Stress - 7. Managing and Coping with Stress: 3. Stress Inoculation Therapy Flashcards
SIT
Stress inoculation therapy
What is SIT a form of?
A form of CBT
What do CBT therapists believe about stress?
They believe that it’s not the situation itself that makes people stressed, but how they think about and react to it
Impact of positive thinking on stress
Reduces stress response as people have more positive attitudes and feelings
Impact of negative thinking on stress
Leads to negative outcomes and conclusions which results in anxiety and depression
Process of stressed thinking
Perception of situation/stimulus as a stressor (E.g. exam making someone nervous)
Belief that coping resources aren’t adequate to deal with situation (E.g. individual believes revision methods won’t let them pass)
Usual coping strategies don’t help (E.g. not attending class doesn’t make anxiety go away)
How does increased perceived control change the process of stressed thinking?
Increasing the feelings of control over the intubation will result in more effective coping behaviour
Increased feeling of control will change the perception of the stimulus
3 stages of SIT
Conceptualisation
Skills acquisition and rehearsal
Application
Conceptualisation stage of SIT (stage 1)
Client and therapist identify the sources of stress
This could include keeping a diary of when and where stressful experiences occurred
Skills acquisition and rehearsal stage of SIT (stage 2)
Client learns specific skills and practices them with the therapist
Skills taught are subjective/tailored to the clients own problems
Examples of skills taught during stage 2 of SIT
Positive thinking
Relaxation techniques
Social skills
Methods of diversion
Time management
How to seek social support
Application stage of SIT (stage 3)
Client tries their taught skills in the real world
Client applies the skills to different and increasingly stressful situations
The client and therapist consider how the skill worked
Meichenbaum’s supporting research for SIT
21 students aged 17-25 responded to advert about treatment of test anxiety
Participants put in top 3 groups: SIT, standard desensitisation and control
SIT group got the best results in terms of anxiety improvement
SIT and standard desensitisation group both showed improvement over control group
SIT concluded to be an effective way of reducing anxiety in students who are prone to anxiety in test situations
Positive evaluation of SIT
Skills can be practiced at home, unlike biofeedback
No side effects, unlike drugs
Cause and symptoms addressed
Negative evaluation of SIT
Methods may not work
Time-consuming and expensive
Commitment needed, unlike drugs
Having the wrong therapist may result in no progress
