Topic 5: Health, Stress, Coping Flashcards
Define health
complete state of physical, mental, social WB and not just absence of disease or infirmity
Define health psychology
understanding psychological influences on how people stay healthy, why they become ill, how they response when they get sick
Role of health psychologists
education/behaviour change programs - illness, trauma, injury, disability
Role of psychological treatments
decrease problems that accompany/contribute to illness/injury - chronic pain, addiction, sleep, anxiety, depression
Biopscyhosocial model
psychology, social, biology = health
Theories of HB - health belief model
Hochbaum perceived susceptibility (optimistic bias) - perceived severity - benefits + barriers - cues to action (willingness)
Theories of HB - protection motivation theory of health
perceived susceptibility - perceived severity - benefits + barriers - cues to action - self efficacy
self efficacy = belief they can perform actions necessary to produce an intended behaviour
What does health-related behaviour depend on?
- desire to avoid disease/illness
2. belief that specific health action will prevent/cure illness
Theories of HB - theory of reasoned action
social cognitive view
behaviour stems from behavioural intentions
beliefs + evaluation = attitudes
normative beliefs + motivation to comply = subjective norms
= behavioural intention
= behaviour
Theories of HB - theory of planned behaviour
beliefs about behaviour - attitudes toward behaviour - behavioural intention = behaviour
normative beliefs - subjective norms - behavioural intention = behaviour
control of beliefs - perceived behavioural control - behavioural intention/actual behavioural control = behaviour
Theories of HB - transtheoretical model/stages of change
pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance
Health promotion: promoting health behaviours
work with health professionals reduce risk factors prevention of illness promotion of positive health-related behaviour advice on attitudes/beliefs
Barriers to health promotion
individual, family, community, cultural, ethnic, health system, other (vulnerability in adolescence, peer pressure, self-sabotage, thrill-seeking)
Define stress
challenge to a person’s capacity to adapt to inner/outer demands = psychological process
physiological + emotional arousal
What are stressors?
stimulus event that places a demand on an organism for an adaptive response
What are some sources of stress?
major life events, traumatic/catastrophic events, daily hassles
What are the two different types of stress?
acute stress - fight/flight, tend and befriend
episodal stress - frequent acute stress, type A personality (ceaseless worry)
Body’s acute stress response - Sympathetic adrenal medullary (SAM)
sudden stressor = fight/flight
release adrenaline/noradrenaline
increase HR, BP, shaking, sweating
hypothalamus activates ANS
Body’s acute stress response - hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HDA) system
continued stressor
‘slow acting stress system’ - controls cortisol levels
hypothalamus stimulates pituitary gland = release of cortisol + hormone ACTH
General adaptation syndrome
Selye
= chronic stress
- alarm reaction - fight/flight
- resistance - physiology returns to normal, glucose, stress hormones remain high
- exhaustion - prolonged stress = body break down, vulnerability to infection
Define coping
how to deal with internal/external demands - behavioural, emotional, motivational thoughts/responses
Define appraisal of stress
- cognitive appraisal - interpretation
- primary appraisal - decision of situation (is it a threat?)
- secondary appraisal - evaluate options, decide how to respond (emotional forecasting)
- stress moderator variables - eg good health
Types of coping responses/mechanisms - anticipatory coping
Problem focused/problem directed coping
Emotion focused coping
Problem focused/problem directed coping
controllable stressors
taking control, info seeking, evaluation, change situation
Emotion focused coping
uncontrollable stressors
distractions, change thoughts/emotional consequences, dec. neg emotions
Success
resources to match perceived demand
achieve positive outcomes despite threats to WB
Modifying cognitive strategies
reappraising, restructuring, perceived control
Stress inoculation
cognitive brain therapy (CBT)
phase 1. awareness of behaviour
phase 2. identify new behaviour
phase 3. appraise consequence of new behaviour
Social support as coping resource
SE support, tangible (money, transport), info support, buffering hypothesis
