Stress and Coping Lecture

Stress and Coping 1. Jot down a stressful event /circumstance/ situation 2. Why do you consider it stressful  Stress any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one's well- being and thereby tax one's coping abilities ...

Stress and Coping 1. Jot down a stressful event /circumstance/ situation 2. Why do you consider it stressful  Stress any circumstances that threaten or are perceived to threaten one's well- being and thereby tax one's coping abilities  Distinction between daily hassles and major life events Routine hassles may produce significant negative effects Lazarus & Folkman (1984) devised a scale to measure stress in the form of daily hassles Scores on scale were strongly related to mental health Stressful events probably have a According to the transactional cumulative impact theory of stress and coping, (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), stress is defined as exposure to stimuli that are appraised as This view presented an important highly challenging, uncontrollable, and counterpoint to the then-prevalent overwhelming, and exceed an individual's views about the significance of major  A poem by Charles Bukowski (1980) poses a key issue in the relationship between hassles and adaptation outcomes: It is not the large things that send a man to the madhouse.... Daily hassles No, it's the continuing series of small tragedies that send a man to the madhouse Not the death of his love but a shoelace that snaps with no time left.  It is useful to make the distinction between acute stressors, events that have a relatively short duration and chronic stressors, Acute vs which are events that have a Chronic relatively long duration and no readily apparent time limit. Stress Can you give examples of both What are the different implications for each? Major Life Any noticeable alterations in one's living circumstances Stressors that require readjustment Biological Factors Genetics, neurophysiology, and physical health conditions influence stress reactivity Psychological Factors Personality traits, cognitive patterns, and emotional responses also play a role  Social Factors Environmental influences, such as social support, cultural norms, and relationships, interact with personality traits and biological factors and play a part in how stress is perceived and dealt Hans Selye – The Father of Stress  The General Adaptation Syndrome A pattern of responses to stress that consists of 3 stages: Alarm stage: Prepares the body to fight or flee Resistance: The defenses prepare for a longer, sustained attack against the stressor Exhaustion: Physiological and immune systems failures Stress lies in the eye of the beholder Appraisal of stress is subjective Primary appraisal: an initial evaluation of whether an event is (1) irrelevant to you, (2) relevant, but not threatening, or (3) Relevant and threatening or stressful When event is viewed as stressful, you're likely to make a Secondary appraisal, which is an evaluation of your (1) coping resources and (2) options for dealing with the stress (i.e. What can I do about this situation?)  What do you do when you feel stressed? Are your coping responses healthy or unhealthy?  Isolating Common Giving up - learned helplessness (losing self-efficacy) Snapping at others coping Blaming (locus of control) Indulging patterns Rebellion Prolonged defensive coping of limited e.g. denial, regression, displacement, projection, intellectualisation, value repression, rationalization Two Major Coping Strategies Emotion-focused coping: managing emotional reactions to the problem Problem-focused coping: taking direct steps to confront or minimize a stressor  Struggling with studying Problem-Focused Coping (When the problem can be solved): The student believes they can improve their grade by taking specific actions. They might: Seek help from the lecturer. Create a study schedule to manage time better. Join a study group to better understand the material. Emotion-Focused Coping (When the problem cannot be solved): If the student believes they've done all they can, they might shift to managing their emotions by: Practicing relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety (e.g., meditation). Talking to a friend for emotional support. Reframing the situation by telling themselves that even if they don’t do well in this class, it’s not the end of the world and they can make up for it in other ways.  Individual Differences in Coping Some people appear more resilient than others and cope better with adversity. Stress resistant (“hardy”) people adapt better to life changes by viewing events more constructively. Hardiness = Commitment + Challenge + Control Numerous studies have found that people high in hardiness report fewer negative responses to stressful events (Eschleman, Bowling & Alarcon, 2010) Dispositional Resilience Scale (Bartone, 2013) Below are statements about life that people often feel differently about. Please check a box to show how much you think each one is true for you. There are no right or wrong answers! Response Options: Not At All True- 0 A Little True – 1 Quite True – 2 Completely True - 3 1. Most of my life gets spent doing things that are meaningful. (CM) 2. By working hard you can nearly always achieve your goals. (CO) 3. I don't like to make changes in my regular activities. (CH)* 4. I feel that my life is somewhat empty of meaning. (CM)* 5. Changes in routine are interesting to me. (CH) 6. How things go in my life depends on my own actions. (CO) 7. I really look forward to my daily activities. (CM) 8. I don’t think there’s much I can do to influence my own future. (CO)* 9. I enjoy the challenge when I have to do more than one thing at a time. (CH) 10. Most days, life is really interesting and exciting for me. (CM) 11. It bothers me when my daily routine gets interrupted. (CH)* 12. It is up to me to decide how the rest of my life will be. (CO) 13. Life in general is boring for me. (CM)* 14. I like having a daily schedule that doesn't change very much. (CH)* 15. My choices make a real difference in how things turn out in the end. (CO) PERSONALITY TRAITS  Personality Types https://www.wikihow.com/Type-A-B-C-D-Personality-Test Ambitious, hard-driving, and go-getting. People with this Type A personality type tend to be perfectionists that put themselves under a great deal of stress. Low-stress and easy going. People with this type of Type B personality tend to be laid back and adaptable. Highly conscientious. Like Type A's, they are perfectionists Type C who want everything to be just so - but they also struggle to reveal emotions, both positive and negative. Tendency to get distressed. People with this personality type Type D are often worried, sad, and low in confidence.  How does personality influence stress responses and coping mechanisms? The Big 5 Model Developed over the years between the 1930s-1990s The five-factor model splits personality into five broad traits that an individual can rate higher or lower on compared to other people, based on the extent to which the person exhibits them Conscientiousness Associated with healthier behaviours, better adherence to medical advice, and longevity. Neuroticism Higher sensitivity, increased vigilance, can be seen as a risk factor for emotional distress. Extraversion Related to social support, coping strategies, and overall well-being. Agreeableness and Openness Impact on health via social relationships, stress buffering, and creativity in problem-solving.  Based on the NEO-PI-R (Costa & McCrae, 1992) https://personalitytest.net/ipip/  Protective Social Factors when dealing with Stress Social support Positive relationships Trusting relationships Marriage/partnership Strong (not necessarily big) social connections  The Grant Study – a longitudinal study on adult happiness based in Harvard since 1938 From teenagers to old age: what keeps people happy and healthy For 85 years tracked life of circa 750 men from Harvard and Boston 60 of 724 men still alive and still participating Now studying their offspring and their wives The clearest message is GOOD RELATIONSHIPS KEEP US HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER  Social connections are really good for us Take home points It’s the quality of close relationships that matters from the study Toxic marriages are worse than divorce Loneliness kills you softly At age 50 it was about how satisfied they were in their relationships that predicted good health and healthy brains. Quality relationships mediate emotional and physical pain