Week4 (Coping)_s
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SOSC3990 Health Psychology
Part II - Coping
Definition of Coping
Coping Style
Social Support
Stress Management
Coping Interventions
Coping Resources/Moderators
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IIA. Definition of Coping
Coping according to the Transaction Theory of Coping (Lazarus & Folkman):
Managing demands appraised as exceeding one’s resources.
Involves thoughts and behaviors to manage internal and external demands (Taylor & Stanton, 2007).
Types of Coping Efforts:
Behavioral Coping
Cognitive Coping
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Coping Process
Dynamic; not a one-time action.
Encompasses various reactions to stress.
Effectiveness can be adaptive or maladaptive.
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Successful Coping
Constitutes improvement in:
Physiological/biofunctions -> decrease arousal.
Daily activities -> healthier adjustment.
Psychological distress -> lessen anxiety; shorten stress duration.
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IIB. Coping Styles
Coping Styles: General tendency to respond to stress in a particular manner.
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1. Approach vs. Avoidance Coping
Approach Coping:
Confrontative or vigilant (e.g., problem-solving, emotional expression).
Effective when information is available, and specific actions can alleviate stress (Taylor & Stanton, 2007).
Avoidance Coping:
Minimizing styles (e.g., distraction, substance abuse).
Spiritual coping can be either oriented.
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2. Problem-focused vs. Emotion-focused Coping
Problem-focused Coping:
Active or constructive effort about stressful events.
Emotion-focused Coping:
Focus on regulating emotional responses to stress.
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Emotion-focused Coping Techniques
Acceptance: Recognizing threats not always amendable.
Rumination: Recurring negative thoughts detrimental to health.
Clarifying: Working through emotions can improve adjustment to chronic conditions (e.g., pain, breast cancer).
Humor: Relieves stress-related distress.
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Emotional Disclosures
Benefits from sharing experiences through written or oral exercises.
Leads to cognitive benefits, finding meaning, affirming personal values, and eliciting support.
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Contrasting Thoughts on Coping
Problem-focused coping is useful but can increase anxiety in the short term.
Emotion-focused coping often considered maladaptive, though may relieve stress.
Implications suggest no universally adaptive or maladaptive coping style.
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Coping Flexibility
Concept showing variability in coping strategy based on situation demands.
Flexible copers adapt coping styles:
Problem-focused if event is changeable.
Emotion-focused if event is unchangeable.
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Outline (Continued)
Part II - Coping
Definition of Coping
Coping Style
Social Support
Stress Management
Coping Interventions
Coping Resources/Moderators
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IIC. Social Support
Optimal Matching Hypothesis (Thoits, 1995): Effective social support requires alignment of recipient's needs and provider's support type.
Importance of feeling loved, valued, and supported within a social network (Wills, 1991).
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Types of Social Support
Structural Support: Quantity of social relationships.
Linked to increased lifespan (Berkman & Syne, 1979).
Limitations: does not reflect quality of relationships.
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More Types of Social Support
Information/Practical Support: Advice, directions.
Instrumental/Tangible Support: Provision of goods/services.
Emotional Support: Expression of love and care.
Appraisal Support: Cognitive strategies provided.
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Social Support Benefits
Prosocial behavior reduces negative effects of stress on emotional well-being.
Engaging in prosocial behavior can buffer stress effects.
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Study Insights
Assessing 77 participants over 14 days on:
Stressful events occurrence.
Engaged prosocial behaviors.
Affect and mental health scores.
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Moderating Effects of Prosocial Behavior
Data shows prosocial behavior moderates stress impact on positive affect, negative affect, and mental health scores.
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Mechanisms of Support
Possible effects of prosocial behavior:
Distracting from personal distress.
Enhancing self-efficacy through helping.
Physiological impacts related to social affiliation (oxytocin).
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Additional Mechanisms
Influence on reward circuitry of the brain.
Positive changes in physiological responses (e.g., increased parasympathetic activity).
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Outline (Continued)
Part II - Coping
Definition of Coping
Coping Style
Social Support
Stress Management
Coping Interventions
Coping Resources/Moderators
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IID. The Management of Stress
Program designed to help individuals:
Appraise stressors.
Develop coping skills.
Practice effective coping skills.
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Basic Techniques Objectives
Acquire skills for coping.
Monitor technique effectiveness.
Practice acquired techniques.
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Basic Techniques Tasks
1st Phase: Identify stressors, monitor stress antecedents.
2nd Phase: Avoid negative self-talk, set take-home assignments.
3rd Phase: Set new goals, engage in positive self-talk.
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Assumptions and Skills
Anxiety responses cause muscle tension.
Relaxation techniques (e.g., Progressive Muscle Relaxation) reduce psychological tension.
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Supplementary Skills
Healthy Habits: Nutritional and exercise habits.
Social Skills: Assertiveness, social engagement, and seeking support.
Time Management: Achievement-oriented goals, prioritizing tasks.
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Outline (Continued)
Part II - Coping
Definition of Coping
Coping Style
Social Support
Stress Management
Coping Interventions
Coping Resources/Moderators
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IIE. Coping Interventions
Mindfulness Training: Self-regulating thoughts and actions non-judgmentally (Kabat-Zinn).
Techniques include meditation, body scanning, and yoga.
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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Aims to accept emotional flows through various techniques, maintaining a practice diary to enhance mindfulness in stress response.
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Three Elements in Mindfulness Training
Mindfulness Meditation: Focus on breathing or movement to achieve calm.
Body Scan: Direct attention to body sensations for relaxation.
Gentle Yoga: Combines movement with mental focus to counteract ruminative thoughts.
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Reference to Kabat-Zinn
Full Catastrophe Living: Framework for mindfulness and its application in stress coping.
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Other Coping Methods
Expressive Writing: Personal writing to explore feelings, helping chronic illness patients.
Coping Effectiveness Training (CET): Enhances existing coping skills through task-specific training.
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Discussion Prompt
Which coping strategy would be useful in Scenario A? Explain one strategy and its rationale.
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General Applicability
Individual differences in preferences for coping strategies.
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Outline (Continued)
Part II - Coping
Definition of Coping
Coping Style
Social Support
Stress Management
Coping Interventions
Coping Resources/Moderators
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IIE. Coping Resources
Type A Personality:
Chronic sense of urgency and competitive drive.
Higher likelihood for cancer diagnosis compared to Type B.
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Type C Personality
Cooperative, compliant, and self-sacrificing.
Tend to inhibit negative emotions, highest risk for cancer.
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Type D Personality
Experiences and inhibits negative emotions.
Associated with higher mortality rates post-cardiac events.
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Pessimistic Explanatory Style
Attributes negative events to internal, stable factors.
May decrease immune responses.
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Optimism (Dispositional Optimism)
Positive expectation affecting stress coping and recovery outcomes.
Leads to effective resource utilization and social support seeking.
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Psychological Control
Perceived control over events is crucial, especially for vulnerable groups (e.g., the elderly).
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Resilience
The ability to adapt and bounce back from adversity, manifesting positive emotions even in stress.
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Compassion
Response to suffering that motivates helping others, aligning with human imperfections.
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Self-compassion
Acknowledges shared human experiences while avoiding harsh self-judgment (Neff, 2003).
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Self-Compassion Subscales
Self-Kindness: Understanding oneself in hardship.
Self-Judgment: Critiquing oneself during difficulties.
Common Humanity: Recognizing shared experiences vs. isolation.
Isolation: Feeling alone in failures.
Mindfulness: Balancing emotional responses.
Over-identification: Becoming overwhelmed by feelings.
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Study Results on Self-compassion
Correlation with lower depression and anxiety, and less rumination.
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Self-esteem and Conscientiousness
High self-esteem correlates with less anxiety in students.
Conscientiousness associated with health-promoting behavior and risk avoidance.
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What is Hope?
Snyder et al. (1991): Hope involves goal-directed determination and strategic planning.
Elements: Goals Thinking, Pathways Thinking, Agency Thinking.
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Revision Questions
Self-identification of stressors in life affecting well-being.
Evaluation of therapies claiming stress reduction efficacy.