Ch. 10: Stress, Coping, and Resilience

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

-a type of mental health disorder directly linked to stressful events -the psychological response to trauma, such as military combat, rape, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or car accidents.

alarm reaction

-stage 1 of Selye's theory of stress response -the body responds to stressor by becoming alert and energized, preparing for "fight or flight"

resistance

-stage 2 of Selye's theory of stress response -the body attempts to return to its normal state -A notable physical change in this stage is that the thymus gland decreases in size and function. -person able to control initial alarm reaction at this stage, but does so at the expense of the immune function.

exhaustion

-stage 3 of Selye's theory of stress response -some of the alarm reaction stage responses reappear -if the stressor is severe enough, exhaustion is accompanied by physical illness or even death.

interrelated components of proactive coping

1. building a reserve of resources 2. recognizing potential stressors 3. initial appraisal of stressors 4. preliminary coping efforts 5. seeking feedback about one's success and acting on it

response-oriented viewpoint

a focus on the physiological reactions within the individual that resulted from exposures to stressors

stimulus-oriented viewpoint

a focus on the stressors themselves, the stimuli that trigger the stress reactions, or more specifically, life events.

natural immunity

a quick defense against pathogens in general

stress

a set of physical, cognitive, and emotional responses that humans (and other organisms) display in reaction to demands from the environment.

stressors

environmental demands that lead to stress reactions

life-change events

in Holme's and Rahe's theory, events that alter the status quo of an individual's life; when accumulated can lead to stress reactions.

general adaptation syndrome

in Selye's theory, three stages of symptoms that occur in response to stress: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion.

buffering effect

pattern of results that cushion the outcomes of a distressing situation.

social support

refers to affection, affirmation, and aid received from others.

work strain

results from situations in which a worker is faced with high demands but low control, no sense of personal accomplishment, and low reward.

specific immunity

slower type of immunity that requires more energy because the body needs to identify specific pathogens and form matching lymphocytes to combat them.

work stress

stressors that a worker experiences on a job with high demands but a good amount of control and sense of personal accomplishment.

chronic life strains

stressors that are continuous and ongoing, and that cause the most health problems and erode social relationships.

short-term life events

stressors that may cause immediate problems but have a definite beginning and end

goodness of fit

the ability to match the appropriate coping skill with the situation at hand.

coping flexibility

the ability to use a variety of coping skills, depending on the situation.

resilience

the maintenance of healthy functioning following exposure to potential trauma

resistance resources

the personal and social resources that may buffer a person from the impact of stress -individual coping responses, a sense of personal control, and the availability of social support.

stress-related growth

the positive changes that follow the experience of stressful life events

human social genomics

the study of changes in gene expression due to subjective perceptions of the social environment.

post-traumatic stress symptoms

the term used for reactions to trauma that are severe, but do not fit the full diagnosis criteria

religious coping

type of coping in which a person relies on religious or spiritual beliefs to reduce stress -this type of coping ranges from finding meaning in suffering, achieving a sense of control by trusting in God, and gaining social solidarity with others who have similar beliefs.

problem-focused coping

type of coping that directly addresses the problem causing distress

proactive coping

type of coping that includes the ways people cope in advance to prevent or mute the impact of a stressful event that will happen in the future, such as a scheduled medical procedure or an impending layoff at work.

emotion-focused coping

type of coping that includes ways people try to ameliorate the negative emotions associated with the stressful situation

meaning-focused coping

type of coping that includes ways that people find to manage the meaning of a stressful situation.

social coping

type of coping that involves seeking help from others, both instrumental and emotional support.

coping behaviors

type of coping that refers to anything you might think, feel, and do to reduce the effects of stressful events

coping

ways to reduce the effects of stress reaction