1. Health Psychology
Stress and Health

2. Agenda Office Hours Course Evaluation Reminder Presentation Scheduling
Stress and Health

3. Psychology and Health
Could one’s psychological processes play a role in these conditions?
Headaches
Colds
Dementia
Chronic Pain
Sexual Problems
Indigestion
In short: Yes
Could cause, contribute, or exacerbate problems

4. Health Psychology
Field investigating the psychological factors related to wellness and illness.
Prevention
Diagnosis
Treatment
Psychoneuroimmunology
Subfield of health psychology, focused on the link between psychological factors and the immune system.

5. Mind-Body Debate What does health psychology suggest about dualism?
Can the mind and body be separate, yet affect one another?

6. Stress (Module 34) A person’s response to challenging events
Broad Definition
Includes an array of emotions
What does stress feel like, physically?
Autonomic division of the peripheral nervous systerm
Sympathetic
Parasympathetic

7. Types of Stress Which events produce stress? Cataclysmic Events
Have to be negative?
Subjective Process
Personality and Past Experience
Universal Stressors?
Cataclysmic Events
Strong stressors that occur rapidly, affecting many
Natural and Man-Made Disasters
Personal Stressors
Major life events
Background Stressors
Everyday encounters that evoke negative arousal

8. The Pros and Cons of Stress
Can stress positive?
Example:
A big test is coming up.
A company introduces performance-based incentives.
U-Shaped Relationship
When is stress harmful?
Depends on the nature of the event.
e.g. A Test; A Death of a parent.
When stress is overwhelming
When stress is persisting

9. How Much Stress is Normal?
0 = Never 1 = Almost Never 2 = Sometimes
3 = Fairly Often 4 = Very Often
Over the past month….

10. Scoring and Comparisons
Step One: Reverse Code #4, 5, 6, 8
Step Two: Add up all 10 items.

11. Effects of Stress
Physiological Effects - Links to many illnesses and problems.

12. Effects of Stress Harmful Behaviors Indirect Health-Related Behaviors
Does stress make you do unhealthy things?
Substances
Over/Under Eating and Poor Nutrition
Poor sleep/Lack of sleep/Oversleep
Indirect Health-Related Behaviors
Feelings of Helplessness and Decreased Motivation
Less likely to follow medical advice
Less likely to seek care