Chapter 4 Flashcards
Health psychologists
study interrelationships between psychological factors including stress, and physical health.
Stress
Pressures or demands placed on organisms to adapt or adjust.
Stressor
a source of stress; include psychological factors, life changes, daily hassles, and environment factors
Distress
a state of physical or mental pain or suffering
American Psychological Association nationwide poll of stress
half of americans reported that their level of stress had increased during the preceding five years;
one third said they face extreme levels of stress
Psychoneuroimmunology
studies relationship between psychological factors like stress and the workings of the immune system.
endocrine system
Body’s system of glands that release their secretions called hormones into bloodstream.
Hormones
substances that regulate bodily functions and promote growth and development
Hypothalamus
endocrine gland, small structure in brain that releases hormones that stimulate the nearby pituitary gland to secrete adrencoricotrophic hormone.
ACTH
adrenocorticotrophic hormone; when secreted stimulates the adrenal glands with are located above the kidneys
Cortical steriods
activated by the adrenal cortex, hormones that: boost resistance, develop muscles, induce liver to release sugar which provides energy to respond to stressor. Also help fight against allergic reactions and inflammation.
Adrenal medulla
sympathetic branch stimulates this inner layer of adrenal gland; releases a mixture of epinephrine(adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). These chemicals function as hormones when in bloodstream.
Epinephrine and Norepinephrine
mobilize the body to deal with threatening stressor by accelerating the heart rate and stimulating the liver to release stored glucose.
Immune system
Body’s system of defense.
Leukocytes
-pathogens
AKA white blood cells; envelop and kill pathogens by recognizing their surface fragments (antigens) (antibody generators)
-bacteria, viruses, fungi, cancerous cells
Antibodies
produced by leuk’s; specialized proteins that lock into position on an antigen marking it for destruction by specialized lymphocytes
Lymphocytes
-memory lymphocytes
type of leuk
- held in reserve, remain in bloodstream for years and form the basis for a quick immune response to an invader the second time around.
How does stress translate into physical health?
inflammation. Under stress body’s inflammatory response is less capable of toning down the inflammatory response leading to persistent inflammation that can contribute to the development of many disorders like CVD, asthma, and arthritis.
Michigan study
showed that sucide attempts increased in months following 9/11
NYC parents
more than 60% reported children upset by 9/11
GAS
General Adaption Syndrome developed by Hans Seyle describes a common bio response patter to prolonged or excessive stress. Suggests are body are like alarm clocks and do not shut off until energy is depleted.
3 stages: alarm reaction, resistance stage, and exhaustion stage
Alarm reaction
of the GAS;triggered by perception of immediate stressor, mobilizes body to prep for stress, body activates the sympathetic nervous system which increases arousal and releases stress hormones.
fight or flight reaction
term by Walter Cannon to define the response of the alarm reaction. adrenal glands pump out cortical steroids and stress hormones that mobilize body’s defenses.
Stress-related changes in body during Alarm
- 6
- coricosteriods released
- epinephrine and norepoinphrine released
- muscles tense
- blood shifts from internal organs to muscles
- sugar is released by the liver
- blood clotting ability is increased.
Resistance stage
of the GAS; progress to this stage when stress is persistent, AKA the adaption stage. Endocrine and sympathetic system responses remain at high levels. During this stage the body tries to renew spent energy and repair damage.
Exhaustion stage
of the GAS; progresses to this stage when stressors continues or new ones happen. Dominance of the parasympathetic branch, heart and respiration rate decreases.
Diseases of adaption
happens if the source of stress persist, yet we respite. Include allergic reactions to heart disease or death.
Disadvantage of cortical steriods
Continuous secretion weakens the immune system by disrupting production of antibodies.
Life changes
way to quantify life stress, AKA life events. Sources of stress bc they force us to adjust. Can be positive or negative.
acculturation
the process of adaptation by which immigrants, natives, minorities adjust to new culture through behavior or attitudinal changes.
Acculturative stress
pressure that results from the demands placed on immigrant, native, and ethnic groups to adjust to lief in the mainstream culture.
Melting pot theory
acculturation helps ppl adjust psychologically to living in the host culture.
Bicultural theory
psychosocial adjustment marked by identification with both traditional and host cultures. Maintaining ethnic identity and traditional values while learning to adapt to the language and customs of the host culture.
- Acculturation effects for latino’s (2)
3. Acculturation effects for Mexican Americans
4. Native Americans
5. Mexican American immigrants
- high acculturation linked with increased heavy drinking among women
- increase risk of disturbed eating
- Who were minimally acculturated showed higher levels of depression than those who were high or bi acculturated.
- youth ini dan tribes that were bicultural competent reported lower levels of hopelessness.
- Have better mental healthproifles than mex’s born in US( americanization may have damaging effects on the menial health)
Psychological factors that moderate stress(6)
- coping styles
- self-efficacy expectancies
- psychological hardiness
- optimism
- social support
- ethnic identity
Coping styles (2)
(Pysch factor) emotion focused coping and problem focused coping
Emotion focused coping
taking measures that immediately reduce the impact of the stressor, such as denial or withdrawal. Does not eliminate the stressor.
Problem focused coping
examining the stressor and doing what you can to change them or modify their reactions to render stressor less harmful.
Forms of Denial
- failing to recognize the seriousness
- minimizing the emotional distress
- misattributing symtoms to other causes
- ignoring threatening info about illness
Avoidance
type of emotion coping; linked to PTSD and depression
Wish-fulfillment fantasies
ruminating about what might have been and longing for better times. Offer no means of coping.
Self-efficacy expectancies
-spider study
(Pysch factor) our expectations about our abilities to cope with the challenges we face to perform certain behaviors skillfully and to produce positive changes.
-Albert bandura found that spider phobic women showed high levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine when by spider. As their self-efficacy increased. the stress hormones decreased.
Psychological hardiness
((Pysch factor) a cluster of traits that may help manage stress. Suzanne Kobasa identified 3 key traits:
1) commitment
2)challenge
3) control over their lives
Julian rotter defined these ppl as having internal locus of control
Optimism
(Pysch factor) more optimism in women leads to lower heart disease and longevity.
Positve pyschology
movement in psychology with focus more on positive aspects of behavior.
Social support
(Pysch factor) People with more social networks live longer lives. Provides a buffer against stress.
Ethnic identity:
- latino & navajo youth
- African Americans
(Pysch factor)
- neg effects of discrimination may be offset by having strong connections to culture.
- African Americans have a strong reliance to stress due to social networks and self efficacy
Adjustment disorders
-prevalence
classified within the category “Trauma-and stressor-related disorders”, a maladaptive reaction to a distressing life event or stressor that develops within 3 months of the onset of the stressor. If lasting for more than 6 months diagnoses is changed. Maladaptive reaction causes: 1) significant impairment 2) emotional distress exceeding normal expectancies
- 5-20% of outpatient ppl have it
Traumatic stress disorders
1) acute stress disorder
2) PTSD
Acute stress disorder
-symptoms (7)
maladaptive pattern of behavior following exposure to a traumatic event; limited to a month. Exposure may include witnessing or learning about event.
- daze like state
- flashbacks
- detachment/ dissociation- (stronger dissociation may lead to PTSD
- avoidance of external reminders
- problems sleeping
- irritable or aggressive behavior
- exaggerated response to loud noises
Symptoms of Traumatic Stress Disorders
- 5
- avoidance behaviors
- re-expexperiencing the trauma
- emotional distress, negative thoughts
- heightened arousal (hyperviligant or always on guard)
- emotional numbing (losing ability to have loving feelings)
PTSD
Prolonged maladaptive reaction that lasts longer than one month after the traumatic experience. Similar symptoms as acute but may persist for mothers years or decades. may not develop until many months or years after the trauma event
PTSD rates
- Soldiers in Vietnam
- Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan
- Total American soldiers from Iraq and Afganistan
- 1 in 5 or 19%
- 13%
- 300,000 show symptoms of PTSD or depression
Most common trauma linked to PTSD
Motor vehicle accidents
Survivors of terrorist attacks
- more likely to lead to PTSD than any other form of trauma; have double the rate of PTSD as compared with survivors of motor vehicle accidents
how many suffer a traumatic experience in lifetime?
more than two thirds. However fewer than 1 in 10 develop PTSD
Factors predictive of PTSD in trauma survivors
10
- Degree of exposure to trauma
- Severity of the trauma
- History of sexual abuse
- Genetic predisposition
- Lack of social support
- Lack of coping responses
- Feeling shame
- Detachment or Dissociation
- Prior psychiatric history
- Gender (women more likely to develop)
Rate of PTSD like symptoms in twin tower evacuation
in the 3,000 ppl nearly all (96%) developed symptoms.
15% developed PTSD
Amygdala in veterans
smaller in PTSD veterans.
Classical conditioning and PTSD
traumatic experiences are unconditioned stimuli that become paired with neutral stimuli (things assoc with trauma). Anxiety becomes a conditioned response that is elicited by exposure to trauma stimuli.
Operant conditioning and PTSD
Person may learn to avoid contact with trauma-related stimuli. Avoidance behaviors are operant responses that are negatively reinforced by relief from anxiety.
Treatment for PTSD
Repeated exposure to cues and emotions assoc with the trauma. CBT has person gradually re-experience the anxiety associated with even in safe setting letting extinction take its course.
- may also use prolonged exposure where person repeatedly experiences the traumatic event in imagination or directly confronts situations linked to trauma without escaping.
EMDR
eye movement desensitization and reprocessing; client forms mental image of trauma while finger is moved back and forth infront of eyes for 20 to 30 seconds.
