Chapter 14-Health Psychology

health psychology

A subfield of psychology that emphasizes psychology’s role in establishing and maintain health and preventing and treating illness

stages of change model

the 5-stage model of change that includes the stages precontemplation, contemplation, preparation/determination, action/willpower, and maintenance

Precontemplation

the individual is unaware or unwilling to acknowledge the problem

contemplation

the individual is aware of the problem and the desired change

preparation/determination

individuals are preparing to take action

action/willpower

individuals commit to making a behavioral change and enact a plan

maintenance

individuals are successful in continuing their behavior change over time

stress

physical and mental response to a threatening or challenging situation

stressor

whatever it is that is stressing you out

flight or fight response

the body’s immediate response to stress. This response is triggered by epinephrine

general adaption syndrome

Seyle’s term for the common effects of stressful demands on the body, consisting of three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

alarm

a temporary state of shock during which resistance to illness and stress falls below normal limits

resistance

glands throughout the body manufacture different hormones that protect the individual. During this stage the body can fight off infection with remarkable efficiency

exhaustion

the stage that is entered when the body’s all out effort to combat stress fails and stress persists. In this stage, wear and tears takes a toll on the person

primary appraisal

individuals interpret whether an event involves harm or loss that has already occurred, a threat of some future danger, or a challenge to be overcome

secondary appraisal

people evaluate their resources and determine how effectively they can be marshaled to cope with the event

Impact of stress on physical health

Experiencing stress has a direct impact on immune system, which can lead to having a higher chance of developing certain diseases. Along with the direct impacts of stress, stress can also impact our health through the methods we use to cope. Drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking, and eating unhealthy can also lead to illness

Type A

competitive, impatient, driven

Type B

noncompetitive, easygoing, and relaxed

Type C

low emotion, agreeable, may feel helpless

Type D

negative emotion, anxious, pessimistic

Coping

managing taxing circumstances, expending effort to solve life’s problems, and seeking to master or reduce stress

PERMA Model of Wellbeing

Proactively working on the components of PERMA increases aspects of wellbeing AND decreases psychological distress.

P: positive emotions

E: engagement

R: relationships

M: meaning

A: Achievement

problem-focused coping

the coping strategy of directly facing one’s troubles and trying to solve them

emotion-focused coping

the coping strategy that involves responding to the stress that one is feeling—trying to manage one’s emotional reaction—rather than focusing on the root problem itself

positive reappraisal

reinterpreting a potentially stressful experience as positive, valuable, or even beneficial

hardiness

a personality trait characterized by a sense of commitment rather than alienation and of control rather than powerlessness; a perception of problems as challenges rather than threats

optimism

hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something

Alice F. Chang

Her parents were political refugees from China. She grew up in New Mexico. She helped create the Marana Community Mental Health Clinic that serves Yaqui Indians, migrant workers, and indigent people in the rural communities of Tucson. She had a private practice and taught psychology classes at the University of Arizona and Chapman University in California. She founded the Academy for Cancer Wellness in Tucson. She was passionate about providing counseling, social support, and financial support to people dealing with cancer. She was the first ethnic minority woman to serve on the American Psychological Association Board of Directions.