Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Decreasing students’ stress through time management training: an intervention study

  • Published:
European Journal of Psychology of Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a time management training program on perceived control of time and perceived stress in the context of higher education. Twenty-three undergraduate students attended a time management training intervention and reported demands, perceived stress and perceived control of time directly before 2 and 4 weeks after training. We used a “non-equivalent dependent variable design” (Cook and Campbell, Quasi-experimentation: design and analysis for field settings, p. 118, 1979) with perceived stress and perceived control of time as dependent variables, which should be influenced by the training, and demands as control variable, which should not be changed. As expected, perceived stress decreased and perceived control of time increased after training, whereas demands did not change. Therefore, time management training might be beneficial for undergraduate students’ well-being. Nevertheless, more intervention studies in this field are necessary, especially with lager samples, to contribute to more robust results and conclusions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abouserie, R. (1994). Sources and levels of stress in relation to locus of control and self esteem in university students. Educational Psychology, 14, 323–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, G. A., & Jex, S. M. (1999). Relationships between time management, control, work-family conflict and strain. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 4, 72–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adamson, B. J., Covic, T., & Lincoln, M. (2004). Teaching time and organizational management skills to first year health science students: does training make a difference? Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28, 261–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adlaf, E. M., Gliksman, L., Demers, A., & Newton-Taylor, B. (2001). The prevalence of elevated psychological distress among Canadian undergraduates: findings from the 1998 Canadian campus survey. Journal of American College Health, 50, 67–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrasik, F., & Heimberg, J. S. (1982). Self-management procedures. In L. W. Frederikson (Ed.), Handbook of organizational behaviour management (pp. 219–247). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayram, N., & Bilgel, N. (2008). The prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of depression, anxiety, and stress among a group of university students. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 43, 667–672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bewick, B., Koutsopoulou, G., Miles, J., Slaa, E., & Barkham, M. (2010). Changes in undergraduate students’ psychological well-being as they progress through university. Studies in Higher Education, 35, 633–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bond, M. J., & Feather, N. T. (1988). Some correlates of structure and purpose in the use of time. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 55, 321–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Britton, B. K., & Tesser, A. (1991). Effects of time-management practices on college grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 405–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claessens, B. J. C., Van Eerde, W., Rutte, C. G., & Roe, R. A. (2004). Planning behaviour and perceived control of time at work. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25, 937–950.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Claessens, B. J. C., Van Eerde, W., Rutte, C. G., & Roe, R. A. (2007). A review of the time management literature. Personnel Review, 36, 255–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (1979). Quasi-experimentation: design and analysis for field settings. Chicago: Rand McNally.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotton, S. J., Dollard, M. F., & de Jonge, J. (2002). Stress and student job design: satisfaction, well-being, and performance in university students. International Journal of Stress Management, 9, 147–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diefendorff, J. M., & Lord, R. G. (2003). The volitional and strategic effects of planning on task performance and goal commitment. Human Performance, 16, 365–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Earley, P. C., Wojnaroski, P., & Prest, W. (1987). Task planning and energy expended: exploration of how goals influence performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72, 107–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fliege, H., Rose, M., Arck, P., Levenstein, S., & Klapp, B. F. (2001). Validierung des“perceived stress questionnaire” (PSQ) an einer deutschen stichprobe. [Validation of the “perceived stress questionnaire” (PSQ) in a German sample.]. Diagnostica, 47, 142–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fliege, H., Rose, M., Arck, P., Walter, O., Kocalevent, R. D., Weber, C., & Klapp, B. (2005). The perceived stress questionnaire (PSQ) reconsidered: validation and reference from different clinical and healthy adult samples. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 78–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frese, M., Beimel, S., & Schoenborn, S. (2003). Action training for charismatic leadership: two evaluations of studies of a commercial training module on inspirational communication of a vision. Personnel Psychology, 56, 671–697.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54, 493–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, M. M., & Califf, M. E. (2007). An assessment of the impact of time management training on student success in a time-intensive course. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 18, 19–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haccoun, R. R., & Hamtieux, T. (1994). Optimizing knowledge tests for inferring learning acquisition levels in single group training evaluation designs: the internal referencing strategy. Personnel Psychology, 47, 593–604.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Häfner, A., & Stock, A. (2010). Time management training and perceived control of time at work. Journal of Psychology, 144, 429–447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Häfner, A., Stock, A., Schwäble, S., & Kaiser, A. (2009). Time management, stress and job performance. Poster presented at the 14th European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

  • Häfner, A., Stock, A., Pinneker, L., & Ströhle, S. (2014). Stress prevention through a time management training intervention: an experimental study. Educational Psychology, 34, 403–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jex, S. M., & Elacqua, T. C. (1999). Time management as a moderator of relations between stressors and employee strain. Work and Stress, 13, 182–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kearns, H., & Gardiner, M. (2007). Is it time well spent? The relationship between time management behaviours, perceived effectiveness and work-related morale and distress in a university context. Higher Education Research and Development, 26, 235–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, W. E. (2003). No time to worry: the relationship between worry, time structure, and time management. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 1119–1126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latham, G. P., & Locke, E. A. (1979). Goal setting—a motivational technique that works. Organizational Dynamics, 8, 68–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latham, G. P., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Self-regulation through goal setting. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 50, 212–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levenstein, S., Prantera, C., Varvo, V., Scribano, M. L., Berto, E., Luzi, C., & Andreoli, A. (1993). Development of the perceived stress questionnaire: a new tool for psychosomatic research. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 37, 19–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: a 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57, 705–717.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lowe, H., & Cook, A. (2003). Mind the gap: are students prepared for higher education? Journal of Further and Higher Education, 27, 53–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luthans, F., & Davis, T. R. V. (1979). Behavioural self-management—the missing link in managerial effectiveness. Organizational Dynamics, 8, 42–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, J. (2008). Review of effective PhD candidate series. Higher Education Research and Development, 27, 301–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macan, T. H. (1994). Time management: test of a process model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 381–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macan, T. H. (1996). Time-management training: effects on time behaviours, attitudes, and job performance. Journal of Psychology, 130, 229–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macan, T. H., Shahani, C., Dipboye, R. L., & Phillips, A. P. (1990). College students’ time management: correlations with academic performance and stress. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 760–768.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maguire, S., Evans, S. E., & Dyas, L. (2001). Approaches to learning: a study of first-year geography undergraduates. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 25, 95–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nonis, S. A., & Sager, J. K. (2003). Coping strategy profiles used by salespeople: their relationships with personal characteristics and work outcomes. Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 23, 139–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nonis, S. A., Hudson, G. I., Logan, L. B., & Ford, C. W. (1998). Influence of perceived control over time on college students’ stress and stress-related outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 39, 587–605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oberst, V. (2008). Entwicklung und prüfung der psychometrischen qualität eines zeitmanagementfragebogens (Development and evaluation of the psychometric quality of a time management questionnaire.). University of Würzburg, Germany: Unpublished diploma thesis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peeters, M. A. G., & Rutte, C. G. (2005). Time management behaviour as a moderator for the job demand-control interaction. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 10, 64–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pengilly, J. W., & Dowd, E. T. (2000). Hardiness and social support as moderators of stress. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56, 813–820.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierceall, E. A., & Keim, C. (2007). Stress and coping strategies among community college students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 31, 703–712.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prescott, A., & Simpson, E. (2004). Effective student motivation commences with resolving ‘dissatisfiers’. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28, 247–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, K. M., & Rothstein, H. R. (2008). Effects of occupational stress management intervention programs: a meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 13, 69–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, R., Golding, J., Towel, T., Reid, S., Woodford, S., Vetere, A., & Weinreb, I. (2000). Mental and physical health in students: the role of economic circumstances. British Journal of Health Psychology, 5, 289–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, S. E., Niebling, B. C., & Heckert, T. M. (1999). Sources of stress among college students. College Student Journal, 33, 312–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwäble, S., Häfner, A., Stock, A., & Hartmann, J. (2009). Perceived control of time as an important factor concerning well-being but not performance. Poster presented at the 14th European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

  • Song, Y., Huang, Y., Liu, D., Kwan, J. S. H., Zhang, F., Sham, P. C., & Tang, S. W. (2008). Depression in college: depressive symptoms and personality factors in Beijing and Hong Kong college freshmen. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 49, 496–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart-Brown, S., Evans, J., Patterson, J., Petersen, S., Doll, H., Balding, J., & Regis, D. (2000). The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important and neglected public health problem? Journal of Public Health Medicine, 22, 492–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S. E., Pham, L. B., Rivkin, I. D., & Armor, D. A. (1998). Harnessing the imagination: mental simulation, self-regulation, and coping. American Psychologist, 53, 429–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trueman, M., & Hartley, J. (1996). A comparison between the time-management skills and academic performance of mature and traditional-entry university students. Higher Education, 32, 199–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unsworth, K., & Kauter, K. (2008). Evaluating an earlybird scheme: encouraging early assignment writing and revising. Higher Education Research and Development, 27, 69–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Meer, J., Jansen, E., & Torenbeek, M. (2010). It’s almost a mindset that teachers need to change: first-year students’ need to be inducted into time management. Studies in Higher Education, 35, 777–791.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Eerde, W. (2003). Procrastination at work and time management training. Journal of Psychology, 137, 421–434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, P., Winn, S., & Fyvie-Gauld, M. (2005). ‘It was nothing to do with the university, it was just the people’: the role of social support in the first-year experience of higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 30, 707–722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Adolf-Würth-Center for the History of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 1, D-97070, Würzburg, Germany

    Alexander Häfner, Armin Stock & Verena Oberst

Authors
  1. Alexander Häfner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Armin Stock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Verena Oberst
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexander Häfner.

Additional information

Alexander Häfner Adolf-Würth-Center for the History of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 1, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany. E-mail: alexander.haefner@wuerth-industrie.com

Current themes of research:

Effectiveness of time management training programs, procrastination, and stress prevention.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Häfner, A., Stock, A., Pinneker, L., & Ströhle, S. (2014). Stress prevention through a time management training intervention: an experimental study. Educational Psychology, 34, 403–416.

Häfner, A., Oberst, V., & Stock, A. (2014). Avoiding procrastination through time management: an experimental intervention study. Educational Studies, 40, 352–360.

Verena Oberst Adolf-Würth-Center for the History of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 1, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany

Current themes of research:

Effectiveness of time management training programs. Different fields in sports psychology.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Häfner, A., Oberst, V., & Stock, A. (2014). Avoiding procrastination through time management: an experimental intervention study. Educational Studies, 40, 352–360.

Armin Stock Adolf-Würth-Center for the History of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 1, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany

Current themes of research:

History of psychology. Different fields in organizational psychology. Cognitive psychology.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Häfner, A., Stock, A., Pinneker, L., & Ströhle, S. (2014). Stress prevention through a time management training intervention: an experimental study. Educational Psychology, 34, 403–416.

Häfner, A., Oberst, V., & Stock, A. (2014). Avoiding procrastination through time management: an experimental intervention study. Educational Studies, 40, 352–360.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Häfner, A., Stock, A. & Oberst, V. Decreasing students’ stress through time management training: an intervention study. Eur J Psychol Educ 30, 81–94 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-014-0229-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-014-0229-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation