Health Psychology: Stress, Coping, Health Behaviours and Services (Weeks 5–8)

What are health compromising behaviors?

Behaviors that harm current or future health.

Why are adolescents particularly vulnerable to unhealthy behaviors?

Adolescence is a time when people are more likely to develop unhealthy behaviors.

How do peer culture and self-presentation influence behaviors?

Behaviors are influenced by friends, social pressure, and how individuals want others to see them.

What is a characteristic of health compromising behaviors?

They may feel pleasurable but can be dangerous and harm health.

How do unhealthy behaviors typically develop?

They often develop gradually over time.

What are common risk factors for developing unhealthy behaviors?

Conflict with parents, poor self-control, deviant behavior, low self-esteem, poor school performance, and difficult temperament.

How does social structure influence health compromising behaviors?

These behaviors are more common among lower socioeconomic groups and relate to people's attitudes toward health.

What is a substance use disorder (SUD)?

Repeated substance use that causes problems with a person's health, daily functioning, or relationships.

What are the four criteria for diagnosing SUD?

Risky use, impaired control, craving, and social impairment.

What is tolerance in the context of substance use?

Needing more of a substance to achieve the same effect.

What does withdrawal refer to?

Unpleasant symptoms that occur when stopping a substance the body has become dependent on.

What is harm reduction?

Reducing the risks and harmful consequences of substance use rather than focusing only on complete cessation.

What are examples of harm reduction strategies?

Methadone maintenance for opioid addiction and needle exchange programs.

What are the three concerning categories of illicit drugs?

Opiates (heroin, fentanyl), cocaine, and amphetamine-type stimulants (ecstasy, methamphetamine).

What are psychoactive substances?

Substances that affect thinking, emotions, and behavior.

What are some physical risks of drug misuse?

Lung damage, heart attack, stroke, and dependence.

What is alcohol use disorder (AUD)?

Problem drinking that causes significant difficulties in a person's life, ranging from mild to severe.

What are some health risks associated with alcohol use?

Liver damage, cancer, sleep problems, cognitive impairments, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

What are the diagnostic criteria for AUD?

Risky use, impaired control, social impairment, and physiological effects (tolerance and withdrawal).

What factors contribute to the origins of alcohol use disorder?

Genetics, socioeconomic status, and stress.

What does the heritability coefficient for AUD suggest?

Genetic differences account for about 50% of variation in susceptibility to AUD.

What are two major windows of vulnerability for alcohol use disorder?

Adolescence and middle age.

What is 'maturing out' in the context of alcohol use?

The natural reduction or cessation of problematic drinking as people age.

What is the primary goal of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?

To promote complete abstinence from alcohol.

What is detoxification?

The process of withdrawing from alcohol, often under medical supervision.

What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) used for in treating alcohol use disorder?

To address behaviors, thoughts, and environmental factors contributing to drinking.

Name a medication that helps reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol.

Naltrexone.

What is culturally sensitive treatment?

Treatment that considers a person's social and cultural circumstances.

What is relapse in the context of alcohol use disorder?

Returning to a previous pattern of problematic drinking after making progress.

What are some strategies for relapse prevention?

Coping skills, social skills, drink refusal skills, and normalizing relapse.

What are minimal interventions in the context of alcohol use?

Brief interventions, including telephone support, for those who do not seek formal treatment.

What are some strategies used with university students to address alcohol use?

Setting drinking limits, learning self-control, and practicing drink refusal.

What is the difference between abstinence and moderation management?

Abstinence involves avoiding alcohol completely, while moderation management focuses on setting goals and self-monitoring.

What is an eating disorder?

Clinically diagnosed illnesses involving harmful eating behaviors and concerns about food, weight, or body image.

What is the main characteristic of anorexia nervosa?

Severe restriction of food intake and excessive concern about weight.

What are some predictors of anorexia nervosa?

Genetics, stress, body image distortion, psychological factors, and family dynamics.

What is the first stage of treatment for anorexia nervosa?

Restoring physical health and regaining a medically healthy weight.

What is the goal of behavioral interventions in treating anorexia nervosa?

To address unhealthy eating behaviors and thoughts about weight and body image.

What is bulimia nervosa?

An eating disorder involving cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain.

What is binge eating?

Eating an unusually large amount of food while feeling a loss of control.

What are compensatory behaviors in bulimia nervosa?

Behaviors intended to compensate for eating, such as vomiting or misusing laxatives.

What is the role of media in the development of eating disorders?

Media can promote unrealistic body ideals and contribute to body dissatisfaction.

What is body positivity?

Accepting and appreciating bodies of different shapes and sizes.

What is body neutrality?

Focusing less on appearance and more on what the body does and how it supports everyday life.

What are some prevention strategies for anorexia nervosa?

Promoting realistic body images, challenging beauty standards, and encouraging diverse media representation.

What is the age of onset for eating disorders?

Eating disorders often begin during adolescence.

How do cultural beauty standards influence eating disorders?

Society may promote unrealistic ideals that lead to body dissatisfaction.

What psychological factors may contribute to anorexia nervosa?

Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and low mastery.

What are the factors contributing to bulimia?

Restriction and binge eating, weight control concerns, overvaluing appearance, emotion dysregulation, and negative urgency.

What is the first step in treating bulimia nervosa?

Recognize the problem.

What type of therapy is commonly used to treat bulimia?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

What is self-monitoring in the context of bulimia treatment?

Recording eating patterns and situations associated with binge episodes.

What does cognitive restructuring involve?

Challenging and changing unhealthy thoughts about food, weight, and body image.

What is stress?

A negative emotional experience that causes biochemical, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes to help deal with a stressful event.

What is a stressor?

An event, person, or situation that is perceived as stressful.

What is person-environment fit?

The degree to which a person's needs and resources match the demands and resources of their environment.

What are the three stages of General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?

Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

What happens during the alarm stage of GAS?

The body recognizes a threat and mobilizes to respond.

What is the fight or flight model?

A response to perceived threats where the body activates the sympathetic nervous system to prepare for danger.

What is the tend-and-befriend theory?

A response to stress where individuals seek social support and care for others rather than just fighting or fleeing.

What are the two types of appraisal in the cognitive transaction model?

Primary appraisal and Secondary appraisal.

What does primary appraisal evaluate?

The meaning of the situation, considering if it is positive, negative, or neutral.

What does secondary appraisal assess?

Coping abilities and resources to manage the situation.

What is reactivity in the context of stress?

The degree of change in the body's autonomic, neuroendocrine, and immune responses during stress.

What is allostasis?

The body's ability to adjust its systems to meet the demands of stress.

What is allostatic load?

The accumulating negative effects of repeated or prolonged stress on the body's stress regulation systems.

What makes events more likely to be stressful?

When they are negative, uncontrollable, unpredictable, ambiguous, or overwhelming.

What is anticipatory stress?

Worrying about something that may happen before the event occurs.

How can people adapt to stress?

Adaptation depends on the type and intensity of the stressor; mild stress is easier to adapt to than severe stress.

What are the physiological responses to stress?

Increased heart rate, breathing, and sweating.

What are the cognitive responses to stress?

Narrowed attention, increased vigilance, and coping thoughts.

What are the emotional responses to stress?

Feelings of fear, anxiety, anger, excitement, or embarrassment.

What are the behavioral responses to stress?

Actions such as fighting, fleeing, seeking support, or other coping actions.

How does prolonged stress affect health?

It can lead to physiological damage and an increased risk of disease.

What is the significance of oxytocin in stress responses?

Oxytocin is involved in social bonding and calming responses during stress.

What is the acute stress paradigm?

A research method where participants are unexpectedly asked to complete a stressful task, such as giving a speech.

How can hostility affect stress responses?

Hostility can be associated with a stronger physiological stress response.

What is the social readjustment rating scale?

A scale that measures stressful life events and assigns scores based on the adjustment required.

What are daily hassles?

Minor, everyday stressful events like traffic, losing your phone, or waiting in line.

What is chronic stress?

Stress that continues over a long period.

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which involves long-term effects following severely traumatic events.

What are the main sources of chronic stress?

PTSD, early life stressors, prenatal stress, chronic stressful conditions, and bullying.

What is cyberbullying?

Bullying through the internet or social media, which can add to distress due to anonymity and audience.

What are the types of bullying?

Physical, verbal, social, direct, and indirect bullying.

What is job strain?

Stress resulting from high psychological demands and low control, especially harmful when social support is low.

What does work-life conflict refer to?

When work interferes with family, social life, or other responsibilities.

What is karoshi?

A Japanese term meaning 'death from overwork.'

What is coping?

The thoughts and behaviors used to manage stressful situations when demands exceed resources.

What are stress moderators?

Internal and external resources or vulnerabilities that change how we experience stress.

What is primary appraisal?

Evaluating the stressful event to determine if there is harm, a future threat, or a challenge.

What is secondary appraisal?

Evaluating your ability to cope with the stressful event.

What are the steps in the coping process?

1. Stressful events 2. Appraisal 3. Coping responses 4. Coping tasks.

How can daily hassles affect psychological well-being?

They can reduce psychological well-being, cause physical symptoms, and increase allostatic load over time.

What is chronic strain?

The ongoing effects of prolonged stress, making it harder to cope with new stressors.

How can bullying affect health?

Prolonged bullying is associated with depression, burnout, and physical health symptoms.

What is the impact of negative relationships at work?

Negative relationships, especially with supervisors, can increase stress.

What can help manage stress emotionally and practically?

Coping strategies that involve emotions, actions, or both.

How can one cope with losing a job?

By looking for a new job, talking to friends, or distracting themselves.

What are the effects of coping on psychological and physical health?

Coping can lead to improved psychological functioning, a return to usual activities, and physical changes, including illness.

What is information seeking in coping responses?

Gathering information about the problem.