CHAPTER 12

STRESS, COPING &

HEALTH

Biopsychosocial Model *

Defined*: the interactions between biological, psychological, and social variables.

Health Psychology* : the study of determining the importance of psychological factors in illness, & prevention and health maintenance.

Stress*

Defined*: a circumstance that threatens or is perceived to threaten people’s well being and affects their coping ability

4 Types of Stress*Frustration: occurs in any situation when things

don’t go your way

Change: any noticeable change in your life that requires a readjustment

Pressure: expectations or demands that you behave in a certain way, such as pressure to perform or to comply

Conflict: when two or more incompatible

motivations or behavioral impulses compete for expression.

Social Readjustment Rating Scale*

The Social Readjustment Rating Scale* (SRRS): developed to measure life change as a form of stress, giving higher points (life change units) for more stressful events.

Life Events: rated for their stress potential. Predictive for illness

Daily Hassles *Minor events – an argument, lost keysPredictive for mental and physical health problems

Social Readjustment Rating Scale*

General Adaptation Syndrome

Three stage response to long-term stress.1. Alarm * Body releases stress hormones, 2. Resistance * Body adapts to threat; tries to return to

normal functions3. Exhaustion * Reserves gone; immunity & organs fail

Coping

Defined: Coping refers to efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress.

CopingConstructive Coping: healthy behavioral efforts

to deal with stressful events.

1. Changing cognitive appraisals

2. Confronting problems actively and directly

3. Learning to manage stress-related emotions more effectively.

Defensive Coping: unhealthy behavioral efforts/avoidance to deal with stressful events

4. Defense Mechanisms (Freud)

5. Self-Deception

6. Distorting Reality

Stress Response

Stress responses are complex and varied, and can lead to several different emotions

Negative reaction: self-blame guilt, helplessness to sadness, etc.

Positive reaction: Adapt and overcome use and improve problem

solving skills and reduce the bad effects of stress

“Mind over matter, if you don’t mind, it don’t [sic] matter”

-D.S. Hunt

Stress & the Immune System

Stress has also been shown to decrease the immune response

Defensive reaction to invasion by:Bacteria Viral agentsOther foreign substances

Decreasing white blood cells called lymphocytes.

Resistance to Effects of Stress

Individual Differences Age Exercise Diet Social Support Health Genes