BSS Flashcards
What is general adaptation syndrome?
Theory that the body responds via the same mechanism to many different stressors if exposed to them for a long time
Stress can be described as maladaptive, what does this mean?
Stress doesn’t respond to the environment
What is an adaptive coping strategy?
Those that increase functioning to decrease level of perceived stress
What is a maladaptive coping strategy?
Those that do not increase functioning but temporarily decrease stress (overall stress increases)
Whats the difference between internal and external stressors?
External stressors act upon someone
Internal stressors are created by conflicting desires of thought
What are the three phases of the general adaptation syndrome?
Alarm reaction- hormones trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol via fight or flight sympathetic responses
Resistance- parasympathetic activation to combat stress reactions. Coping mechanisms also used
Exhaustion- Depletion of energy resources, symptoms of stress become apparent
What are the 5 illness beliefs? (In relation to Leventhals model)
Identity Cause Control Timeline Consequence
Outline the main sympathetic responses to stress…
Sympathetic activation (fight or flight) HPA axis
What is stress reactivity?
Degree or physiological reaction in response to a stressor
What is stress recovery?
How quickly the the HPA/sympathetic axis is reset following a stressor
What is allostatic load?
The physiological ‘wear and tear’ on the body that accumulates as an individual is exposed to stress
What is stress resistance?
Ability to function in the presence of multiple stressors
What is primary appraisal?
Relates to how stressful the stressor is
What is secondary appraisal?
Relates to the assessment of how well a person is equipped to deal with the stressor
What is an emotion focused coping strategy?
Focus on dealing with the distress a stressor has caused
What is a problem focused coping strategy?
Target the actual stressor
What is an avoidant coping strategy?
Ignore the stressor
What is the primary aim of CBT?
Uncoupling of negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours
Aims to compartmentalise and change the various domains
What is emotional processing theory?
Theory suggesting PTSD sufferers develop strong associations between ‘normal life’ triggers and their traumatic event
What is social cognitive theory?
Those that suffer from PTSD mould their experiences to fit their negative view about themselves
In relation to CBT, what is an autobiographical memory?
The memory system in which someone recollects their life
CBT aims to address the way that autobiographical memory is viewed
What is cognitive restructuring?
The uncoupling of thought processes from negative feelings
What is catastrophising?
A thought process in which negative thoughts are magnified to make a stressor seem much worse than it is
What is generalising?
Thought process in which a single process is viewed as an indicator of everything else
What is exposure therapy?
Exposing a patient to their fears makes them confront them
Based on the belief that avoidance of a fearful event makes it worse
What are core beliefs?
Addressed using CBT, these are visceral beliefs people hold about the world and those around them
What is socratic questioning?
Seeks to get the patient to answer their own question
Explain the concept of positive punishment in relation to smoking behaviours…
Adding something to decrease behaviour
Adding an incentive (finanical/health benefit) to aid smoking cessation
Explain the concept of positive reinforcement in relation to smoking behaviours…
Adding something to increase behaviour
Explains addiction of nicotine. Nicotine activates dopamine system, makes the subject more likely to do it again
Explain the concept of negative punishment in relation to smoking behaviours…
Subtracting something to decrease behaviour
The removal of a punishment that was in place when a person was smoking. Used as a quitting aid eg ‘we can go on holiday if you stop smoking’
Explain the concept of negative reinforcement in relation to smoking behaviours…
Subtracting something to increase behaviour
What are the four types of operant conditioning?
Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment
What is classical conditioning?
Involves an automatic response with no learning required. An example of this would be pavlovian conditioning
What is social learning theory? How does this relate to smoking initiation and cessation?
Proposes that new behaviours can be learned by watching and mimicking others
Young people observe smoking in their immediate environment, meaning they are more likely to smoke. Also, quitting occurs in clusters, and social networks can be used to help quitting
What are the three main factors the determine ability to quit smoking?
Identity (does someone identify as a smoker)
Health concerns
Cost
Pre-2001 and post-2001, what were the main socio-economic classification tools?
Registrar general social class (RGSC)
National statistics socio-economic classification criteria (NSSECC)
Socio economic classification is based broadly on which two things?
Employment status and social class (determined by occupation)
What are the 5 social classes (based on occupation)?
Professional Managerial/technical Skilled Partly skilled Non-skilled/manual
What was the name of the 1977 report into socio-economic inequalities of health?
The black report
The black report offered 4 explanations for the health inequalities found. What were these?
Artefact
Selection - poor health creates downward social mobility
Behavioural - health related behaviours lead to health inequalities
Materialist- absence of essentials for living and maintenance of health
In relation to smoking cessation, what is an aversion therapy?
Form of negative reinforcement, a therapy aim to punish smoking rather than rewarding it
In relation to smoking cessation, what is contingency contracting?
Aims to both punish smoking and reward abstinence. A contract is drawn up with a smoking cessation nurse
In relation to smoking cessation, what are cue exposure procedures?
Focuses on the environmental cues that have become synonymous with smoking in someones life eg. the pub
What are the three ways in which psychosocial factors can impact cardiovascular disease?
Direct physiological changes (eg. stress)
Impact on health related behaviours
Accessing of treatment (due to illness beliefs, fears etc)
What are the main psychosocial cardiovascular risk factors? (5)
Lifestyle (smoking, drinking, diet etc) Hostility/anger Depression Social isolation Stress (50% increase in CVD risk)
These factors act both physiologically and impact health behaviours
What is cardiovascular reactivity?
The degree of cardiovascular related changes in the presence of a challenge or stressor
Those with an exaggerated reactivity are more likely to experience deviations in their health
What is the aim of cardiac rehabilitation?
Programme focusing on diet, exercise and psychological factors regarding CV health. Also address poor adherence
What is known to be the most important factor in attendence/adherence to CV rehab?
Illness perception
What is primary prevention?
Prevention in a population that doesn’t have the disease
What is secondary prevention?
Prevention of those that have already had one health event from having another one
What type of personality is linked with an increase risk of CVD?
Type A
What is the main cause of non-intentional non-adherence?
Doctor-patient miscommunications
What are the 5 factors the drive poor adherence?
Disease factors (symptoms) Treatment factors (complexity of regime) Psychosocial factors (depression, lack of support) Healthcare factors (assessing treatment) Patient factors (illness beliefs)
In what ways can adherence be improved?
Monitoring non-adherence
Praise successful adherence
Use action plans
Prescribe forgiving medicine regimes
In relation to the behavioural treatment of obesity, what is goal setting?
creation of objective, easily reachable targets to allow for a clear assessment of progress
In relation to the behavioural treatment of obesity, what is self monitoring?
systematic recording of target behaviours
In relation to the behavioural treatment of obesity, what is stimulus control?
Changing of internal and external cues associated with increased eating
Give examples of biological eating preferences…
Genetics determine innate teste preferences
Metabolism
Evolution has driven a high calorie diet
Give examples of social eating preferences…
Peers and family
Commercial availability
Societal norms
Give examples of psychological eating preferences…
Personality
Beliefs
Emotion
Skill
Explain the self affirmation theory…
Suggests that defensive theories are used to justify anything that poses a risk to their sense of self
What are the 3 strategies used to bypass fear of risk in the self affirmation theory?
What do they mean?
Information processing - slective attention (ignoring the risk)
False beliefs - believing that something isn’t true to fit the narrative of what one wants to believe
Optimistic bias - ‘it wont happen to me!’
What are the three factors in the self affirmation theory?
Attitude
Subjective norms
Self efficacy
What are the four factors that contribute to the likelihood of behaviour change, based on the health belief model?
Cues to action
Perceived threat (consequence vs. susceptibility)
Self efficacy
Perceived benefits vs. barriers
