the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, the above figure denotes the significant increase in levels of wellbeing as age increases (p<.001). 49.2
47.6 46.8
47.4 48.1
45 46 47 48 49 50 2011 2012
2013 2014
2015 WEMWBS Score Mean WEMWBS score Five year average (47.8) 4.5.1. Across five years in Australia Significant differences in mean wellbeing scores over time occurred between the years 2011 and 2013, where the scores were significantly higher and lower than other years and the average respectively (see Figure 14 below). Although Australians’ levels of wellbeing have improved over the last two years they still remain lower than when the survey began in 2011. 46.0 46.8
46.4 46.5
49.4 51.8
43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 18-25 26-35 36-45
46-55 56-65
66 and above Wellbeing by Age (2011-2015 Average) Wellbeing by age Five year average (47.8)
24 Figure 16: Mean Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Score by Level of Education, 2011-2015 NOTE: As measured on the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, the above figure denotes the significant increase in levels of wellbeing as education level increases (p<.001). Average is 47.8. 4.5.3. By living arrangements Across the five years, sole parents fared worst on the Wellbeing scale (44.9 WEMBWS score compared to an average of 46.6 for all other groups, p<.05), followed by those living alone and those living with other adults or parents. Those living with a partner rated significantly higher on the wellbeing measure compared to all other groups (48.8 WEMWBS score for living with a partner compared to an average of 46.1 for all other groups, p<.001). Across the five years, Australians with children have reported a higher level of wellbeing than those without children (except for 2014). 4.5.4. By level of education A clear finding from the five years of the survey (as shown in Figure 16 below) is that as people’s level of education increases, so too does their level of wellbeing. ‘ Australians with children have reported a higher level of wellbeing than those without children 47.9
46.7 44.9
45.7 47.2
49.2 47.6
46.6 47.5
47.4 49.3
48.2 48.1
48.0 49.3
50.9 49.3
48.5 49.7
49.5 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 2011 2012 2013
2014 2015
Wellbeing by Level of Education (2011-2015) - Average is 47.8) High School Traineeship/TAFE/Diploma University undergraduate University postgraduate
Stress & wellbeing 25 Figure 17: Average Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Score by Primary Employment, 2011-2015 Figure 18: Mean Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Score by Income, 2011-2015 NOTE: As measured on the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, the above figure denotes the differing levels of wellbeing associated with different employment conditions. NOTE: As measured on the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, the above table denotes the significant increase levels of wellbeing as income band increases (p<.001). 4.5.5. By primary employment Unemployed people were found to be significantly worse off in terms of wellbeing when compared with employed people, homemakers and retirees. Retirees had the highest measure of wellbeing across the five years (see Figure 17 below). 4.5.6. By annual income Across the five years, wellbeing increased with income. Those who earn more reported a significantly higher level of wellbeing than those earning less. This is particularly noticeable when comparing the highest earners ($91,000 or more) and lowest earners ($30,000 or less). See Figure 18 below. 50.8
47.9 47.5
47.1 45.7
44.5 43.3
38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 Retired Full-time Part-time/Casual Homemaker Full-time student Part-time student Unemployed
Wellbeing by employment Five year average (47.8) 47.3
47.7 48.3
49.0 50.1
51.0 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 $15,000 to $30,000 $31,000 to $60,000 $61,000 to $90,000 $91,000 to $120,000 $121,000 to $150,000 More than $150,000
Wellbeing by income Five year average (47.8)
26 4.5.7. Workplace wellbeing Each year the survey has also looked at wellbeing in the workplace, as work can be a significant contributor to stress, distress and a lack of wellbeing. Workplace wellbeing increased in 2015 compared to 2014 but again has not returned to 2011 levels. Job satisfaction and work-life balance were also highest in 2011. Wellbeing 2011
2012 2013
2014 2015
Average Overall workplace wellbeing 4.4* 4.3*
4.2 4.2*
4.3 4.3
Job Satisfaction (0-10) 6.7*
6.6* 6.3
6.3* 6.5
6.6 Work-life balance Satisfaction (0-10) 6.4*
6.3 6.2
6.2* 6.3
6.3 Job Interesting (0-6) 4.0 4.1*
4.0 4.0
4.0 4.1
Job Stressful (0-6 inversed) 3.0*
2.8* 2.7
2.7 2.8
2.8 Appropriateness of salary (1-5) 3.1 3.1
3.1 3.1
3.1 3.1
Likelihood of unemployment (1-4 inversed) 3.2* 2.7
2.8 2.8*
2.9 2.7
Table 10: Workplace Wellbeing Workplace wellbeing increased in 2015 compared to 2014 but again has not returned to 2011 levels ‘ *Significantly different at p<.05 NOTE: In reading this table the indicated significance of the figures are assessed against the following year. For example overall workplace wellbeing was significantly greater in 2011 than in 2012. Overall workplace wellbeing was as also significantly greater in 2012 than it was in 2013 (but less than in 2011), however 2013 was not significantly different from 2014. 2014 was significantly different (lower) than in 2015.
Stress & wellbeing 27 In addition to the measures used in the multi-year analysis, the 2015 survey contained a number of other questions that looked more closely at what contributes to Australians’ levels of stress, how different groups manage that stress and how well people feel in a range of areas. NOTE: In the figure above prevalence is classified as the percentage of respondents who indicated that a stressor affected them either ‘somewhat’, ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a great deal’. ^ Question added in 2015 In 2015, a new item ‘issues with keeping up with social media networks’ was introduced to the list of stressors, with more than one in ten Australians (12%) reporting that as a source of stress. In contrast to the previous four years’ findings where women were more likely to be concerned about a range of stressors, in 2015 the only difference between men and women was that women (40%) were more likely than men (34%) to cite ‘Issues with the health of others close to you’ as a significant source of stress. People aged 46-55 years were more likely to report ‘issues with the health of others close to you’ as a source of stress than all other age groups. Other points to note are: 1. Young people are more likely than their older counterparts to find ‘environmental issues’ a source of stress (26 per cent of 18-25 year olds vs an average of the older groups 36 and above of 19 per cent, p<.05); and 2. Young Sole Parents (people aged 18-35 without a partner and child[ren] under 18) are less likely to cite ‘relationship issues’ as a significant source of stress (11% for Young Sole Parents vs an average for all other life stages of 32%, p<.001). 5. STRESS AND WELLNESS IN 2015 5.1. Causes of stress in 2015 Figure 19: Prevalence of Stressors, 2015
^
‘environmental issues’ as a source of stress ‘ 28 5.2. Wellness in 2015 In 2015 for the first time, we asked Australians to rate themselves in six domains of wellness 3 (physical, social, emotional, spiritual, vocational and intellectual). Overall Australians are doing well across the different domains that map onto a satisfying and healthy life; with three in five rating themselves moderately to extremely well across these areas. The most noticeable and significant finding from the wellness prevalence is that as people get older they rate their physical wellness considerably lower when compared to their younger counterparts. The six domains of wellness are: • Physical Wellness : the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour • Social Wellness : the ability to have satisfying relationships and interactions with others • Emotional Wellness : the ability to control emotions and express them appropriately and comfortably • Spiritual Wellness : a guiding sense of meaning or value in life • Intellectual Wellness : the ability to learn, grow from experience, and utilise intellectual capabilities • Vocational Wellness : having interests, employment, volunteer work or other activities that provide personal satisfaction and enrichment in daily life 3 The items are scored on a scale of 1 – ‘Not well at all’, to 5 – ‘Extremely well’, and transformed into a prevalence percentage of respondents who score 3 – ‘Moderately well’ and above. Australian Psychological Society Stress and wellbeing in Australia survey 2015 Stress & wellbeing 29 Age group n Physical wellness Social
wellness Emotional wellness Spiritual wellness Intellectual wellness Vocational wellness 18-25
(n=184) 67%
66% 61%
65% 74%
66% 26-35
(n=290) 67%
65% 64%
64% 73%
64% 36-45
(n=312) 67%
70% 67%
67% 76%
69% 46-55
(n=269) 65%
64% 63%
62% 71%
62% 56-65
(n=242) 60%*
68% 67%
65% 72%
66% 66+
(n=223) 57%*
64% 63%
62% 72%
63% Table 12: Wellness Prevalence by Age Group, 2015 Gender n
wellness Social
wellness Emotional wellness Spiritual wellness Intellectual wellness Vocational wellness Male
(n=705) 64%
65% 63%
63% 72%
63% Female
(n=813) 64%
68% 66%
65% 74%
66% Table 11: Wellness Prevalence by gender, 2015 *Significantly different from other age groups at p<0.05
6. SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR OF MISSING OUT The special topic for the 2015 Survey is the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). The FoMO survey, including adults and teenagers, examines how entrenched use of social media is in our lives and gauges its impact on our lives. For instance: • Can Australians switch off from social media without experiencing anxiety? • Is staying constantly connected a benefit or a burden? • Is social media shaping how we behave and relate? 6.1. Key findings Social media use differed between age groups; while adults averaged 2.1 hours per day connected to social media, teens reported spending an average of 2.7 hours per day. The proportion of teens (25%) and adults (6%) who were ‘constantly’ on social media was different. The impact on teens of social media is much greater than its impact on adults. Teens connected to social media more frequently (5 or more times a day, i.e. heavy users of social media) are significantly more likely to experience all aspects of FoMO than adults connected to social media five or more times a day (see Figure 20 at right). 6.2. Teen social media use Fifty six per cent of Australian teens are heavy social media users, with 25 per cent Australian teens reporting being connected to social media constantly (see Figure 21 on the following page). There were no significant differences between age groups or gender in the frequency of connecting to social media. 30 The FoMO factor Australian Psychological Society Stress and wellbeing in Australia survey 2015 The impact on teens of social media is much greater than its impact on adults NOTE: In the figure above all teen scores for FoMO are significantly higher than the respective adult scores 31 Figure 20: FoMO for Heavy Social Media Users, 2015 Australian Psychological Society Stress and wellbeing in Australia survey 2015 NOTE: The table above denotes the number of days that a proportion of teens use social media during break periods such as lunch and dinner, as well as prior to sleep and after waking. Table 13: Social Media Average Usage by Teens During Periods of the Day, 2015 32 Figure 21: Time Spent Connected to Social Media by Teens Age Groups and Gender, 2015 23% 14%
18% 22%
17% 6% 28% 10% 20%
27% 11%
4% 21%
12% 18%
25% 19%
5% 29%
13% 18%
23% 11%
6% 25%
13% 18%
24% 15%
5% Constantly More than 10 times per day About 5-10 times per day About 1-4 times per day Several times a week Once a week Time Spent Connected to Social Media by Age and Gender Age 13-15 Age 16-17 Male
Female Average
NOTE: The above figure represents the percentage of how frequently teens connect to social media when on-line, with results split by gender and age group, sample size (n=206). Over half of Australian teens connect to social media 15 minutes before bed every night. Almost four in 10 connect in the presence of others and within 15 minutes of waking up every day. Almost one in four Australian teens reported using social media when they were eating breakfast and lunch seven days a week (see Table 13 below).
Australian Psychological Society Stress and wellbeing in Australia survey 2015 The FoMO factor Time of day Number of day(s) spent on social media Not one day 1 day 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days 6 days 7 days Fifteen minutes before you go to sleep 15%
11% 6% 7% 2% 5% 2% 53% Fifteen minutes after waking up 28% 11%
12% 4% 3% 4% 2% 37% When eating breakfast 42%
14% 9% 4% 3% 5% 0% 24% When eating lunch 32% 11%
15% 6% 1% 11% 1% 24% When eating dinner 51%
13% 6% 4% 2% 8% 2% 15% In the company of others 21% 11%
9% 8% 4% 10% 1% 37% 6.3. Teen social media experience There are significant differences in how different groups of teens (heavy vs light users) perceive how social media affects them. Each group reports that social media helps them connect to like-minded individuals. However, on every other measure, heavy social media users (5+ times per day) are significantly more likely to be affected by their social media experience. For example, heavy social media users are significantly more likely than light users to rate that they feel uncomfortable when they can’t access their social media accounts (heavy 78% per cent vs light 44%). Frequency of use has a significant impact on the way teens interact online and how they feel about themselves and their friends. Heavy social media users feel their relationships are stronger; they can more effectively seek help through social media, set goals and feel part of a global community. Conversely, as Figure 22 at right shows, the less time teens spend on social media, the less they feel burnt out by it, the less they feel they are missing out, the less they are concerned that people will post ugly pictures of them, and they are less likely to feel bad about themselves if people didn’t ‘like’ their social media posts. 33 Figure 22: Attitudes Toward Social Media Use in Teens, 2015 *All items except ‘I feel included or connected to like-minded people through participating in online forums and content- sharing sites’ are significantly different at p<.05 level, sample sizes – Heavy Social Media Users n=118, Light Social Media Users n=92. NOTE: In the table prevalence is classified as the percentage of respondents who indicated that a statement about social media was either ‘sometimes true’, ‘true fairly often’ or ‘true all the time’, split by prevalence of social media use, being defined as five or more times per day (up to constantly) or less than five times a day (through to once or twice a month). 91% 90%
86% 83%
81% 80%
78% 71%
70% 69%
68% 64%
61% 58%
84% 79%
82% 78%
72% 70%
63% 63%
60% 60%
60% 55%
57% 51%
76% 65%
77% 71%
61% 59%
44% 52%
47% 50%
50% 44%
51% 44%
*I find the use of social media has helped strengthen my relationships I am afraid that I will miss something if I don’t stay connected to my online social networks I feel included or connected to like-minded people through participating in online forums and content-sharing sites *I use social media to connect with other youth around the globe who share a common interest, hobby, or activity of mine *I feel empowered or find it easier to seek help when I need (e.g. to manage stress) through the use of social media I love posting photos of me and my friends on social media *I feel worried or uncomfortable when I can’t access my social media accounts I feel left out or excluded after seeing photos of my friends together at something I wasn’t invited to I get stressed out about how I look when I post pictures on social media I feel my brain ‘burnout’ with the constant connectivity of social media I worry about people posting ugly pictures of me and tagging me in them I feel bad about myself when nobody comments on or “likes” my photos I find it difficult to relax or sleep after spending time on social networking sites *I use social media as a motivational tool to help me to achieve health goals (e.g. starting an exercise plan)
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