Stress And Coping

Question 0

What is general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 0

Alarm- immediate physical response
Resistance- body attempts to resolve stress
Exhaustion- stressor continues and remain physiologically active. Strain–> illness/death

Question 1

Explain why stress can have positive and negative consequences.

Answer 1

Survival advantage- stay safe from danger

Frequent daily hassles and chronic stressors in modern life

Question 2

Define stress

Answer 2

Demands appraised as exceeding a persons resources to cope.

Question 3

Define stressors.

Answer 3

Internal or external events that trigger stress response.

Question 4

Describe the advantages and limitations to using stressful events in measuring stress.

Answer 4

Distinguishes stressor form response.
Assumes same event equally stressful for all- does not account for individual differences
Recall bias

Question 5

How does the transactional model better measure stress?

Answer 5

Accounts for:
Differences between individuals
Different impact of different stressors
Stress response in absence of direct threat

Question 6

Define primary and secondary appraisal.

Answer 6

Primary: assess demands of situation as benign, challenging or threatening
Secondary: evaluate resources and capacity to cope

Question 7

Identify 4 factors that moderate the impact of stress.

Answer 7

Personality- resilience vs neuroticism
Coping methods- emotion vs problem focused
Social support
Physical exercise

Question 8

Describe how stress negatively affects physical health.

Answer 8

Increase in heart rate and BP leads to hypertension
Increase in inflammation and coagulation- atherosclerosis
CVD, diabetes

Question 9

How does stress affect immune health?

Answer 9

Up regulated in short term

Down regulated long term so susceptible to infection and delayed healing

Question 10

How does stress negatively affect health behaviours?

Answer 10

Increase in intensity or begin bad health behaviours
Smoking
Alcohol
Diet- snacking, unhealthy food
Sedentary

Question 11

What is the effect of stress on mental health?

Answer 11

Think more rigidly and in extremes
Overgeneralisation
Catastrophising
Personalisation
Rumination
Lack of control
Learned helplessness
Anxiety and depression

Question 12

Outline 6 strategies for managing stress.

Answer 12

Relaxation
Physical exercise
Cognitive restructuring- appraisal and coping response
Meditation
Assertiveness training- control
Stress inoculation- exposure

Question 13

Suggest factors that chronic illness patients must cope with.

Answer 13

Diagnosis
Physical effects
Treatment
Hospitalisation
Adjustment
Socioeconomic

Question 14

What is emotion focused coping? Give two examples of approaches.

Answer 14

Change emotions
Behavioural- actions
Cognitive- thinking

Question 15

What is problem focused coping? Give 2 approaches.

Answer 15

Change problem or resources.
Reduce demands
Expand resources

Question 16

Describe four ways to aid patients in coping.

Answer 16

Increase/ mobilise social support
Increase personal control
Preparation to reduce ambiguity and uncertainty
Stress management

Question 17

Why are chronically ill patients at risk of anxiety?

Answer 17

Response to threat:

• to identity and well being
• events e.g, surgery, treatment, test results, uncertainty

Question 18

Why are chronically ill patients at risk of depression?

Answer 18

Response to loss, failure and helplessness

• health and physical capacity
• identity
• symptoms

Question 19

Describe barriers to identifying psychological problems in patients.

Answer 19

Symptoms mis diagnosed
Patients- reluctant to complain, avoid judgement, stigma
HCP- don’t ask

Question 20

What is the diagnostic criteria for depression?

Answer 20

5 or more symptoms for at least 2 weeks.
Persistent low mood
Sadness
Loss of interest
Despair
Feeling worthlessness
Increased or decreased appetite