PSC 126 Exam 2

coping

the thoughts and behaviors used to manage the internal and external demands of situations that are appraised as stressful; involves perceptions, emotions, actions, internal and external resources

life orientation test

test developed to measure whether they are pessimistic or optimistic in nature

coping style

propensity to deal with stressful events in a particular way

• avoidant coping style: coping by avoiding threat

• approach coping style: coping by gathering info or directly taking action against threat

coping process *

• stressful event (including stage and future course)

• appraisal

• coping responses and strategies

• coping tasks

• coping outcomes

psychosocial resources *

optimism, psychological control, self esteem, conscientiousness, self confidence, being smart, emotional stability

emotion-focused coping

regulating emotions experienced due to stressful event

problem-focused coping

attempting to do something constructive about the stressful conditions

expressive writing

method of intervention based on confronting traumatic and stressful events in one's life by communicating them via writing

optimistic people are more likely to use which type of coping

approach-oriented coping

dyadic coping

pairs/partners managing stress together

buffering hypothesis

social support is beneficial for our health bc it protects against stress

what brain region associated with reward processing can be activated by social experiences

nucleus accumbens

what intervention is best for chronic loneliness?

changing social-cognitive biases

resilience

the ability to bounce back from negative experiences and adapt to the changing demands of stressful situations

what are individuals who display high negative affectivity more likely to have?

have a disease-prone personality

• NOT more likely to seek out medical care when fatally ill, NOT more likely to reject medical treatments that cure terminal diseases, NOT more likely to create a false impression of good health

what does religion provide to people?

• group identity

• may prohibit unhealthy behaviors

• promote self esteem and identity development

coping with tragedy stages *

• emergency - discussion occurs

• inhibition - discussion reduced, rumination continues

• adaptation - discussion diminishes

John Henryism

prolonged, high-effort active coping with psychosocial environmental stressors

sense of meaning and purpose in life

successful coping outcomes

• reducing or eliminating stressors

• tolerating or adjusting to negative events or realities

• maintaining a positive self-image

• maintaining emotional equilibrium

• continuing satisfying relationships with others

• enhancing recovery when ill

• keeping low physiological, neuroendocrine, and immune reactivity

mindfulness meditation *

higher awareness of present, focus on present and accept it

mindfulness-based stress reduction programs help people manage reactions to stress and resulting negative emotions

acceptance and commitment therapy *

accepting the problem and conditions that cause it, changing behaviors

expressive writing *

lowers psychological and physiological indicators of stress, aids in effective coping, helps organize thoughts and find meaning, helps to focus attention on positive aspects, provides an opportunity to clarify emotions, affirms one’s personal values

self affirmation *

affirm values that are important to oneself; helps individuals feel better about themselves, lowers physiological activity and distress, undermines defensive reactions to health threats

relaxation training *

therapeutic exercises that help to release tension, stress, anxiety; affects physiological experience of stress by reducing physiological arousal

• deep breathing

• progressive muscle relaxation training

• guided imagery

• transcendental meditation and yoga

• self hypnosis

coping effectiveness training

• teaches people how to assess stressful events, disaggregate the stressors into specific tasks

• encourages people to maintain their social support

• general stages of stress management programs

  • learning and identifying stressors

  • acquiring and practicing skills for coping with stress

  • practicing techniques

social support

• info from others that one is

  • loved and cared for

  • esteemed and valued

  • part of a network of communication and mutual obligations

• helps us reduce stress, cope better, and live positively

• important resource in primary prevention

tangible/material assistance

services, financial assistance, or goods

invisible support

one receives help from another but is unaware of it

direct effects hypothesis

social support is generally beneficial during nonstressful as well as stressful times

what is one of the strongest protective factors against stress

having a satisfying marriage

matching hypothesis

support that matches the needs of a stressful event is the most effective support

what are negative social interactions associated with?

high levels of inflammation

how aware are people of their internal physiological state

not remarkably accurate

what kind of symptoms make it more likely to prompt someone to seek medical treatment?

symptoms that are painful

when are symptoms more likely to be detected

when attention is directed toward the body

what are people with negative expectations or pessimistic outlooks more likely to do

report more symptoms and perceive themselves as vulnerable to future illness

prior experience

common disorders are regarded as less serious than rare disorders

commonsense model

• a set of beliefs held by people about their symptoms and illness

• includes basic information about an illness

• important bc it lends coherence to a person's comprehension of the illness experience

appraisal delay

time taken to decide that a symptom is serious

illness delay

time between the recognition that a symptom implies an illness and the decision to seek treatment

behavioral delay

time between deciding to seek treatment and actually doing so

medical delay

time that elapses between the person’s calling for an appointment and them receiving the appropriate medical care

what is the greatest disadvantage of using the internet for health care information

the illness could worsen with inaccurate information

why is using the internet for health care information beneficial?

it constitutes a law referral network of its own

medical students’ disease is an example of what type of factors influencing the recognition of symptoms

situational factors

why are young children are more likely to use health services often

children develop frequent infectious diseases

according to textbook, what is the best definition of denial

defense mechanism by which people avoid the implications of an illness

what are cancer patients who receive social support more likely to experience

improved psychological status and better adjustment to their illness

what’s true about depression

it increases the severity of a health disorder

self esteem

the evaluation of whether one feels good or bad about one’s personal qualities and attributes (while self concept is more “contents”)

according to a study of cancer patients conducted by Dunkel-Schetter and her colleagues (1992), what was the most frequently cited stressor?

fear and uncertainty about the future

what is IBS

a functional somatic disorder

Which of the following predicts adherence to chronic disease regimens?

knowledge of the treatment regimen

quality of life components

• physical functioning - ability to walk, dress oneself

• psychological status - symptoms of anxiety, depression; effective coping

• social functioning - quality of close relationships; social support

• disease or treatment related symptoms - level of pain, symptom management

coping strategies used by cancer patients

• social support/direct problem-solving

• distancing

• positive focus

• cognitive escape/avoidance

• behavioral escape/avoidance

what works:

• active coping

• coping with positive responses

top 2 leading causes of death in the US

heart disease and cancer

What is true about women’s risk of cardiovascular diseases?

women experience an increased risk of cardiovascular disease after menopause

coronary heart disease risk factors

• high LDL cholesterol

• high blood pressure

• elevated levels of inflammation

• diabetes

• cigarette smoking

• obesity

• lack of exercise

coronary heart disease

caused by atherosclerosis; coronary arteries narrow with plaque

metabolic syndrome

combo of: obesity around the waist, hypertension, high levels of triglycerides, and low levels of HDL cholesterol

cardiac rehabilitation

social support predicts a decreased likelihood of smoking

“essential” meaning

of unknown origin (ex: 90% of hypertension)

hypertension

• high blood pressure

• patients advised to eat low sodium foods

• combo of medication and CBT works best

stroke risk factors

• high blood pressure

• heart disease

• cigarette smoking

• high red blood cell count

• transient ischemic attacks

• negative emotions

• sudden change in posture to a startling event

• psychological distress

how do heart attacks happen?

plaque build up and blood clots

blood pressure

• systolic = during contraction, ideally <120

• diastolic = when relaxed, ideally <80

HIV infection

a disease in which cells of the immune system (T helper cells, macrophages) are attacked

cancer

a disease in which DNA dysfunction and immunocompromise are implicated

rheumatoid arthritis

an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the thin membranes surrounding the joints

innate/nonspecific immunity

provides generalized defense against pathogens

• macrophages

• neutrophils

• natural killer (NK) cells attack tumor cells and virus-infected cells

adaptive/specific immunity

delayed response to a specific invader

• acquired through vaccines or contracting a disease

• specific to each pathogen

• humoral immunity: done by B cells (in bone marrow), which produce and secrete antibodies

• cellular immunity: done by T cells (mature in thymus), which operate at the cellular level

what are indicative of inflammatory activity and may increase in response to stress?

cytokine levels

autoimmune disease

diseases in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues, falsely identifying them as invaders

what might some of the adverse effects of depression on immunity be partially due to?

sleep disturbances

what is likely to reduce the adverse effects of stress on the immune system?

relaxation training

risk factors for poor immune function

stress, depression, insecure attachment, chronic interpersonal stress, marital conflict and partner violence, caregiving for someone ill, and loneliness

health disparities research focuses on all of the following EXCEPT

NO! the psychological bases of misconceptions about unequal access to health care

what has technology done for health care?

enabled online visits to substitute for routine office visits to physicians

what is true of the health care system in the US?

• health care services are being used inappropriately by consumers

• the US spends more on health care than any other country in the world

behavioral immunization

preventing the development of poor health behaviors and habits

what reduces morbidity in the context of promoting resilience?

marriage

evidence-based medicine

the conscientious, explicit, judicious use of the best scientific proof for making decisions about the care of individual patients

how many tiers is the medical care system in the US?

two tiers

what disease is currently endemic and will shortly replace smoking as the major avoidable contributor to mortality?

obesity

health disparities

inequalities in patterns of distribution of morbidity and mortality

life expectancy trend

positive/increasing trend after dip during COVID

cholesterol levels trend

steady decrease in overly high cholesterol

obesity and diabetes trend

potential decline of obesity, but slow increase in diabetes

cigarette smoking trend

tobacco smoking rate dropping

alcohol consumption trend

dropping to its lowest level in decades in 2025