Psychological methods of stress management Stress Biological Psychology

What are they?  Psychological interventions and techniques used by professionals which train individuals to deal with stressful situations, rather than just dealing with the symptoms.  Help them to develop coping skills.  The aim behind them is to increase resistance to the negative effects of stress.

Psychological methods 1.Stress Inoculation Therapy (SIT) 2.Hardiness Training

Stress Inoculation Therapy Meichenbaum (1985)  Believed that we cannot change the causes of stress BUT we can change how we THINK about stress (thought processes = cognition).  Emphasis on positive thinking rather than negative thinking to avoid negative outcomes such as anxiety and depression.

What is SIT? A form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) developed by Meichenbaum to deal with stress. CBT – change the way we think which in turn can change the way we behave. Suggested that individuals should develop a form of coping before stress arises i.e. ‘inoculate’ themselves against stress like you would receive inoculations against diseases.

Independent task Using the information on your worksheet, identify the 3 phases of SIT. Draw a flowchart in your booklet to represent these stages including details on what each stage involves. Include pictures where possible. You have 10 minutes

Conceptualisation Phase – learn about nature and impact of stress, view stressors as problems to be solved, break down into smaller components. Skills Acquisition Phase – coping skills taught and practiced in clinic, skills include positive thinking, relaxation, social skills and time management. Think differently and behave adaptively. Application Phase – opportunities to apply skills in real life situations which become increasingly stressful. Techniques include imagery, modeling and role play. Booster session offered.

Independent task Complete the colour code task in your booklets. Read the 9 boxes and decide if each statement is a strength or a weakness. Then write an elaborated paragraph using these points in the box provided.

Evaluation Research to support SIT effectiveness Meichenbaum (1977) compared SIT with systematic de-sensitisation. What is systematic de-sensitisation? The process of gradually introducing an individual to an object/event they feel anxious about to eliminate the anxiety.

Evaluation Research to support SIT effectiveness PTs with a snake phobia were assigned to a group: - 1)SIT 2)De-sensitisation. Both forms of therapy reduced the phobia; SIT was better as it helped clients deal with a second non-treated phobia. This shows that SIT can inoculate against future stressful situations as well as offering help in coping with current problems.

Hardiness Training Kobasa identified the ‘hardy’ personality type that is resistant to the negative effects of stress. Argued that this could be turned into a stress management technique. I.e. Teach others how to become more ‘hardy’ and thus manage stress better. Aim is to increase self-confidence and sense of control so individual can more successfully navigate change.

Hardiness Training Stage 1 Focusing – client is taught how to recognise the biological signs of stress (increased HR) and to identify the sources of stress.

Hardiness Training Stage 2 Reliving stress encounters - client relives stress encounters and is helped to analyse these situations and their response to them. Gives them insight into current coping strategies and how they might be more effective that they thought.

Hardiness Training Stage 3 Self-improvement – The insights gained can now be used to move forward and learn new techniques of dealing with stress. In particular the client is taught to focus on seeing the stressors as challenges that they can take control of, rather than problems they must give in to.

+ The SSC at an American College offered hardiness training to their at-risk students; HT helped them to stay in and graduate from college by helping them to deal with the many stressors they encounter. - HT must address basic aspects of personality and learned habits of coping which are difficult to change. Therefore it is not a rapid solution to stress management as it will take time for individuals to change their learned habits. Evaluation

Plenary Close booklets. A4 paper. Write down the following: - 1.The 3 phases of SIT 2.The 3 stages of HT. 5 minutes!!!