Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. PSYCHOLOGY: MAKING CONNECTIONS GREGORY J. FEIST ERIKA L. ROSENBERG

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Stress, Coping, and Health Chapter Twelve

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. What is Stress?

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Stress Condition in which a strong emotional response overwhelms a person’s perceived ability to meet the demands of a situation Condition in which a strong emotional response overwhelms a person’s perceived ability to meet the demands of a situation

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Physiology of Stress Neuroendocrine system Neuroendocrine system –Adrenal-medullary system Norepinephrine Norepinephrine –Hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) Cortisol Cortisol

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Physiology of Stress General Adaptation Syndrome (ADS) General Adaptation Syndrome (ADS) –Generalized, nonspecific set of changes in the body that occur during extreme stress Alarm Alarm Resistance Resistance Exhaustion Exhaustion

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Physiology of Stress How we adapt to stress How we adapt to stress –Homeostasis –Allostasis Process by which the body achieves stability through physiological change Process by which the body achieves stability through physiological change

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Physiology of Stress Stress and the brain Stress and the brain –Cortisol has a profound effect on the hippocampus which is critical in memory formation Plays a part in terminating the activation of the HPA axis via a negative feedback mechanism Plays a part in terminating the activation of the HPA axis via a negative feedback mechanism

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Coping

Coping Act of dealing with stress or emotions Act of dealing with stress or emotions

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Coping Strategies Problem-focused coping Problem-focused coping Emotion-focused coping Emotion-focused coping Social support Social support

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Positive Psychology of Coping Positive traits, positive emotions Positive traits, positive emotions –Optimism –Pessimism –Resilience Finding meaning Finding meaning

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. How Stress and Coping Affect Health

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Psychosomatic Theory Idea that emotional factors can lead to the occurrence or worsening of illness Idea that emotional factors can lead to the occurrence or worsening of illness –Health psychology Study of psychological factors related to health and illness Study of psychological factors related to health and illness

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Relationship Between Stress and Illness Physiological reactivity model Physiological reactivity model –Examines how sustained physiological activation associated with the stress response can affect body systems to increase illness

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Relationship Between Stress and Illness Health behavior approach Health behavior approach –Focuses on the behaviors in which people engage that may make them more susceptible to illness or better health

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Relationship Between Stress and Illness Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) –Science of how psychological factors relate to changes in the immune system

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Breaking New Ground: Psychological Processes and the Immune System

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Psychological Risk Factors for Heart Disease Type A and anger Type A and anger –People with Type A Behavior Pattern (TABP) are at greater risk for heart disease Impatient Impatient Competitive Competitive Rushed for time Rushed for time Hostile Hostile –Cardiovascular reactivity model (CVR)

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Cardiovascular Reactivity Model of Stress and Illness

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Psychological Risk Factors for Heart Disease Depression Depression –Meta-analysis reports that for people with diagnosed coronary heart disease, being clinically depressed more than doubles the risk of death

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Research on Health- Relevant Behavior Smoking Smoking –Nicotine Stimulant Stimulant Reduces life expectancy by an average of 10 years Reduces life expectancy by an average of 10 years –Lung cancer –Heart disease –Stroke –Emphysema –Male impotence

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Research on Health- Relevant Behavior Drinking alcohol Drinking alcohol –Depressant Cirrhosis Cirrhosis Liver cancer Liver cancer Cancers of digestive tract Cancers of digestive tract Accidents Accidents –Moderate consumption may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Research on Health- Relevant Behavior Diet and eating Diet and eating –Eating and stress Stress-induced eating is risky Stress-induced eating is risky –Eating disorders Anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Bulimia nervosa

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Research on Health- Relevant Behavior Exercise Exercise –Regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer –Keeps diabetes under control –Slows bone loss in older women –Can extend life expectancy

Copyright 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Research on Health- Relevant Behavior Meditation for stress reduction Meditation for stress reduction –Researchers have applied mindfulness mediation training to the treatment of stress reduction, pain relief, and physical disorders Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)