STRESS LEVELS OF STUDENTS BEFORE KPSS (PUBLIC PERSONNEL CHOSING EXAM)

Stress which is described by Hans Selye as “non-original reaction of human body againstany system” may decrease human performance by causing psychological reactions such as;anxiety, discomfort or stress and physical reactions as allergy, tachycardia and headache.In this study, our concern is to determine stress levels and indications of teacher candidatestudents studying at 4th grade of any department of Education Faculties in Turkey Universitiesthat are going to enter KPSS.The data is obtained in 2008-2009 education period from 3869 students studying atPhysical Education Departments of Education Faculties and Vocational Schools in 42 PublicUniversities.Validity and reliability studies are based on survey conducted by Pehlivan and by the ideasof experts, a survey for students is constituted and it is applied in January 2009 to studentsbefore the exam. Reliability of this survey is found to be (Crombach Alpha) 0.881. In analysingthe data, SPSS 14.0 package programme is used.In the result of the study, it is found out that; some stress indications such as sleeplessness,stress, continuous anxiety, fatigue, wish for sleeping and feeling of failing to satisfy areobserved in higher levels whereas indications such as inadequacy, head ache are found tobe in medium level. Besides, X2 and t-test revealed that stress levels of students at physicaleducation department of Education Faculties is considerably less from those of other studentsstudying in different departments in the same faculty. Considerable differences are foundin stress level based on age and gender factor. Additionally, it is found out that Universityand Department Satisfaction levels, MEB (Ministry of National Education) assignments andequipment adequacy levels all have effect on stress indication’s level and their revealing.