Helping others means offering assistance or support to other people without expecting anything in return. According to research, providing support has stress-buffering effects even when the recipients of support may not experience these benefits themselves.
This Managing Stress By Helping Others handout helps clients understand how acts of kindness can be a stress reliever. Examples of these acts included on the handout are holding the door open for someone, writing heartfelt notes, and sending virtual hugs.
Kids and teens who use this handout may feel inspired to engage in prosocial behavior and explore more ways to make a difference in their communities. When used in classrooms to reduce bullying, we recommend incorporating group activities.
For example, to promote random acts of kindness, students can form a circle and take turns giving a compliment to the person on their left or right. They can also make “kindness notes or cards.”
This handout is included in our Stress Management Handouts Bundle along with 38 other handouts describing evidence-based activities for stress relief.
*This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed.
Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of stress management worksheets and handouts.
References:
- Poulin, M. J., Brown, S. L., Dillard, A. J., & Smith, D. M. (2013). Giving to Others and the Association Between Stress and Mortality. American Journal of Public Health, 103(9), 1649-1655. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300876
- Perkins, N., Smith, P., & Chadwick, P. (2022). Young Children's Conceptualisations of Kindness: A Thematic Analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 909613. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.909613
