Title: Stress Management - recognising stress.
Publisher: Xebec McGraw-Hill in conjunction with BBC for Business
Price: ring 0800 585889 for details or e-mail sales@xebec.co.uk
Format: CD-ROM + workbook

It does seem to me that the concept of working on stress using computer technology in this day and age is misconceived. In this day and age? Yes, because the vast majority of us, trainers or ordinary humans have just about mastered the basic techniques of computer technology and have made it slave to our needs. The use of this technology
to recognise much of the stress which surrounds us, waiting to be let in, seems like using a very unwieldy sledgehammer to crack open a jelly. The consequent mess may not be worth it.

The basic information is of course of a high standard, as you would expect from this source. The graphics and quizzes are fun and generally all the usual aspects of stress are well recorded. The basic messages, that stress is to be found in any work area where one is not able to control the environment, but is expected to produce high quality work, is well made, though somewhat too often. Sometimes too very simple points appear to be made in an over-dramatic manner to show off the technology. Is it not obvious that a personality which is stress-prone is likely to feel more pressure from less stress? The pretty graphics made the point, in case you could not see it for yourself. I have to say that this caused me a great deal of stress in actually working out how to operate this, but that is showing my age!

For anyone seeking to train several associates as trainers of a stress management course, perhaps the format would prove useful. I was not given the costings so am unable to comment on whether it would be economicably viable to do this.

Stress Management - recognising stress was reviewed by Judith Usiskin.