Stress

Question 1

What is stress?

Answer 1

Stress is how our body reacts when we are feeling under pressure or threatened in some way.

Question 2

Describe the physiology of stress.

Answer 2

• The General Adaptation Syndrome is a 3-stage process that describes the biological changes the body goes through when under any type of stress.

Question 3

State the 3 stages of the GAS model.

Answer 3

1. Alarm stage
2. Resistance stage
3. Exhaustion stage

Question 4

Describe the alarm stage.

Answer 4

• Fight or flight response, where cortisol and adrenaline are released to give you increased energy.
• Heart rate increases and faster breathing to enable more oxygen.

Question 5

Describe the resistance stage.

Answer 5

• Body starts to repair and recover after the initial shock of the stressor has passed.
• If the stressor is ongoing, your body remains on high alert and adapts to living in high stress conditions.
• Stress hormone will continue secretion and blood pressure will remain high.

Question 6

Describe the exhaustion stage.

Answer 6

• Ice exposed to prolonged or chronic stress, this can drain you of emotional, mental and physical resources and your body wont be able to effectively fight the stress.
• Signs of exhaustion are fatigue, depression, anxiety and decreased tolerance for stress.

Question 7

State some of the minor health problems from stress.

Answer 7

• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Changes in appetite
• Nausea
• Heartburn

Question 8

State some of the major health problems from stress.

Answer 8

• Type 2 diabetes
• Alcohol or substance abuse
• High blood pressure
• Weakened immune system

Question 9

What are the 3 sources of stress?

Answer 9

• Life events
• Work
• Personality

Question 10

Explain life events as a source of stress.

Answer 10

• Proposed by Holmes and Rahe.
• Life events are any major change in your life and can be both positive and negative.
• The SRRS was given to 2,500 American males and results showed significant positive correlation between life change score and illness score.

Question 11

What is the social readjustment rating scale.

Answer 11

• A scale inclusive of 43 life events.
• Each event is given a score and respondent must identify all events which they have experienced over the past year.
• The higher the total score, the more likely to develop a stress-related illness.

Question 12

Explain work as a source of stress.

Answer 12

• There are many work aspects responsible for the cause of stress.
• Such as the physical environment, interpersonal relationships and the pressure of meeting targets.
• Coronary heart disease is one of the many stress-related illnesses.

Question 13

Explain the Whitehall study by Chandola.

Answer 13

• Aimed to investigate the link between workplace stress and CHD.
• Used a sample of over 10,000 male and female civil servants in the UK ages 35-66.
• Data collection included questionnaires, salivary sample and behavioural assessments.
• Results portrayed significant association between greater work stress and higher risk of CHD for those aged 37-49.
• Conclusion: work stress that is continuous over a period of time is a risk factor for CHD.

Question 14

Explain personality as a source of stress.

Answer 14

• Friedman and Rosenman conducted a longitudinal study to test their hypothesis that type A personality could predict heart disease.
• Gave a questionnaire to 3,000 men ages 39-59 to classify them between personality A and B.
• After 8 and a half years, findings showed that 257 participants developed CHD, 70% being type A personality.

Question 15

State traits of type A personality.

Answer 15

• Competitiveness
• Self-critical
• Time urgency and impatient
• Hostility

Question 16

State traits of type B personality.

Answer 16

• Relaxed
• Patient
• Easy-going
• More tolerant of others

Question 17

Measuring stress through heart rate.

Answer 17

• Can be measured through an ECG or by a nurse placing two fingers on the patients inner wrist and counting the beats per minute.
• Increased heart rate indicates acute stress.
• Decreased heart rate indicates chronic stress.

Question 18

Measuring stress through brain function.

Answer 18

• MRI is a scanning machine which can detect and record brain activity.
• Work by recognising blood oxygenation changes since blood flows to the active areas of the brain.

Question 19

Explain Wang’s example study.

Answer 19

• Aimed to investigate how different parts of the brain are associated with psychological stress by using MRI.
• 32 participants; 25 experimental condition and 7 control conditions.
• Participants had 4 scans of 8 minutes each differing in stress levels.
• Completed a self report stress scale from 1-9 and checked for saliva and heart rates.
• Results portrayed the brain exhibited continued activation during and after stress tasks indicating its role in stress responses.

Question 20

Explain measuring stress through sample tests.

Answer 20

• Salivary cortisol
• Cortisol is released by adrenal glands as part of our fight or flight response.
• Can be measured through urine or saliva.
• higher levels indicate physiological stress.

Question 21

Explain Evan and Werner’s example study.

Answer 21

• Investigated how density and proximity of other train passengers affect stress in 208 American commuters.
• Self reported stress levels on a 5 point likert scale.
• Took saliva samples during their morning commute and on the weekend from home.
• Recorded the difference in cortisol which showed the proximal crowding lead to higher cortisol and self reported stress levels.

Question 22

Explain measuring stress through Friedman and Rosenman’s personality test.

Answer 22

• Questionnaire which includes a series of statements about typical behaviours and attitudes.
• Responses are rated on a likert scale.
• Responses which portray type A traits and type B traits are added and a total score is given.

Question 23

Explain managing stress using biofeedback.

Answer 23

• Based on the principles of operant conditioning.
• Uses technology to enable the individual to see/hear physiological reactions that are occurring when under stress.
• Taught relaxation techniques and uses them while listening to their feedback.
• This will be rewarding to the individual as they have achieved their goal, reinforcing them to carry on using relaxation techniques.

Question 24

Explain budzynski and stova’s example study

Answer 24

• Aimed to investigate results of using biofeedback.
• 15 participants were allocated to 3 groups (experimental condition, control 1 -no feedback, control 2 - irrelevant feedback.)
• Findings suggest biofeedback in the form of immediate accurate information about bodily stress may be a useful tool in behavioural therapy.

Question 25

Explain the key study by bridge.
( aim - methodology - sample - procedures - results - conclusions )

Answer 25

• to investigate the effects of imagery on reducing stress in women undergoing radio therapy.
• RCT and completed Leeds general scale questionnaire and mood states questionnaire.
• opportunity sample of 139 women who had completed at least one radiotherapy session.
• were seen weekly for 6 weeks, were allocated to three conditions (control, relaxation training, relaxation + imagery).
• relaxation + imagery exhibited greatest effects at reducing mood disturbances.

Question 26

Describe the 3 phases of stress inoculation training.

Answer 26

1. conceptualisation phase - forming a good relationship and teaching client about stress and anxiety.
2. skill acquisition phase - help clients acquire new coping skills and become conscious of their negative thought patterns.
3. rehearsal and application - transfer skills into daily life through imagery and role plays along with homework tasks and feedback to the trainer.