Abstract
The Children's Stages of Change Scale for Stress Management Behavior (CSC-SMB) was developed and the effects of a Stress Management Program for children were investigated. Students in grade six (49 boys and 55 girls) participated in the study. In Study I, the CSC-SMB was developed and tested. Results indicated its test-retest reliability with this population of children (ρ =.54). Same students also participated in Study II that examined the effects of a Stress Management Program using relaxation- and activation-techniques. Children were assigned to three groups (Relaxation group (Breathing Control & progressive muscle relaxation), Activation group (“karadahogushi” exercise), and Control group). A Chi-square analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between the three groups for the ratio of children who shifted their stages, students in the relaxation group shifted their stage to better one more than other groups. The results of this study suggest that stress management education using relaxation-techniques is effective for changing the consciousness and behavior of children regarding stress management in daily life.
