types and sources of stress

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and types of stress discussed in the lecture notes.

Stress

A challenge to one’s capacity to adapt to inner and outer demands that threatens well-being and taxes coping abilities.

• Stress is subjective: it is in the eye of the beholder. People can experience different levels of stress in response to the same event.

  • Example: a roller coaster may be exciting for some and stressful for others.

Stress appraisal

• Stress appraisal determines how we perceive and respond to events. Appraisal involves evaluating both the situation and our ability to cope with it.

 

The process by which we evaluate and cope with a stressful event, determining if it is threatening, benign, or irrelevant.

Stress body

typically produce psychological and emotional arousal and elicit cognitive and behavioural efforts to cope with the stress

STRESS APPRAISAL LAZARUS (1991)

• Process by which we evaluate and cope with a stressful even

 

Appraisal determines whether a situation is threatening, benign, or irrelevant, and this appraisal influences coping responses.

• The extent to which an event is experience is stressful depends on the post appraisal of both the situation and her ability to cope with it.

 

• The appraisal process consists of two forms that interact (not always conscious):

  • Primary appraisal

  • Secondary appraisal

Both stages involve emotional forecasting (predicting what feelings situation will produce (primary)and likely emotional impact of each response ( secondary )

Emotional forecasting – Predicting how I might feel in the future

Primary appraisal

The initial assessment of whether a situation is stressful, benign, or irrelevant.

• If personal price situation is stressful, they must determine what to do about it

• Example (Deborah): applied for a full-time job, wasn’t offered the position. Primary appraisal would classify this as stressful for Deborah.

Secondary appraisal

The evaluation of options and decisions on how to respond to a stressful situation.

• Deborah might: apply for several jobs, seek guidance to improve her CV, or consider other coping strategies.

• Prior experience or exposure provides a frame of reference for possible options and actions.

• If we have experienced similar situations before, we can more readily move into secondary appraisal (coping) more automatically.

 

Emotional forecasting

Predicting how one might feel in the future in relation to a given situation or response.

Lazarus’ three types:

Harm or loss

Threat

Challenge

Lazarus stress types Harm or loss (stress type)

Damage that has already occurred, such as the death of a loved one or job loss.

• Harm or loss can also include more everyday events such as losing a parking space or finding a desired product out of stock.

Threat (stress type)

Anticipation of harm or loss that has not yet occurred, such as fear of failing an exam.

Challenge (stress type)

A demanding but positive event or task that can lead to growth, such as starting a new job.

Opportunity for growth

• Often invokes Event or task that is positive but can be associated with stress

 Note: stress spans a spectrum from significant life events to everyday challenges; even positive events can be stressful.

Sources of stress

Typically involves Change or life events that require readjustment, which can be quantified using the Social Readjustment Rating Scale.

making large changes in life, can be positive or negative

Acculturative stress

Stress experienced when trying to adapt to a new culture.

Social Re-adjustment Rating Scale

(Holmes & Rahe, 1997)

 

a tool to quantify exposure to stressful life events by assigning scores.

 

It categorizes events and assigns a numeric score representing stress intensity.

 

Change / life events

 

➢measures exposure to 

   stressful life events

 

●Most stressful event 

➢death of loved one (spouse/child)

➢Associated with mortality circulatory diseases, cancer Respiratory illness and taktsubo= broken hart syndrome

Taksubo

Broken heart syndrome , leads to stress

Catastrophes as stressors

Mass-level stressors associated with loss or harm, such as natural disasters or war.

 

Types:

 

➢Natural (e.g. floods, bushfires, earthquakes, 

   tsunamis; pandemics – Covid 19)

 

➢Human (e.g. war, conflict)

 

➢Associated with loss or harm

Daily hassles

Low-level, irritating everyday demands that can contribute to overall stress.

• Loosing car keys

• Stuck in traffic

• Can contribute to stress levels throughout the day

• Weight concerns

• It will help a family member

• Rising prices of common goods