Daily Hassles

Question 1

What is the definition of daily hassles?

Answer 1

The relatively minor but frequent aggravations and annoyances of everyday life that combine to cause us stress.

Examples - forgetting where you have put something and petty arguments with other people.

Question 2

What is the link between primary and secondary appraisal and daily hassles?

Answer 2

Lazarus argued when we experience a hassle we engage in primary appraisal, subjectively working out how threatening it is to our psychological health. If it is, we engage in secondary appraisal, subjectively considering how well equipped we are to cope with the hassle.

Question 3

Who conducted research into daily hassles?

Answer 3

Kanner

Question 4

What did Kanner find in his research of daily hassles?

Answer 4

Significant positive correlation between hassle frequency and psychological symptoms at start and end of study. The more hassles, the more severe the psychological symptoms of depression and anxiety. Hassles were a stronger predictor of psychological symptoms than life changes.

Question 5

What procedure did Kanner use to study daily hassles?

Answer 5

•Constructed Hassles scale which 100 participants completed for 9 months every month
•Also twice completed a scale to measure life changes.
•First occasion was a month before study began and second was once month after.
•Participants completed Hopkins Symptom Checklist, scale to measure psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression.