OUTCOMES STANDARDIZED SCALES LIKE CES-D ADD UP SYMPTOMS CONTINUOUS – FROM MILD TO SEVERE INDICATOR OF DISTRESS GENERAL NOT DIAGNOSTIC

CURRENT SOCIAL THEORY LEONARD PEARLIN – THE STRESS PROCESS DIFFERENCES WITH SRRS

1. STRESSORS (CAUSES) 1. EMPHASIZES POSITION IN SOCIAL STRUCTURES - SOCIAL CLASS, ETHNIC, GENDER 2. EMPHASIZES SOCIAL ROLES - OVERLOAD, CONFLICT, CAPTIVITY 3. CONNECTION OF STRESSORS - STRESS PROLIFERATION (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY STRESSORS)

TYPES OF STRESSORS 1. SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS LOSS OF ATTACHMENTS - DEATH, DIVORCE, ROMANTIC BREAKUPS 2. SUBORDINATE SOCIAL STATUS WORK ROLES, GENDER ROLES, LOW SOCIAL CLASS 3. FAILURE TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL GOALS REJECTION, FAILURE TO ACHIEVE

NEW CATEGORIES OF STRESSORS (WHEATON) 1. CHRONIC STRESSORS 2. LIFETIME TRAUMAS 3. DAILY HASSLES 4. DISASTERS

DIMENSIONS OF STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS UNEXPECTABLE VS. EXPECTABLE POSITIVE VS. NEGATIVE PREEXISTING CONTEXT OF EVENT NEGATIVE POST-EVENT CONTEXT –SECONDARY STRESSORS

STRESS PROCESS 1. EVENTS NOT ISOLATED BUT EMBEDDED IN SOCIAL POSITIONS 2. EVENTS NOT ISOLATED BUT INTERCONNECTED 3. MORE DIVERSE CATEGORIES OF EVENTS 4. IMPORTANCE OF MEDIATORS

STRESSORSMEDIATORS OUTCOME THREE ELEMENTS OF STRESS PROCESS

MEDIATORS WHY SOME PEOPLE WITH MANY STRESSORS HAVE LOW DISTRESS WHY SOME PEOPLE WITH FEW STRESSORS HAVE HIGH DISTRESS MAKE PEOPLE MORE OR LESS VULNERABLE OR RESILIENT TO THE STRESSORS THEY FACE

MEDIATORS (TURNER) SOCIAL RESOURCES 1. SUPPORT - SENSE OF BEING CARED FOR, BELONGING, WANTED ONE INTIMATE STRONG FAMILY TIES, RELIGION 2. MATERIAL SUPPORT

SOCIAL COMPARISON STRESSFULNESS DEPENDS ON REFERENCE GROUP INCOME QUADRIPLEGICS DOWNWARD COMPARISONS BETTER THAN UPWARD COMPARISONS

CONTROL ACTIVE COPING BETTER THAN PASSIVE COPING (MASTERY VS. FATALISM)

TREATMENT ONLY THEORY WITH NO DIRECT TREATMENT ASPECT CHANGE ENVIRONMENT - “FRESH STARTS” MUCH DISTRESS TRANSIENT (9-11) IMPORTANCE OF INFORMAL SUPPORT

CRITICISMS OF SOCIAL IGNORES HOW MENTAL SYMPTOMS ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN INDIVIDUALS NOT SITUATIONS NOT GOOD FOR EXPLAINING MOST SERIOUS TYPES OF MENTAL ILLNESS UNSPECIFIC TREATMENT COMPONENT

STRENGTHS BETTER AT EXPLAINING DISTRESS THAN PARTICULAR MENTAL ILLNESSES BETTER AT LOOKING AT GROUP, RATHER THAN AT INDIVIDUAL, DIFFERENCES EMPHASIS ON EXTERNAL AND CURRENT CAUSES OF DISTRESS