Final - Stress and Coping Flashcards
what is stress?
a response elicited when a situation overwhelms a persons perceived ability to meet the demands of that situation
what is a stressor?
an event that triggers a stress response
what are the two classes of stress as a stimulus?
1) systemic - pose direct threat to survival
2) Processive - psychological (financial troubles, relationships)
in a stressful situation, what is primary appraisal?
an assessment of the meaning of the event for the individual
in a stressful situation, what is secondary appraisal?
self assessment of available resources to cope with stress
what is the importance of the autonomic nervous system in terms of stress?
a fight or flight response from adrenal medulla (secretion of nonepinephrine)
what is the importance of the endocrine system in terms of stress?
hormones, pituitary gland, neuroendocrine system
what does the adrenal cortex do in stress?
releases cortisol (which regulates immune system and increases energy from storage) - a slow response
what are Hans Selye’s 3 stages of the generalized universal response to stress?
stage 1- alarm - sustained sympathetic nervous system activation and stimulation of HPA axis
Stage 2 - resistance; adaptation, prolonged stress; cortisol released to maintain arousal - slow
stage 3 - exhaustion, immune system repressed, inability to continue adaptation
what is the psychosomatic theory?
the idea that emotional factors can lead to the occurrence or worsening of illness
what is the importance of appraisal in stress?
it influences the liklihood of a sustained sympathetic response
what is type A person?
Lives under great pressure and demand a lot from themselves and others
what is the relationship between depression and stress?
a stressful life event often precedes a depressive episode
what are the three major classes of coping?
1) Problem focused - active coping, change situation, problem solving
2) emotion focused - managing emotional responses, acceptance, denial, repression, controlling feelings
3) seeking social support - help and guidance, affirmation of worth
which coping method is the most effective?
problem focused and social support are best but it is important to have a wide range of coping skills
how does culture affect coping style?
- people in Canada, US, Europe, more problem focused
- People in Asia and Hispanic countries more social support and emotion focused
what are techniques for managing stress?
- cognitive approaches (restructuring) - changing how you think about the situation
- self instructional training - talking to and guiding self through different coping phases
- relaxation training
- meditation/mindfulness - being present in the moment that you’re in
- maintaining healthy lifestyle
what is the importance of health psychology?
increasing health and promoting behaviours
what are the stages of change?
1) precontemplation - problem unacknowledged
2) contemplation - recognition of problem
3) preparation - preparing to try to change behaviour
4) action - implementing change strategies
5) maintenance - behaviour change is sustained
6) termination - permanent change
what is the transtheoretical model of change?
the idea that the stages of change do not have to occur in order, but failure will occur if the previous stage is not mastered
what is motivational interviewing?
a way to help people who may not be ready for change - lead people to their own conclusions
what are the 4 factors that make change hard?
1) low self efficacy (belief in ability to perform)
2) type A personality trait
3) Contradicting leisure time pursuits
4) low social support
what is the importance of multimodal treatment?
integration of several proven treatment methods may improve outcome - substance abuse
what is the difference between a relapse and lapse?
a relapse is a breakdown of the coping/treatment strategies while a lapse is more of a slip
what are some causes of lapses and relapses?
stress, pressure, lack of coping skills, low self efficacy
what are some of the roles of a health psychologist?
- psychological adjustment to chronic and life threatening disorders
- treating stress, anxiety disorders
- sleep disorders
- helping care givers
- promoting healthy lifestyle
- motivation
