Psychological Factors and Physical Illness

Question 1

What is the A Response Model of Stress (General Adaption Syndrome)?

Answer 1

1. Alarm Phase (fight or flight): Sympathetic system activation and adrenaline
2. Resistance Phase - fight the stress and keep going
3. Exhaustion Phase - Collapse of vital organs, exhaustion of lipid reserves, inability to produce glucocorticoids, cumulative damage to organs

Question 2

What is the Stimulus Model of Stress?

Answer 2

Defines events with stress ratings

Question 3

What is The Transitional Model of Stress?

Answer 3

Stress occurs when a situation is appraised as exceeding the persons adaptive resources:

1. Perception of stressor
2. Access to resources
3. Types of coping used

Question 4

What is the Stress and Coping Model?

Answer 4

Stress characteristics, appraisal, coping strategies, coping resources, adjustment and event outcome => Health, immune function, disease onset, Disease progression

Question 5

Explain the Adler et al immune study?

Answer 5

If immune suppressing drug paired with sweet substance classic conditioning occurs and eventually the sweet substance causes immune suppression

Question 6

Decribe the biological process of the immune function?

Answer 6

Cortex messages amygdala and simultaneously preconcious message also sent. This releases corticotropin releasing hormones to stimulate brain stem. This activates the nervous system via spinal cord. Message sent to adrenal glands to produce stress hormone adrenaline and glucocorticoids. These both prepare muscles, heart and lungs for flight or fight. If stress is chronic then locus caeruleus releases noradrenaline that sends messages to the amygdala to more corticotropin and start the process again.

Question 7

What is known to reduce immune system?

Answer 7

• Academic exams
• Facing fears eg spiders
• Alzheimer caregivers
• Unemployed
• Maladaptive/repressive coping
• No control
• Pessimistic explanatory style
• Loneliness, marital separation, bereavement
• Type A personality
• Depression, anxiety, hostility
• MDD

Question 8

Describe the Vanable et al HIV/AIDS study?

Answer 8

If HIV positive and low concern have more unsafe sex which may explain the increase in transmission

Question 9

What is Myocardial Ischemia?

Answer 9

Temporary oxygen deprivation to the heart

Question 10

What is Atherosclerosis?

Answer 10

Thickening of the coronary artery wall

Question 11

What is Coronary occulsion?

Answer 11

Arteries are blocked by fatty deposits/clots due to health behaiour eg smoking, diet

Question 12

Describe the Kaplan & Manuck study about monkeys?

Answer 12

Females monkey at the bottom of the hierarchy have increased hypertension and atherosclerosis risk and impaired ovarian function

Question 13

What is the result of high psychological demands and low decision control?

Answer 13

Increased heart disease

Question 14

What is the Demand Control Model?

Answer 14

High work demands lead to psychological strain and ill health but this is buffered by social support and control

Question 15

Are heart attacks higher in Type A or Type B personalities? why?

Answer 15

Type A as time urgent, competitive and prone to anger and hostility, but anger and hostility may be the main cause as mortality higher in Type B.

Question 16

What is the impact of having social support at work, female friend sit a test with you and pet owners pet sitting with them during a test?

Answer 16

Reduced heart rate - Direct effects hypothesis

Question 17

What is the primary prevention for psychological intervention in health?

Answer 17

Encouraging healthy behaviour

Question 18

What is the secondary prevention for psychological intervention in health?

Answer 18

Detect and address an existing disease prior to appearance of symptoms through:

1. Improve health behaviour
2. Stress management

Question 19

Describe the Antoni et al HIV study

Answer 19

Prior to HIV testing allocated to stress management or control group. If in stress management and got positive results had an increased immune function and less disease progression 2 years later.

Question 20

Describe the Fawzy Cancer study

Answer 20

Malignant melanoma with stress management had better immune function and less reoccurances and lower mortality 6 years later.

Question 21

What are the tertiary prevention for psychological intervention for health?

Answer 21

Patients that have been diagnosed - Behaviour modification