chapter 10

“Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:

• any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;

• preparation of any derivative work, including extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;

• any rental, lease, or lending of the program.


Stress, Health, and Coping


Health Psychology

The field concerned with the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of illness as it relates to psychological factors

• Changing Patterns of illness

• Biopsychosocial factors in health


How do you Know when you are Stressed?


StressThe general term describing the psychological and bodily response to a stimulus that alters the body’s state of equilibrium

• People often feel stressed in response to a real or perceived threat or when there is an imbalance between the demands and resources in their life.

• Perceptions are key in determining stress

• Stressor– Acute stressor– Chronic stressor

• Stress response


The Biology of Stress


More on the Biology of Stress

• The alarm phase– Fight-or-flight response– Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis– Sympathetic & parasympathetic systems

• The resistance phase– Adaptation

• The exhaustion phase– Sickness


Sources of Stress

• Cognitive appraisal– Primary appraisal– Secondary appraisal– Coping

• Perceived control– Learned helplessness– Predictability


Sources of Stress

• Internal conflict– Approach-approach conflict– Avoidance-avoidance conflict– Approach-avoidance conflict

• Life’s hassles– Daily hassles– Major life changes

• Life Adjustment Scale

Versus


Sources of Stress

• Work-related factors– Environmental factors

• Lighting, noise, crowding

– Job-related factors• Demand-control model• Air traffic controllers

– Burnout


Type A Behavior

Traits• A sense of urgency• Competitiveness• Interpersonal hostility• Are you Type A?


Hostility

A personality trait characterized by mistrust, an expectation of harm and provocation by others, and a cynical attitude

• Associated with heart disease• Gender differences• Example of hostility


The Immune System

• White blood cells– A collection of mechanisms within an organism

that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells (T, B, Natural killer cells).

– Glucocorticoids and stress– Psychoneuroimmunology


Stress and Disease

• Immune– Likelihood of catching a cold– Length of time for a wound to heal– Growth rate of cancerous tumors

• Heart disease– Stress and blood pressure– Atherosclerosis– Depression and heart disease– Anxiety and heart disease

• Overhead


Health-Impairing Behaviors

• Behaviors that can damage health– Smoking– Substance abuse– Poor nutrition– Lack of exercise– Unsafe sex– Driving under the influenceAre you healthy? Why or why not?



• Why we do it?– Lack of knowledge– Perceived risk– Perceived severity– Illusion of invulnerability



• Changing health-impairing behaviors– Precontemplation– Contemplation– Preparation– Action– Maintenance


Coping Strategies

• Problem-focused strategies– Active coping– Planning– Instrumental social support– Suppression of competing activities– Restraint coping


Coping Strategies

• Emotion-focused strategies– Emotional social support– Venting emotions– Positive reinterpretation/growth– Behavioral disengagement– Mental disengagement


Personality and Coping

• Hardy personality– Commitment– Control– Challenges

• Optimism

• Avoiders vs. nonavoiders


Coping and Social Support

• Social support affects…– Survival– Depression– Immune system

• Perceived social support• Enacted social support


The End

chapter 10

Entertainment & Humor

biology of stress

stress psychoneuroimmunology

social support social

promotion of health

health psychology

perceived control

heart disease anxiety

psychological factors