Coping with Illness and Disability Flashcards
What is the Transactional definition of stress?
When the person / environment transactions lead the individual to perceive a discrepancy between demands of the situation + coping resources available.
How is the transactional definition of stress applied in medicine?
Threat: Often perceived high e.g. Will it be painful? Will I survive
Resources: Often perceived low e.g. Theres nothing I can do, I can’t cope with this
What can be provided to reduce stress in medical procedures?
Procedural info.: about the procedures to be undertaken
Sensory info.: about the sensations that may be experienced.
What is proposed by the dual process hypothesis?
Procedural + sensory info. work in different ways.
Procedural info. allows patients to match ongoing events with their expectations in a nonemotional manner.
Sensory info. enables “mapping” a nonthreatening interpretation on to these expectations.
Describe the 2 floors in the Nursing Home Study by Langer and Rodin (1976)
1: emphasised to residents they could make choices + had responsibility, rearranged furniture, free to do as they please, choice of movies + cared for plants
2: emphasised how staff wanted them to be happy, told that staff will ensure rooms are pleasant, timetabled activities, no choice of movie, plant cared for by nurse
What were the results of the nursing home study?
Enhanced control group showed greater engagement in activities, better general well-being + less mortality
How can perceived control influence levels of distress?
Perceived control e.g. a device for patient to signal pain decreases distress
What are the 2 types of coping style described by Lazurus and Folkman?
Problem focussed: Efforts directed at changing the environment in some way or one’s own actions or attitudes e.g. making a revision timetable
Emotion focused: Efforts designed to manage the stress-related emotional/ physical responses in order to maintain one’s own morale + allow one to function e.g. running to reduce anxiety
What is the Illness representations model?
A patients own implicit, common-sense beliefs about their illness
What is the illness representations model comprised of?
Identity: “label” of the illness + symptoms resulting
Cause: what may have caused their problem, e.g. genetics
Consequences: effects they’re expecting + the outcome
Time line: how long their problem will last (acute, chronic or episodic)
Curability/controllability: expectations as they recover from or control the illness
What are the 3 adaptive tasks related to illness/ disability?
Coping with symptoms or disability
Adjusting to hospital environment + medical procedures.
Developing + maintaining relationships with healthcare professionals.
What are the 3 adaptive tasks related to general psychosocial functioning?
Controlling negative feelings + retaining a positive outlook for the future
Maintaining a satisfactory self image + sense of competence
Preserving good relationships with family + friends
What is the combined approach developed to help children cope with medical intervention?
Tell: Use simple language + matter-of-fact style, child is told what is going to happen before each procedure.
Show: Procedure is demonstrated using an inanimate object, a member of staff or the dentist him or herself.
Do: Procedure doesn’t begin until the child understands what will be done.
What is the difference between impairment, disability and handicap?
Impairment: Problem with structure/ organ
Disability: Functional limitation with regard to a particular activity
Handicap: Disadvantage in filling a role in life relative to a peer group due to disability/ impairment
What 3 factors may influence coping appraisal?
Illness related
Background + personal
Physical + social environmental
