Health, Stress, & Coping Study Notes

Module 21: Health, Stress, & Coping

A Appraisal of Stress

  • Definition of Stress: Stress is defined as the anxious or threatening feeling that arises when an individual interprets or appraises a situation as being more than their psychological resources can handle (Lazarus, 1999).

  • Primary Appraisal: The initial evaluation of whether a situation is threatening (harm/loss, challenge, or irrelevant).

    • Harm/Loss Appraisal: Indicates past damage or injury has been sustained, eliciting negative emotions such as fear and anxiety.

    • Threat Appraisal: Indicates anticipated future damage, leading to feelings of fear and anxiety without direct past harm.

    • Challenge Appraisal: Indicates potential for growth or gain, leading to positive emotions like eagerness.

B Stress Responses

  • Fight-Flight Response: A physiological response triggered by the appraisal of a situation as threatening. It prepares the body for confrontation or escape.

    1. Appraisal of Threat: Leads to activation of the hypothalamus which stimulates the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, triggering physiological responses.

    2. Physiological Symptoms: Increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration; decreased digestive activity; release of glucose and hormones for energy.

C Stressful Experiences

  • Types of Stressors: Include daily hassles (small stressors) and major life events (significant life changes that can be appraised as stressful).

  • Adjustment Disorder: Emotional or behavioral symptoms resulting from a stressor that causes difficulty in functioning.

D Personality & Health

  • Hardiness: A combination of control, commitment, and challenge traits that buffer individuals against stress.

  • Locus of Control:

    • Internal Locus of Control: Belief that one can influence events through their actions.

    • External Locus of Control: Belief that chance or external factors control events.

E Coping with Stress

  • Coping Strategies:

    • Problem-focused coping: Attempts to change the stressful situation through direct action.

    • Emotion-focused coping: Management of emotional distress associated with stressors.

F Positive Psychology

  • Definition: The scientific study aimed at improving life satisfaction through the promotion of positive traits and institutions. It involves focusing on positive emotions, traits like resilience, and community supports.

G Research Focus: Treatment for Panic Disorder

  • Treatment Options: Mostly include medication (benzodiazepines, SSRIs) and psychotherapy, often a combination of both is used. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is noted for its effectiveness.

H Cultural Diversity: Tibetan Monks

  • Tibetan Monks and Autonomic Control: Monks utilize meditation to exert control over physiological responses, a claim verified by Western researchers. They are able to control body temperature and have shown distinct brain activity patterns during meditation.

I Application: Stress Management Programs

  • Stress Management Programs: Strategies to modify thoughts, behaviors, and physiological reactions to reduce stress. These include biofeedback, progressive relaxation, and meditation practices.

J Critical Thinking: The Positive Benefits of Social Support

  • Social Support: A community network that helps mitigate the effects of stress on health. Strong social support correlates with better health outcomes, while its absence can lead to increased stress-related health problems.

Summary Test

  1. Stress

  2. Primary appraisal

  3. a) Irrelevant, b) Positive, c) Stressful

  4. a) Harm/loss, b) Threat, c) Challenge

  5. a) Fight-Flight, b) Hypothalamus, c) Sympathetic division

  6. a) Psychosomatic, b) General adaptation syndrome, c) Alarm stage, d) Resistance stage, e) Exhaustion stage

  7. a) Immune system, b) Psychoneuroimmunology

  8. a) Major life, b) Hassles, c) Uplifts

  9. a) Frustration, b) Burnout, c) PTSD

  10. a) Conflict, b) Approach-approach, c) Avoidance-avoidance, d) Approach-avoidance

  11. a) Conditioned emotional response, b) Observational learning, c) Unconscious conflict

  12. a) Hardiness, b) Internal, c) External

  13. a) Secondary appraisal, b) Problem-focused, c) Emotion-focused

  14. a) Positive emotions, b) Individual traits, c) Institutions

  15. a) Case study, b) Experimental

  16. a) CBT, b) Psychotherapy

Links to Learning

Key Terms/Key People: Adjustment disorder, alarm stage, anxiety, approach/avoidance conflict, biofeedback, burnout, challenge appraisal, psychosomatic symptoms, psychoneuroimmunology, eustress, and more.