UNIT 4 BRAIN, BEHAVIOUR & EXPERIENCE AREA OF STUDY 2 MENTAL HEALTH

STRESS & HEALTH STRESS = A state of physiological and psychological arousal produced by internal or external stressors that are perceived by the individual as challenging or exceeding their ability or resources to cope A STRESSOR IS ANY PERSON, OBJECT, SITUATION OR EVENT THAT PRODUCES STRESS CAN BE INTERNAL: THIS MEANS THE STRESSOR ORIGINATES WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL CAN BE EXTERNAL: ORIGINATES OUTSIDE THE INDIVIDUAL FROM SITUATIONS AND EVENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT KK 4 – PAGE 510-511

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS A STRESS RESPONSE IS A REACTION THAT INVOLVES THE PHYSIOLOGICAL (BODILY) AND PSYCHOLOGICAL (MENTAL) CHANGES THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE WHEN CONFRONTED BY A STRESSOR MILD STRESS: small amounts of stress that can be useful and improve performance in both simple and complex tasks ACUTE STRESS RESPONSE: suddenly produces a very high arousal level for a relatively short time CHRONIC STRESS RESPONSE: produces an increased arousal level that persists over a relatively long time KK 4A – PAGE 512-519

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS FIGHT-FLIGHT RESPONSE AN INVOLUNTARY REACTION RESULTING IN A STATE OF PHYSIOLOGICAL READINESS TO DEAL WITH A SUDDEN AN IMMEDIATE THREAT BY EITHER CONFRONTING IT (FIGHT) OR RUNNING AWAY TO SAFETY (FLIGHT) INVOLVES: SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM ENDOCRINE SYSTEM (HORMONES) CHANGE CAN OCCUR WITHIN SECONDS KK 4A – PAGE 512-513

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS FIGHT-FLIGHT RESPONSE INVOLVES CHANGES SUCH AS: INCREASED HEART RATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE REDISTRIBUTION OF BLOOD SUPPLY FROM SKIN AND INTESTINES TO MUSCLES INCREASED RESPIRATION RATE (TO INCREASE OXYGEN SUPPLY) INCREASED GLUCOSE SECRETION BY THE LIVER (FOR ENERGY) DILATION OF PUPILS SUPPRESSION OF FUNCTIONS SUCH AS DIGESTION AND SEXUAL DRIVE HYPOTHALUMUS IS ACTIVATED HYPOTHALAMUS ACTIVATES THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM SNS THEN STIMULATES THE ADRENAL MEDULLA ADRENAL GLANDS SECRETE HORMONES CALLED CATECHOLAMINES CATECHOLAMINES = ADRENALINE/EPINEPHRINE NORADRENALINE/NOREPINEPHRINE KK 4A – PAGE 512-513

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS ACTIVATION OF THE HPA AXIS IF THE STRESSOR IS NOT REMOVED, THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE CANNOT BE MAINTAINED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE HPA AXIS IS ACTIVATED KK 4A – PAGE 513-514

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS BODY SYSTEMS INVOLVED IN A PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSE KK 4A – PAGE 515-516

HOMEWORK LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.1 (pg.516) KK 4A – LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.1 (PAGE 516)

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS EUSTRESS & DISTRESS HANS SELYE EUSTRESS: A positive psychological response to a stressor (enthusiastic, motivated, excited, active, alert) DISTRESS: A negative psychological response to a stressor (anger, anxiety, nervousness, irritability, tension) All stressors produce a non-specific physiological stress response. A stressor can be perceived as eustressful or distressful depending on the individual KK 4A – PAGE 517-518

HOMEWORK LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.3 (pg.518- 519) KK 4A – LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.3 (PAGE 518-519)

PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS EMOTIONAL CHANGES EMOTIONAL CHANGES INFLUENCE THE WAY A PERSON FEELS THESE INCLUDE FEELING ANXIOUS, TENSE, DEPRESSED, ANGRY, IRRITABLE, SHORT-TEMPERED PEOPLE CAN REPORT FEELING HELPLESSNESS OR HOPELESSNESS THESE FEELINGS ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TO THEMSELVES, THEIR WORK OR SCHOOL AND LIFE IN GENERAL KK 4A – PAGE 519

PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS COGNITIVE CHANGES COGNITIVE CHANGES INFLUENCE A PERSON’S MENTAL ABILITIES MENTAL ABILITIES INCLUDE PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES AND ENVIRONMENT, THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN AND HOW THEY THINK, DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING, MAINTAINING ATTENTION AND THINKING CLEARLY CATASTROPHISING = OVEREMPHASISING THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE EVENTS PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING IS ALSO AFFECTED KK 4A – PAGE 519-520

PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES ARE APPARENT IN HOW A PERSON LOOKS, TALKS AND ACTS BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSES TO STRESS INCLUDE STRAINED FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, A SHAKY VOICE, HAND TREMORS OR MUSCLE SPASMS INCREASE OR DECREASE IN EATING SLEEP PATTERNS MAY CHANGE SOME PEOPLE BEHAVE MORE AGGRESSIVELY WHILST OTHERS MAY WITHDRAW KK 4A – PAGE 520

HOMEWORK LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.4 (pg.520) KK 4A – LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.4 (PAGE 520)

PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF THE STRESS RESPONSE There are many various psychological factors that cause or influence a stress response Prior experience of stress Attitudes Motivation Levels of self-esteem General outlook on life Personality Coping skills Perception of our control over the stressor Lazarus & Folkman (1984) developed the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. This model describes two key psychological factors that determine the extent to which an event is experienced as stressful The meaning of the event to the individual The individual’s judgment of their ability to cope with the event KK 4B – PAGE 520-525

APPRAISAL IS NOT ALWAYS CONSCIOUS BUT IS SUBJECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF THE STRESS RESPONSE LAZARUS & FOLKMAN’S TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF STRESS & COPING PROPOSES THAT STRESS INVOLVES AN ENCOUNTER (TRANSACTION) BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT A STRESS RESPONSE DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL’S INTERPRETATION (APPRAISAL) OF THE STRESSOR AND THEIR ABILITY TO COPE WITH IT APPRAISAL IS NOT ALWAYS CONSCIOUS BUT IS SUBJECTIVE PERSON’S APPRAISAL OF THE DEMANDS OF THE SITUATION PERSON’S ESTIMATION OF THEIR ABILITY TO MEET THOSE DEMANDS = STRESS KK 4B – PAGE 521-525

OUTCOME OF THIS QUESTION LAZARUS & FOLKMAN’S TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF STRESS & COPING TYPES OF APPRAISAL PRIMARY APPRAISAL We first evaluate or judge the significance of the situation Is this something I have to deal with? Am I in trouble? Does this matter to me? OUTCOME OF THIS QUESTION IRRELEVANT BENIGN-POSITIVE STRESSFUL NO RESPONSE WE THEN ENGAGE IN ADDITIONAL APPRAISALS HARM/LOSS: HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS THREAT: HOW MUCH DAMAGE COULD CHALLENGE: CAN I GROW OR LEARN KK 4B – PAGE 522

LAZARUS & FOLKMAN’S TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF STRESS & COPING TYPES OF APPRAISAL SECONDARY APPRAISAL We evaluate our coping options and resources and our options for dealing with the stressful situation These coping options and resources may be: INTERNAL (strength, determination, desire to succeed) EXTERNAL (money, support from friends or family) REAPPRAISAL We determine the extent to which additional resources are needed to cope with the situation We reappraise the situation while taking into account the coping resources available We reappraise the coping resources while taking account of the reappraised threat KK 4B – PAGE 522

LAZARUS & FOLKMAN’S TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF STRESS & COPING COPING STRATEGIES When we appraise a situation as stressful we need to learn how to cope with it Coping = the process of constantly changing cognitive and behavioural efforts to manage specific internal and/or external stressors that are appraised as exceeding the resources of the person The various types of coping strategies are classified as; Problem-focused coping Emotion-focused coping KK 4B – PAGE 522-523

LAZARUS & FOLKMAN’S TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF STRESS & COPING COPING STRATEGIES PROBLEM-FOCUSED COPING: Involves efforts to manage or change the cause or source of the stress. This can include; Examining a stressor from a new perspective Obtaining more information about the stressor Redefining the stressor in a way that is more manageable Generating alternative ways of dealing with the stressor Focusing on changing only what is changeable Learning new skills to manage the stressor EMOTION-FOCUSED COPING: Involves efforts to deal with our emotional response to the stressor. In particular, to decrease the emotional component; Denial (I’m not stressed) Distancing (I don’t let it get to me) Avoiding (I’m not going to the event) Minimising (It’s not that bad) Wishful Thinking (I wish it would go away) Acceptance (This can’t be changed) Venting emotions (I feel angry) KK 4B – PAGE 522-523

LAZARUS & FOLKMAN’S TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF STRESS & COPING STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS OF THE TRANSACTIONAL MODEL STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS The transactional model focuses on psychological determinants of the stress response over which we have control Difficult to test through experimental research Emphasises the personal nature and individuality of the stress response Some doubt that we need to appraise something as causing stress in order to have a stress response Views stress as involving an interaction with the environment in which an individual has an active role. This allows for more variability in the stress response and explains why individuals respond in different ways to the same type of stressors Difficult to study primary and secondary appraisals separately as these can often occur simultaneously Proposes different methods for managing psychological responses to stressors. Has enhanced understanding of stress-management strategies KK 4B – PAGE 521-525

HOMEWORK LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.6 (pg.525- 526) KK 4B – LEARNING ACTIVITY 13.6 (PAGE 525-526)