While many hail computer-assisted instruction (CAI) as a panacea for education, there is little study of the emotional reactions of students and the stress in a CAI program. Stress is a condition that causes deviation from the normal routine of life and frequently arouses anxiety--beneficial at low levels. True individualization of CAI has not been achieved and the resulting evaluation is that CAI tends mostly to build up stress. In order to reduce stress in CAI programs we should create a physical environment conducive to learning, instruct the computer to compute the individual's threshold of stress, direct the computer to search for stress and take steps to reduce it when found, and during the learning process keep the student's evaluation confidential to the student. Recognition and reaction to stress should be accompanied by a notable increase in learning for students in CAI courses. (WH)