STRESS AS A TRANSACTION- TRANSATCTIONAL THEORY OF STRESS AND COPING

who made the transactional theory of stress and coping and what year?

Lazarus and Folkman, 1984

when is stress experienced (according to model)

1. when there is an imbalance between the demands of a situation and the person’s evaluation of their ability to cope with the demands

2. if the demands of an individual exceed their perception of their coping resources, even if the stressor is a perceived (not an actual) threat

how are stress responses directed?

1. by the person’s cognitive appraisals of the stressor as either a challenge or threat (P)

2. by the person’s assessment of the personal resources and social resources they have to cope with the stressor (S)

3. by the encounter between the individual and their external environment

what does the stress response depend on?

• the individuals appraisal of the relevance of the stressor to their wellbeing (Primary)

• the individuals appraisal of their ability to cope with the stressor (secondary)

what does stress also depend on (other than the person)

• the environment

• requires the production of stressors by the environment

• and the subjective response or cognitive appraisal an individual makes about their ability to cope

what are cognitive appraisals?

the subjective interpretation made by an individual to stimuli in the environment

a person makes cognitive appraisals regarding…

1. the situation/relevance of the stressor to their wellbeing (Primary)

2. their available resources for dealing with the situation/to cope with the stressor (secondary)

when does stress occur?

when the person appraises an event as unpleasant

what is the primary appraisal

• the person evaluates whether the stimulus (stressor) is stressful and if so, in what way

• the person evaluates the significance of the event and whether anything is at stake

  3 decisions if it is:

  1. irrelevant (no stress)

  2. benign positive (no stress)

  3. stressful (undergo additional appraisals)

     then…

     1. harm/loss (distress)

     2. threat (distress)

     3. challenge (eustress)

what is the secondary appraisal?

• the person evaluates their ability to control/overcome the situation

• includes an evaluation of:

  1. the person’s coping options to deal with stressor

  2. the resources available to the person to deal with the stressor

what happens if people believe they don’t have the resources to cope?

negative secondary appraisal and distress