PSYC3033 Stress ctd Jan 21 2025

Page 1: Overview

• Course Title: Health PSYC 3033

• Topic: Stress

• Date: January 16, 2025

Page 2: Theories of Stress

• Several theories explain stress:

  • Cannon’s Fight or Flight Theory

  • Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

  • Antonovsky’s Salutogenic Approach

  • Taylor’s Tend & Befriend Theory

  • Transactional Model (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984)

Page 3: Cannon’s Fight or Flight Theory

• Introduced in 1932, focuses on physiological responses to stress:

  • Acute Stress Response

  • Stress Reactivity includes:

    • Increased muscle tension

    • Elevated blood pressure

    • Decreased saliva production

    • Increased hydrochloric acid in the stomach

    • Increased serum glucose

    • Increased perspiration

  • Utilizes sympathetic nervous system and endocrine system:

    • Catecholamines (epinephrine/norepinephrine) are released

  • Purpose: Removal of threat and return to homeostasis

Page 4: Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

• Introduced in 1956, outlines chronic stress effects:

  • Three stages:

    • Alarm: Initial reaction to stressor

    • Resistance: Body attempts to counteract stress

    • Exhaustion: Resources depleted; risks of hypercortisolism

  • Chronic stress leads to health issues and decreased resistance to stress effects, e.g., high blood pressure.

Page 5: Physiology of Stress - HPA Axis

• HPA Axis activation process:

  • Hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), leading to:

    • Pituitary release of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone)

    • ACTH stimulates adrenal cortex, releasing glucocorticoids, mainly cortisol.

  • Effects include managing carbohydrate stores and inflammation, essential for returning to homeostasis.

  • Chronic activation of HPA can lead to dysregulation and hypercortisolism.

Page 6: Stress Physiology Overview

• Cortisol and Adrenaline are part of stress responses:

  • Fast route: Cortisol through the adrenal medulla (acute response)

  • Slow route: Hormonal response via ACTH (chronic stress)

  • SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) is involved in automatic responses.

Page 7: Criticisms of Selye’s Model

• Selye's model criticized for:

  • Underestimating psychological factors in stress response

  • Lack of uniform response among individuals (influenced by personality, perception)

  • Focusing on stress as an outcome without addressing anticipation of stressors

  • Studies primarily used animal subjects, limiting human applicability.

Page 8: Continuing Discussion of Stress

• Quote by Randy Glasbergen reflecting on relaxation in the context of stress.

Page 9: Eustress

• Positive stressors:

  • New baby

  • Exercise

  • Starting a new job

  • Taking a vacation

  • Meeting a deadline

Page 10: Distress

• Negative stressors:

  • Work/family pressure

  • Conflict

  • Time constraints

  • Financial issues

  • Deadlines

  • Pandemic

  • Academic pressures

  • Feelings of aloneness

Page 11: Definitions of Stress

• Reactivity: physiological reactions to stress

• Diathesis-stress model: individual’s susceptibility to disorder influenced by genetic predisposition and environmental factors.

Page 12: Stress Physiology

• Stress responses are mediated by the brain, translating stressors into bodily reactions.

Page 13: Age and Stress

• Emerging adulthood and adverse childhood experiences influence stress response.

Page 14: Personality Types and Stress

• Different personality types can influence stress experience:

  • Type A: Hostile and anger-based

  • Type B: Relaxed and easygoing

  • Type C: Cancer-prone tendencies

  • Type D: Distressed with negative affect and social inhibition.

Page 15: Factors Making Events Stressful

• Emotional load of events

• Lack of control over situations

• Unpredictable events

• Ambiguity and negativity

• Feelings of overwhelm.

Page 16: Summary of Stress Theories

• Recap of key stress theories:

  • Cannon’s Fight or Flight Theory

  • Selye’s GAS

  • Antonovsky’s Salutogenic Model

  • Taylor’s Tend & Befriend Theory

  • Transactional Model by Lazarus & Folkman.

Page 17: Tend and Befriend Theory

• Developed by Taylor, focuses on gender differences:

  • Women tend to nurture and seek social support

  • Men often remove themselves from stressors.

Page 18: Oxytocin’s Role in Stress

• Oxytocin may enhance social and maternal behaviors, influencing stress responses in females:

  • Higher oxytocin linked to reduced cortisol and HPA activity.

Page 19: Psychological Appraisal of Stress

• Lazarus's view on stress appraisal:

  • Primary Appraisal: Evaluation of event's significance

  • Secondary Appraisal: Assessment of coping abilities.

  • Stress arises when perceived demands exceed resources.

Page 20: Transactional Model of Stress

• Incorporates personal appraisal of events:

  • Event desirability and individual control contribute to stress levels.

Page 21: Antonovsky’s Salutogenic Model

• Focuses on maintaining health through effective stress management:

  • Resistance to disorder through personal and social resources.

Page 22: Generalized Resistance Resources (GRR)

• Factors that influence stress adaptation:

  • Optimism, social relationships, and physical resources contribute to one's sense of coherence (SOC).

Page 23: Factors of Sense of Coherence (SOC)

• Three components:

  1. Meaningfulness: Emotional interpretation of demands

  2. Comprehensibility: Cognitive understanding of stressors

  3. Manageability: Accessing coping resources.

Page 24: Benefits of SOC

• A strong SOC leads to enhanced confidence, brain function, motivation for health, reinforced tension reduction, and resilience.

Page 25: Allostatic Load

• Allostatic load refers to the cumulative physiological toll of chronic stress, leading to wear and tear on the body.

Page 26: Indirect Effects of Stress

• Stress can alter immune functions and contribute to maladaptive behaviors (e.g., alcohol use, poor nutrition).

Page 27: Stress and Nutrition

• "STRESSED" is "DESSERTS" spelled backwards—consideration of comfort food consumption during stress.

Page 28: Health Behaviors

• Stress leads to:

  • Poor sleeping patterns

  • Increased alcohol consumption

  • Increased drug use

  • Changes in eating habits (e.g., comfort foods)

Page 29: Allostatic Load Reiteration

• Allostatic load redefined as chronic exposure to fluctuating stress responses leading to health issues.

Page 30: Individual Differences in Stress Reactivity

• Variability in stress responses potentially influenced by genetics, with differences in recovery patterns.

Page 31: Stress Resistance

• Some individuals show greater adaptability to stress and recover more efficiently after stress exposure.

Page 32: Assessing Stress

• Various methods to assess stress include:

  • Self-reported stress scales

  • Life change scales

  • Behavioral measures

  • Physiological assessments.

Page 33: Adaptation to Chronic Stress

• Presence of chronic stressors does not guarantee adaptation and may lead to chronic strain or habituation.

Page 34: Stress without Direct Exposure

• Stress can arise from anticipation or aftermath of events, not just direct experiences.

Page 35: Key Stress Theories Summary

• Overview of significant stress theories:

  • Cannon’s Fight or Flight Theory

  • Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome

  • Antonovsky’s Salutogenic Model

  • Taylor’s Tend & Befriend Theory

  • Transactional Model of Stress.