stressEd
Do how stressed we feel and how our body responds tell the same story?
stressED investigates the relationship between perceived stress, biological stress markers and stress mindset among TUM students.
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Our Project
Academic pressure, exams, time constraints, financial worries and balancing studies, work and private life: psychological strain and chronic stress are among the biggest challenges in student life. The consequences range from concentration problems and sleep disturbances to serious psychological and physical health issues (Gerber & Schilling, 2017).
Stress research has traditionally relied heavily on subjective self-reports. But how someone feels about their stress doesn't always match what's happening in their body biologically. Some people report high stress levels without showing strong physiological stress responses, while others show elevated biological stress markers without being consciously aware of it (Špiljak et al., 2022; Shchaslyvyi et al., 2024).
This is exactly where StressEd comes in. In our project, we assess the stress levels of TUM students using both subjective and objective methods: the PSS-10 questionnaire and salivary cortisol, a key biological stress marker, to compare how perceived and biological stress relate to one another and to understand the role that individual stress-mindset plays in this relationship.
The project is developed and carried out by us, an interdisciplinary team from TUM: Junge Akademie Class 2026, combining scientific research with real societal relevance.
Why We Started This Project
Stress is something everyone experiences. It's so common that we often just accept it as part of everyday life and move on. But chronic stress can have serious consequences for both mental and physical health, and many people aren't fully aware of how much it affects them until it's already taking a toll. As a team, we wanted to take a closer look at what's actually happening beneath the surface of "feeling stressed" and help more people understand it, take it seriously and find ways to manage it before it becomes a bigger problem.
Our Research Questions
01 — Is there a Stress-Gap?
Is there a discrepancy between how stressed students feel and what their biological stress response shows?
02 — What role does stress mindset play?
How beliefs about stress as harmful or potentially beneficial influence how stress is perceived and processed, and how these relate to the Stress-Gap.
How We Measure Stress
Subjective stress measurement
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)
One of the most widely used instruments in stress research captures the extent to which people perceive their lives as unpredictable, uncontrollable, or overwhelming.
Stress Mindset Measure (SMM)
Which looks at whether someone tends to see stress as harmful or as potentially beneficial, is a factor shown to meaningfully shape how people respond to stress.
Biological stress measurement
Salivary cortisol.
Saliva collection is non-invasive, scientifically established, and can be done conveniently at home.
The Intervention: StressLess
An important part of our project is evaluating StressLess, an online stress-management program developed by one of our Tutors, Anna Pyttlik, at TUM. It's available to all TUM students via Moodle and covers:
- how stress arises and how it affects the body and mind
- practical stress-management strategies
- exercises to support healthy stress perception
- methods to improve self-regulation
- evidence-based approaches to build resilience and well-being
We investigate whether participating in StressLess leads to measurable changes in perceived stress, stress-mindset and biological stress markers, and whether it helps close the Stress-Gap. Previous research on digital stress-management programs has shown positive effects on perceived stress, coping skills and sleep quality (Stächele et al., 2020).
Why It Matters
Stress itself isn't inherently bad — short-term stress responses can boost attention and performance. Problems arise when stress becomes chronic, without enough recovery in between (Kaluza, 2023). Chronic activation of the body's stress systems can contribute to sleep disturbances, concentration problems, emotional exhaustion, anxiety, depression and physical illness (Dhabhar, 2014; Shchaslyvyi et al., 2024), and on a broader scale, to declining academic performance, higher dropout rates and rising healthcare costs (Gerber & Schilling, 2017).
Better understanding the relationship between perceived and biological stress can help develop more targeted, effective prevention and support strategies for students.
Our findings could help:
- recognize stress earlier
- strengthen health literacy
- promote effective coping strategies
- reduce psychological strain
- improve overall well-being
They can also support TUM and other universities in developing evidence-based mental health measures and refining existing support services.
Who Can Participate?
TUM students who meet the eligibility criteria assessed through a short screening questionnaire.
What does participation involve?
- Short questionnaires
- Saliva samples collected at home, following the provided instructions
- Participation in the StressLess intervention
The overall time commitment is relatively low and spread across several weeks
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Frequently Asked Questions
We investigate the relationship between perceived stress and biological stress markers, whether how stressed someone feels matches what their body shows, and how stress-related beliefs (mindset) play into this.
We are currently recruiting TUM students who meet our eligibility criteria, assessed via a short screening questionnaire.
A few questionnaires, saliva samples collected at home and participation in the StressLess intervention, spread over several weeks, with a relatively low overall time commitment.
An educational stress intervention designed to help participants better understand stress and its effects, offering evidence-based information and practical strategies. Available to all TUM students on Moodle.
Saliva samples let us measure cortisol, a hormone involved in the body's stress response. Collection is non-invasive and can be done conveniently at home.
Yes, participants receive a summary of their individual results once the study is completed and the data processed. Further details will be shared during the study.
Research data is stored using participant IDs rather than names. Contact information is stored separately and used only for study administration and communication.
Your data is processed confidentially and in accordance with applicable data protection regulations (including the GDPR/DSGVO), used only for scientific purposes within this project and deleted after study completion per TUM data policy.
Yes. Participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw at any time without giving a reason.
Minimal risk. Saliva collection is non-invasive, and questionnaires focus on everyday stress experiences. Participation does not replace medical or psychological advice.
Stress is shaped by many factors: lifestyle, sleep, health and personal beliefs. Collecting this information helps us better understand the relationship between perceived and biological stress.
Our Team
Chiara Aziz
B.Sc. Health Sciences
chiara.aziz@tum.de
Felicitas Overbeck
B.Sc. Chemical Engineering
felicitas.overbeck@tum.de
Bach Ngoc Doan
M.Sc. Data Engineering and Analytics
bachngoc.doan@tum.de
Kora Witt
B.Sc. Architecture
kora.witt@tum.de
Eda Calisan
B.Sc. Architecture
eda.calisan@tum.de
Fabienne Gobs
M.Sc. NBM
fabienne.gobs@tum.de
Naima Beier
B.Sc. Molecular Biotechnology
ge87dod@mytum.de
Maximilian Lederer
B.Sc. Health Sciences
maxi.lederer@tum.de
Katharina Schönfelder
Staatsexamen Medicine
katharina.schoenfelder@tum.de
Supervisor
Tutors
Contact
Crum, A. J., Salovey, P., & Achor, S. (2013). Rethinking stress: The role of mindsets in determining the stress response. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 104(4), 716–733. doi.org/10.1037/a0031201
Dhabhar, F. S. (2014). Effects of stress on immune function: The good, the bad, and the beautiful. Immunologic Research, 58(2), 193–210.
Gerber, M., & Schilling, R. (2017). Stress als Risikofaktor für körperliche und psychische Gesundheitsbeeinträchtigungen. In Handbuch Stressregulation und Sport (pp. 93–122). Springer.
Kaluza, G. (2023). Stressbewältigung und Stressmanagement. In Stressbewältigung: Das Manual zur psychologischen Gesundheitsförderung (pp. 77–88). Springer.
Shchaslyvyi, A. Y., Shchaslyva, A. S., & Telegeev, G. D. (2024). Comprehensive review of chronic stress pathways and the efficacy of behavioral stress reduction programs in managing diseases. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(8).
Špiljak, B., Vujović, M., Glavina, A., Crnković, M., Šešerko, A., & Lugović-Mihić, L. (2022). Review of psychological stress among students and its assessment using salivary biomarkers. Behavioral Sciences, 12(10).
Stächele, T., Domes, G., Wekenborg, M., Penz, M., Kirschbaum, C., & Heinrichs, M. (2020). Effects of a 6-week internet-based stress management program on perceived stress, subjective coping skills, and sleep quality. Frontiers in Psychology, 11.