4 - coping and social support

Question 1

3 ways to define stress

Answer 1

stressor –> threat demanding us to adapt
behavioural response
subjective experience based on interaction between person and environment

Question 2

biological mediators affecting ability to cope with stress

Answer 2

genetic susceptibility
exercise
age
gender

Question 3

psychosocial mediators affecting ability to cope with stress

Answer 3

personality
- e.g. type A or B, how hardy you are, how optimistic you are
beliefs, self-efficacy
health-related behaviours
appraisal, perception, interpretation of stress
altered response
social support and integration

Question 4

coping definition

Answer 4

the process in which the person has to manage stressors, reduce perceived discrepancy between demands and resources and regulate negative emotions

Question 5

methods to assess coping

Answer 5

generic questionnaire (assess ways people cope to general stress)

questionnaires for specific stressors (identify different coping strategies) e.g. COPE

Question 6

who reduced the complexity of categorising coping strategies

Answer 6

skinner et al 2003

Question 7

skinner et al 2003

Answer 7

reduced more than 100 ways of coping into 12 major coping strategies

Question 8

how many coping strategies are there

Answer 8

12

Question 9

give examples of coping strategies

Answer 9

problem solving
support seeking
escape avoidance (denial, wishful thinking)
distraction
social withdrawal
negotiation

Question 10

further classification of coping strategies

Answer 10

classifies coping strategies into emotion-focussed or problem-focussed

Question 11

examples of emotion-focussed coping strategies

Answer 11

self-discharging from hospital (denial)
practising relaxation exercises prior to surgery (emotional regulation)
refusing help from others despite difficulties with task

Question 12

examples of problem-focussed coping strategies

Answer 12

goal setting

finding out info on weight loss after negative health diagnosis

Question 13

why do we not know if emotion-focussed strategies are more useful

Answer 13

most studies done are cross-sectional so its hard to tell

Question 14

what affects the type of coping strategy used

Answer 14

past experiences
culture
the stressor presented

Question 15

coping with acute phase stress

Answer 15

fear
uncertainty
emotion-focussed coping often unavoidable
e.g. recent bereavement

Question 16

why is emotion-focussed coping more suited to acute stress

Answer 16

helpful in short-term to help with emotions

may be limited options for problem solving

Question 17

why is emotion-focussed coping not so suited to chronic phase stress

Answer 17

long term emotion focussed strategies may compromise self-management
such as not overcoming depression
have to learn to face challenges of continuing obligations of normal life

Question 18

kuber-ross 1969

Answer 18

created the stages of the grief cycle to explain adjustment between coping strategies

Question 19

stages of the grief cycle from major event occurring to moving on

Answer 19

1. shock and denial
2. anger
3. depression
4. coming to terms
5. acceptance

Question 20

coping flexibility

definition

Answer 20

the ability to discontinue an ineffective coping strategy and produce and implement an alternative one

Question 21

social support

definition

Answer 21

perceived comfort, caring, esteem or help a person receives from others

Question 22

types of social support

Answer 22

Emotional
Instrumental
Informational
Appraisal

Question 23

emotional social support

Answer 23

Expressions of empathy, love, trust and caring

e.g. friends providing hope and a listening ear

Question 24

instrumental social support

Answer 24

Tangible aid and service

e.g. husband works from home 2 days a week while she attends chemotherapy

Question 25

informational social support

Answer 25

Advice, suggestions, and information

e.g. advice from similar experiences or from professionals (doctor)

Question 26

appraisal type social support

Answer 26

Information that is useful for self-evaluation

e.g. friend reminding you of self qualities to overcome stressor

Question 27

3 factors to take into account when assessing social support

Answer 27

structure —> is there a support network? marital status?

function –> do they feel lonely? does the network provide support?

quality –> does the network create strains? are there social exclusion barriers?

Question 28

holt-lunstad 2010

Answer 28

evidence that social support is effective
meta analysis
stronger social relationships associated with 50% increased odds of survival

greatest associations observed with complex measures of social integration

Question 29

effect of depression on health

Answer 29

poor adherence of self care
increased duration of illness
self-reported health state decreased