Health Psychology Stress

What is Stress? What are Stressors? Objective: Describe Stressors

Stress Models

Definition No single definition –Individually and culturally defined Pressures, tension, unpleasant external forces or an emotional response Contemporary –External stress  stressor –Response to the stressor is stress  distress –Concept of stress  biochemical, physiological, behavioral and psychological changes

What is Stress? Stress –Process by which environmental events (stressors) challenge or threaten us How they are interpreted How they make us feel –Physiological –Psychological Stressor –Environmental events that pose threats or challenges

How do models vary? Definition of stress Differing emphasis on physiological and psychological factors Description of the relationship between individuals and their environment Examples –Cannon –Selye’s –Life Events Theory (Holmes & Rahe)

Cannon, 1932 Fight or Flight –Earliest Model –Definition: response to external stressors PHYSIOLOGICAL AUTOMATIC

Selye, 1956 General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) –Three Stages 1.‘alarm’ stage 2.‘resistance’ stage 3.‘exhaustion’ stage –PHYSIOLOGICAL –AUTOMATIC

Take the LCU Survey Listen to this list of events. Write down the number relating to each event in that has occurred in your life over the last 12 months. Add up the score

Life Events Theory Holmes and Rahe, 1967 –Schedule of Recent Experiences (SRE) Moved away from Cannon and Selye Emphasize stress and stress-related changes –Numerical representation of stress Measuring events –Research Some link between health and SRE score Several new ways of measuring

Criticisms of Life Events Theory 1.Individuals own rating of the event is important 2.Problems of retrospective assessment 3.Life experiences may interact with each other 4.What is the outcome of a series of life experiences? 5.Stressors may be short-term or ongoing

1. Individual Own Rating Each event means something different –Divorce? –Death? So you must consider how the individual view the LCU 1.Event positive or negative 2.Control: who determines the outcome 3.How much adjustment is needed after the event

2. Problem with Retrospective Assessment Bad situation  recall bad events Good situation  recall good events

3. Life experiences may interact with each other Our events in our life are not separate –One event may counteract another and lessen the affects

4. What is the outcome of a series of life experiences? It is not a straight forward diagnosis of illness. Are life changing events a stressor or a consequence of stress

5. Stressors may be short-term or ongoing Created LISRES –Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory Why? Not all stressors are short-term Examples –Friend stressors –Child stressors –Financial stressors

Psychological Factors and Stress Psychological Model

Lazarus 1975 Transactional Model –Stress: transaction between external world and individual Human psychology is appraising external factors during stress –Not just responding –2 types of appraisal Primary (appraisal of outside world) 1.Irrelevant 2.Benign and positive 3.Harmful and negative Secondary (appraisal of the individual) –Individual evaluating the pros and cons of different coping strategies

Appraisal Impact on stress response –Different types of responses 1.Direct action 2.Seeking information 3.Doing nothing 4.Developing a means of coping with the stress in terms of relaxation of defense mechanisms Research –Speisman, 1964 and Mason, 1975

Speisman, 1964 Examined appraisal and psychological state Groups (Shown initiation ceremony involving genital surgery) 1.Trauma condition (emphasized pain and mutilation) 2.Denial Condition (participants are willing and happy) 3.Intellectualized condition (anthropological interpretation) –Result: trauma condition was most stressful for viewer. –Conclusion: not the event, the interpretation causes stress

Mason, 1975 Studied physiological stress in dying patients –Awake: more signs of stress Therefore, a person needs to be aware and able to appraise

Stress Psychological Changes and Stress

Physiological Changes Sympathetic arousal Endocrine system –Release of stress hormones Catecholamines (noradrenalin) Corticosteroids (cortisol) Increase in physical factors –Heart rate –Blood pressure –Muscle potential May be adaptive or non-adaptive

Psychological Changes Increase –Fear –Anxiety –Anger Decrease –Cognitive ability –Sensitivity to others May be adaptive or non-adaptive

Impact of self-control 1.Self-Efficacy –definition: individual’s feeling of confidence that they can perform a desired action What does it do? –Mediates –Situation occurs  self-efficacy (believe you can deal with it)  minimizes physiological response to stress  decreases stress response –“I think I can, I think I can”

2.Hardiness –Three aspects 1.Personal feelings of control 2.Desire to accept challenges 3.Commitment –Degree of hardiness influences the appraisal Therefore, possible stress 3.Mastery –Individuals control over their stress response

In conclusion… Stress is caused by an individual’s capacity for self-control –Successful coping limits stress –Failed regulation of self results in stress and stress-related illness