1 This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program. Chapter 14 Stress, Health, and Well-Being Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

2 What Causes Stress? Traumatic events, chronic lifestyle conditions, major life changes, and even minor hassles can all cause stress. Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

3 Stress Stress – A type of emotional response Cognitive appraisal plays a role Leads to individual differences Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

4 Traumatic Stressors A situation that threatens one’s physical safety, arousing feelings of feel, horror, or helplessness e.g., sudden life changes Catastrophic Events- Sudden violent calamities e.g., natural disasters, terrorist attacks Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

5 Psychological Response to Catastrophe Cohen and Ahearn (1980) identified five stages that occur in the wake of natural disasters. 1.Psychic numbness 2.Automatic action 3.Communal effort 4.Letdown 5.Recovery Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

6 Working Through Catastrophes Narratives- Formulate accounts of what happened Stories help explain ourselves to others Trauma in the Media- news coverage expands the experience Can create second-hand traumatization e.g., perceived greater personal risk and threat Vicarious Traumatization- Severe stress caused when one is exposed to others’ accounts of trauma Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

7 Grief Emotional response to loss Painful complex of feelings Sadness, anger, helplessness, guilt, despair Attempt to make sense of loss Normal process of adapting to major life changes Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

8 Posttraumatic Stress Posttraumatic stress disorder – (PTSD) delayed stress reaction individual involuntarily re-experiences mental and physical responses that accompanied the trauma e.g., natural disasters, life-threatening accident, witness to a murder Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

9 Symptoms of PTSD Distracted Disorganized Memory difficulties Emotionally numb Less likely to feel pleasure Feel alienated by others Trouble sleeping Guilt about surviving Difficulty concentrating Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

10 Chronic Stressors Stressful conditions with a gradual onset, lower intensity, and long lasting 1)Social stressors- Pressures in our social, cultural, and economic environment (e.g., unemployment, racism) 2)Burnout – A syndrome of emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and cognitive weariness Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

11 Chronic Stressors 3)Major Life Events- e.g., beginning of end of a relationship, new job, starting college 4)Daily Hassles – Situations that cause minor irritation or frustration Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

12 A Model of Stress Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

13 Change Can Be Hazardous to Your Health Social Readjustment Ratings Scale – A psychological rating scale designed to measure stress levels by means of values attached to common life changes Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

14 How Does Stress Affect Us Physically? The physical stress response begins with arousal, which stimulates a series of psychological responses that – in short term- are adaptive, but which can turn harmful after prolonged stress Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

15 Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

16 The Physiological Response to Stress Fight-or-flight response – A sequence of internal processes that prepares the organism for struggle or escape Acute stress – A temporary pattern of arousal caused by a stressor with a clear onset and offset Chronic stress – A continuous state of stressful arousal persisting over time Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

17 The Physical Stress Response General adaptation syndrome (GAS) – A pattern of general physical responses that takes essentially the same form in responding to any serious chronic stressor Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

18 Resistance Resistance – the body seems to adapt to the presence of the stressor Alarm Reaction Alarm reaction – the body mobilizes it’s resources to cope with a stressor The General Adaptation Syndrome Exhaustion Illness/death Exhaustion – the body depletes it’s resources Level of normal resistance Successful Resistance Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

19 Tend-and-befriend model Stress response model proposing that females are biologically predisposed to respond to stress by nurturing and protecting offspring and seeking social support Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

20 Stress and the Immune System Immune system – bodily organs and responses that protect the body from foreign substances and threats Immunosuppresion- impairment in the function of the immune system Psychoneuroimmunology- Multidisciplinary field that pulls together psychologists, neurologists, and immunologists Interest in mind-body connection Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

21 Who is Most Vulnerable to Stress? Personality characteristics impact our individual responses to stressful situations and, consequently, the degree to which we feel exposed to potential stressors Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

22 Personality and Stress Type A – behavior pattern characterized by intense, angry, competitive, or perfectionistic responses to challenging situations Type B – behavior pattern characterized by a relaxed, unstressed approach to life Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

23 Locus of Control Individual’s expectations about our ability to influence the outcomes in our life. Internals-belief that one has the ability to gain the outcomes desired Externals-factors outside one’s control will determine outcomes Influence on health- Comparison of internal vs. external Research with seniors varying level of control Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

24 Psychological Responses to Stress Learned helplessness – Pattern of not responding to noxious stimuli after an organism learns that its behavior has no effect Hardiness – Mental quality of resistance to stress, based on a sense of 3 characteristics: challenge, commitment, and control Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

25 Psychological Factors Related to Stress and Health Optimism- See a future of bright possibilities Fewer physical symptoms of illness Recover more quickly from certain disorders Live longer Resilience – Capacity to adapt, achieve well-being, and cope with stress, in spite of serious threats to development Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

26 Healthy coping strategies reduce the impact of stress on our health, and lifestyle choices reduce both our perceived stress and its impact on our health How Can We Reduce the Impact of Stress on Our Health? Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

27 Psychological Coping Strategies Defending– reducing the symptoms of stress reducing one’s awareness of stress Coping – taking action to reduce or eliminate cause of stress Problem-focused Emotion-focused coping Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

28 Psychological Coping Strategies Emotion-focused coping – Responding to stress by controlling one’s emotional responses Problem-focused coping – Responding to stress by identifying, reducing, and eliminating the stressor Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

29 Psychological Resources For Coping With Stress Cognitive restructuring – reappraising stressors goal to create a less-stressful perspective seeing a situation in a more positive light cornerstone of cognitive-behavioral therapy Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

30 Psychological Resources For Coping With Stress Social Comparison – Type of cognitive restructuring Compare oneself to others in similar situation Downward social comparison Compare to those worse off Upward social comparison Compare to those better off Positive Emotions – Health inducing Increases longevity Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

31 Psychological Resources For Coping With Stress Psychological Debriefing Brief, immediate counseling focused on venting emotions and discussing reactions to the trauma Based on belief it is best to express negative feelings Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) Group sessions to trauma survivors Few studies to test its effectiveness Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

32 Psychological Resources For Coping With Stress Social support – Emotional support, tangible assistance, informational support Resources others provide to help an individual cope with stress Reduces physical and psychological ailments Increases longevity Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

33 Physical Coping Strategies Physical coping strategies include Exercise Nutrition and diet Using drugs as stress relievers is more of a defense than a coping strategy Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

34 Happiness and Well-Being Subjective well-being (SWB) – An individual’s evaluative response to his or her life, including cognitive and emotional reactions Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

35 Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine Behavioral medicine – Medical field specializing in the link between lifestyle and disease Health psychology – Psychological specialty devoted to understanding how people stay healthy, why they become ill, and how they respond when ill Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

36 Prevention: The Example of Heart Disease Town Btwo-year mass media campaign Town Anot exposed to the campaign Knowledge of cardio-vascular disease risk factors was greater among residents of Town B, who were exposed to a two-year mass media campaign, than among residents in Town A, who were not exposed to the campaign Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

37 Prevention: The Example of Heart Disease Percentage of change in knowledge Media campaign in progress Good Years Town A (Control) Town A (Control) Town B (media only) Town B (media only) Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

38 Percentage of change in knowledge Media campaign in progress Good Years Town A (Control) Town A (Control) Town B (media only) Town B (media only) Town C (media and workshops) Town C (media and workshops) Prevention: The Example of Heart Disease Town C intense workshops and instruction sessions Knowledge gain was greater still in residents of Town C, who participated in intense workshops and instruction sessions for several months during the media blitz Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009

39 Copyright © Allyn and Bacon 2009 Prevention: The Example of Heart Disease town C town B As knowledge increased, bad health habits decreased, with town C leading the way, followed by town B