Date of Award

1979

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

First Advisor

Diana Richards

Second Advisor

Bonnie Walbran

Abstract

Four hundred twenty-five women religious from one order, residing in the midwestern states of Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Texas and Louisiana, were mailed a questionnaire designed to determine the amount of stress experienced in one year, and the amount of illness suffered by those same persona during the same time period. Two hundred fourteen sisters responded to the questionnaire. Analysis of data by age groups revealed positive correlations between life stress and illness. Comparison of illness score between older and younger sisters showed no significant differences. Young sister tended to have high stress and illness scores, whereas older sisters had lower stress scores, but higher amounts of illness. The higher illness scores among older sisters seemed to be accounted tor by an increase in the number of chronic, age-related illnesses rather than a change in the incidence of acute illness. The greatest stressor reported by sisters of all ages was the lack of sufficient time- time tor prayer, retreat, vacation, home visit, planning of ministry, personal renewal, friends, and self.

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