Health Psychology (Chapter 20) Second Lecture: Type A and B Behavior Symptoms Pain

Type A Type B l Need for achievement l Time urgency l Elevated feelings of anger and hostility l Little pleasure, “racing the clock” l Low levels of competitiveness l No time urgency l Little anger and hostility l More easy-going and relaxed about life

Assessment l Jenkins Activity Survey Self-report questionnaire “When you listen to other people talking, do you wish they would hurry up and say what they have to say” l Physiological indices Elevated arousal doing math questions when told it is a race

Stress Response Type A Person Stress is seen as a threat Elevated arousal, tissue damage, heart disease ** Evidence supporting this relation is weak at best Why? Type A behavior may lead to better health seeking behavior or compliance with medical regimen. Anger and hostility against the self, however, does appear damaging.

Can Type A Individuals Change? l Banker from TO moves to Valley l Relaxation skills for stress l Cognitive restructuring: What is a “challenge” l Health crisis can cause dramatic change in behavior l Move to less competitive environment

Symptom reporting l Related to our language for symptoms l Social factors in symptom reports l “Couvade syndrome”: Sympathetic pregnancy l Competition of cues

Interactions with physicians l Closed questions vs. open- ended questions l Internal locus of control Give me resources to help myself Knowledge of procedure, hospital tour l External locus of control: Please fix me, Compliance

Pain Sensory: throb, ache, sting Affective: fear, anger, sad Pain Perception Tissue Damage Fear may open gate, lower pain thresh hold Distractions may close gate, raise pain thresh hold

Kinds of pain l Organic pain: Known tissue damage l Psychogenic pain: No known physical cause Neuralgia: Shooting pain along a nerve Causalgia: Area suddenly feels burning Phantom limb pain after limb loss

Pain Management l Analgesics l Relaxation, meditation l Biofeedback l Acupuncture, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation l Surgery l Example: Child birth classes teach pain management

Coping with chronic illness l Shock: How can this be happening to me? l Encounter: Despair, loss, grief l Retreat: Denial that something is wrong l Adjustment: Changes in lifestyle l Regain control and esteem