Coping with Chronic Illness Flashcards
Define coping.
How we manage stress by adapting our thinking, emotions and behaviour.
What is Folkman and Lazarus’ (1980) definition of coping?
A psychological mechanism for managing external stress which may be action oriented and thought based.
Define chronic illness.
Illness lasting 3 months or more which cannot be prevented by vaccine or cured by medication or self resolve.
What proportion of people aged over 65 have at least 1 chronic health condition?
80%.
List 2 early models of coping.
1 - Cannon’s fight or flight model.
2 - Selye’s general adaptation syndrome.
Summarise Cannon’s fight or flight model.
Threat leads to increased arousal in order to escape.
Summarise Selye’s general adaptation syndrome.
- An alarm increases activity.
- Resistance is an attempt to cope.
- Exhaustion occurs when one can no longer resist.
List 2 problems with early models of coping.
1 - They did not address individual variability or psychological factors.
2 - The described response was automatic and consistent, and therefore did not reflect clinical practice.
Describe Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional model of coping.
Appraise the stressor:
- Primary appraisal (to determine whether a possible stressor is stressful).
- Secondary appraisal (to determine whether one can cope with the stressor by evaluating internal coping strategies).
Methods of coping:
- Problem focussed (to reduce the demands of the stressor or increase resources to manage it).
- Emotion focussed (to manage emotions)
According to Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional model of coping, how might a stressor be assessed under a primary appraisal?
1 - Irrelevant.
2 - Benign and positive.
3 - Harmful and a threat.
4 - Harmful and a challenge.
List 4 characteristics of problem focussed coping methods and 5 characteristics of emotion focussed coping methods according to Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional model of coping.
Problem focussed:
1 - Resolving the stressful event.
2 - Taking control.
3 - Seeking information.
4 - Removing oneself.
Emotion focussed:
1 - Disclaiming. 2 - Escaping or avoiding. 3 - Accepting responsibility. 4 - Self-control. 5 - Positive reappraisal.
List 4 examples of problem focussed coping mechanisms.
1 - Revising to improve exam results.
2 - Gaining extra qualifications to enable a career change.
3 - Counselling for a failed relationship.
4 - Making a to-do list / agenda.
List 4 examples of emotion focussed coping mechanisms.
1 - Seeking emotional support.
2 - Denial.
3 - Venting anger.
4 - Distraction.
List 2 diseases for which stress is a risk factor.
1 - Atherosclerosis.
2 - Myocardial infarctions (in response to acute stress).
List 5 behavioural responses to stress.
1 - Increased smoking.
2 - Increased alcohol intake.
3 - Poor diet.
4 - Lack of exercise.
5 - Increased accidents.