Intro Chapter 13: Stress, Health, and Coping

Biopsychosocial Model of Health Biopsychosocial model—the belief that physical health and illness are determined by the complex interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors Health psychology—the study of how psychological factors influence health, illness, and health-related behaviors

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Stress Focuses on health as well as on illness Holds that both are determined by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors Most health psychologists endorse this model

Stress A negative emotional state in response to events that we perceive as taxing our resources or our ability to cope – – Mac Adhttp:// Stressors—events that are perceived as harmful, threatening, or challenging

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Sources of Stress Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) –Outline of 43 life events from most to least stressful –Point value assigned to each event –Negative and positive events both cause stress –Point totals describe impact of stress and chance of illness over a two-year period Shortcomings of SRRS include: –Individual’s coping styles not taken into account –Good coping strategies reduce impact of each stressful event

CUSS Activity

Annoying events in everyday life We all have “bad hair” days; these minor things can add up to lots of stress Daily Hassles Catastrophes Unpredictable, large-scale events can be extremely stressful and change our lives; can lead to PTSD

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Hassles –Little stressors, including irritating demands that can cause more stress than major life changes –Irritating, frustrating, distress demands of daily life –Relationship troubles –Health problems –Hectic daily schedules Amount of stress from hassles can vary from person to person Hassles are better predictors of psychological distress

10 Common Hassels for College Students Troubling thoughts about future Not getting enough sleep Wasting time Inconsiderate smokers Physical appearance Too many things to do Misplacing or losing things Not enough time to do the things you need to do Concerns about meeting high standards Being lonely

Change is stressful. – For example, death, marriage, divorce, loss of job, having children, retirement Life Changes

Conflict Pull between two opposing desires or goals Approach-approach conflict –choice between 2 appealing outcomes –easy to resolve, low stress Avoidance-avoidance conflict –choice between 2 unappealing outcomes –more stressful than approach-approach Approach-avoidance conflict –one goal with both appealing and unappealing aspects –most stressful type of conflict –often see vacillation

Name That Conflict 1.Identify which type of conflict is represented by each scenario: approach-approach approach-avoidance avoidance-avoidance 2.Speculate about the responses you would expect when faced with this issue 3.Think of ways the character maybe be “unstuck”

Physical effects of stress Stress can undermine health in 2 ways Indirectly Behaviors that jeopardize well-being Directly Altering body functions

Endocrine Responses to Stress Fight or flight preparation of body Stress hormones— produced by adrenal glands

Sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the nervous system

General Adaptation Syndrome Hans Selye Three-stage process 1. Alarm—intense arousal, mobilization of physical resources 2. Resistive—body actively resists stressors 3. Exhaustion—more intense arousal but this leads to physical exhaustion and physical disorders

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 The General Adaptation Syndrome

Stress and the Immune System Psychoneuroimmunology—studies interaction between psychological processes, nervous system& endocrine system, and immune system Stress leads to suppressed immune function Chronic stress tends to have more influence A stress-weakened immune system increases likelihood of illness

Your immune system battles bacteria, viruses, and other foreign invaders that try to set up housekeeping in your body.

Response to Stress Psychological Factors –Perception of control –Explanatory style –Chronic negative emotions –Hostility Social Factors –Outside resources –Friends and family –Positive relationships

Perceived Control Sense of control decreases stress, anxiety, and depression Perceptions of control must be realistic to be adaptive

If you think you can, Or you think you can’t, You are right! Henry Ford

Explanatory Style Optimism –use external, unstable, and specific explanations for negative events –predicts better health outcomes Pessimism –use internal, stable, and global explanations for negative events –predicts worse health outcomes

Optimism Quiz To gauge your optimism level with this test, indicate your response to each item A -- strongly agree B -- agree C -- feel neutral D -- disagree E -- strongly disagree. Don't let your answer to one question influence another.

Are you an optimist? Ignore your answers to items 2, 5, 6 and 8. Subtotal your scores for items 1, 4 and 10 as follows: A scores = 4 points; B scores = 3; C scores = 2; D scores = 1; E scores = 0. Subtotal your scores for items 3, 7 and 9 as follows: A scores = 0 points; B scores=1; C scores = 2; D scores = 3; E scores = 4. Add those subtotals for an overall optimism score. The range is from 0 to 24, from extreme pessimism to extreme optimism, with virtual neutrality being the midpoint, 12.

Type A vs. Type B Personality Type A –time urgency –intense ambition and competitiveness –general hostility –associated with heart disease Type B –more easygoing –not associated with heart disease

Research on Type A Personality Time urgency and competitiveness not associated with poor health outcomes Negative emotions, anger, aggressive reactivity High levels of hostility increase chance of all disease (eg, cancer)

Social Factors Promoting Health Social support—resources provided by others in times of need Emotional—expressions of concern, empathy, positive regard Tangible—direct assistance, such as lending money, providing meals Informational—such as making good suggestions, advice, good referrals

Social Support Improves ability to cope with stress and benefits health –person modifies appraisal of stressor’s significance to be less threatening –helps to decrease intensity of physical reactions to stress –make person less likely to experience negative emotions Pets as social support –especially for elderly and people who live alone Video [ companionship and support - DVD #2] Gender and social support

Coping Behavioral and cognitive responses used to deal with stressors; involves efforts to change circumstances, or our interpretation of circumstance to make them more favorable and less threatening.

Coping Problem-focused coping –managing or changing the stressor –use if problem seems alterable Emotion-focused coping –try to feel better about situation –use if problem out of our control Combination of problem-focused and emotion- focused is the best stress-management strategy

Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies Escape-avoidance—try to escape stressor Distancing—minimize impact of stressor Denial—refuse to acknowledge problem exists

Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies Seeking social support—turn to friends, support people Positive reappraisal— minimize negative, emphasize positive

Lifespan Issues: Stress and Coping Get into groups of 6 Each group is assigned one of Erikson’s stages: –Stage 3 Initiative vs Guilt (3-5) –Stage 4 Industry vs Inferiority (5-12) –Stage 5 Identity vs Confusion (Adolescence) –Stage 6 Intimacy vs Isolation (Early Adulthood) –Stage 7 Generativity vs Stagnation (Mid Adulthood) –Stage 8 Integrity vs Despair (Late Adulthood) List 3 conflicts or changes that may arise during that stage and be stressful

Lifespan Issues: Stress and Coping Choose one of your 3 problems and –Identify any possible social support resources that might be available –Identify any problem-focused coping strategies that might be presented or available –Identify any emotion-focused coping strategies that might be available –Identify any cognitive strategies that might be available –Identify any other strategies that might be helpful

Relaxation Meditation can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen consumption. Possibly helps stress-related symptoms

Active Coping Strategies Aerobic exercise can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. More effective than relaxation treatment

How to Stay Stressed Activity