SOCIAL THEORY

CURRENT SOCIAL THEORY LEONARD PEARLIN – THE STRESS PROCESS DIFFERENCES WITH SRRS

STRESS PROCESS 1. EVENTS NOT ISOLATED BUT EMBEDDED IN SOCIAL POSITIONS 2. EVENTS NOT ISOLATED BUT INTERCONNECTED 3. MORE DIVERSE CATEGORIES OF EVENTS 4. IMPORTANCE OF MEDIATORS

THREE ELEMENTS OF STRESS PROCESS STRESSORS MEDIATORS OUTCOME

1. STRESSORS (CAUSES) 1. EMPHASIZES POSITION IN SOCIAL STRUCTURES - SOCIAL CLASS, ETHNIC, GENDER 2. EMPHASIZES SOCIAL ROLES - OVERLOAD, CONFLICT, CAPTIVITY 3. CONNECTION OF STRESSORS - STRESS PROLIFERATION (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY)

TYPES OF STRESSORS 1. SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS LOSS OF ATTACHMENTS - DEATH, DIVORCE, ROMANTIC BREAKUPS 2. SUBORDINATE SOCIAL STATUS WORK ROLES, GENDER ROLES, LOW SOCIAL CLASS 3. FAILURE TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL GOALS REJECTION, FAILURE TO ACHIEVE

NEW CATEGORIES OF STRESSORS 1. CHRONIC STRESSORS 2. TRAUMAS 3. DAILY HASSLES 4. DISASTERS (9/11) 10% PTSD OR MAJOR DEPRESSION FIVE WEEKS AFTER ATTACK 20% BELOW CANAL ST. WITH PTSD AND 17% WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION

DIMENSIONS OF STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS UNEXPECTABLE VS. EXPECTABLE PREEXISTING CONTEXT OF EVENT POSITIVE VS. NEGATIVE PRE-EVENT CONTEXT NEGATIVE POST-EVENT CONTEXT SECONDARY STRESSORS

MEDIATORS

THREE ELEMENTS OF STRESS PROCESS STRESSORS MEDIATORS OUTCOME

MEDIATORS WHY SOME PEOPLE WITH MANY STRESSORS HAVE LOW DISTRESS WHY SOME PEOPLE WITH FEW STRESSORS HAVE HIGH DISTRESS MAKE PEOPLE MORE OR LESS VULNERABLE TO THE STRESSORS THEY FACE

MEDIATORS (TURNER) SOCIAL RESOURCES 1. SUPPORT - SENSE OF BEING CARED FOR, BELONGING, WANTED ONE INTIMATE STRONG FAMILY TIES, RELIGION 2. MATERIAL SUPPORT

SOCIAL COMPARISON STRESSFULNESS DEPENDS ON REFERENCE GROUP INCOME QUADRIPLEGICS DOWNWARD COMPARISONS BETTER THAN UPWARD COMPARISONS

CONTROL ACTIVE COPING BETTER THAN PASSIVE COPING (MASTERY VS. FATALISM) STUDY OF PEOPLE WITH ADULTEROUS SPOUSES BEST COPERS WERE THOSE WHO INITIATED DIVORCE OF ADULTEROUS SPOUSE

3. OUTCOMES BOTH EXPOSURE TO STRESSORS AND COPING RESPONSES PREDICT HOW MUCH DISTRESS PEOPLE HAVE STANDARDIZED INSTRUMENTS LIKE CES-D GENERAL CONTINUOUS

TREATMENT ONLY THEORY WITH NO DIRECT TREATMENT ASPECT CHANGE ENVIRONMENT - “FRESH STARTS” MUCH DISTRESS SELF-LIMITING (9-11) IMPORTANCE OF INFORMAL SUPPORT

CRITICISMS OF SOCIAL IGNORES HOW MENTAL SYMPTOMS ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN INDIVIDUALS NOT SITUATIONS NOT GOOD FOR EXPLAINING MOST SERIOUS TYPES OF MENTAL ILLNESS UNSPECIFIC TREATMENT COMPONENT

STRENGTHS BETTER AT EXPLAINING DISTRESS THAN PARTICULAR MENTAL ILLNESSES BETTER AT LOOKING AT GROUP, RATHER THAN AT INDIVIDUAL, DIFFERENCES EMPHASIS ON EXTERNAL AND CURRENT CAUSES OF DISTRESS