1. Module 1/ Chapter 1 Understanding Stress
“It is not the stressor but your perception of the stress that is important”

2. CHAPTER 1 OUTLINE What is stress?
Contemporary Concept of Stress in the West
Response-based concept of stress
Event-based concept of stress
Interactional model of stress
Stressors
Life events or life change events
Chronic stressors
Non stressors

3. CHAPTER 1 OUTLINE (cont’d)
Effects of Stress on the Body
Stress in the Overall Context
Summary Points

4. Concept of Stress Stress is the response of: Body Mind Behaviors
As a result of:
Encountering environmental events (stressors)
Interpreting these events
Making judgments about controlling or influencing these events

5. Stress & Strain: Use of the Terms in Common Parlance
Effects of the stressors on the mind
Construed as essentially a mental phenomenon
Strain:
Effects of stressors on the body particularly on the muscles in the body

6. Response-based Model Walter Cannon’s (1932) “Fight or Flight” response
General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye, 1936, 1974, 1982)
Alarm Reaction
Stage of Resistance
Stage of Exhaustion
In 1980s differentiated Eustress (good stress) & Distress (bad stress)

7. Event-Based Model
Holmes & Rahe (1967) constructed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)
43 events
Calculated a life change unit score
LCU score: Showed a 37% chance of these stressors leading to disease in next year
LCU score: 51% chance of these stressors leading to disease in next year
> 300 LCU score: 79% chance of these stressors leading to disease in next year

8. Interactional (Transactional) Model
Primary Appraisal:
Am I Ok or in trouble?
Judgment based on past, knowledge about oneself, about event, from influence on others
Secondary Appraisal:
How much control do I have over the threat?
Coping
Application of means identified
Reappraisal
Whether the original stressor has been negated

9. Concept of Coping
”Cope" is derived from the Latin word "colpus" meaning "to alter"
Dealing with and attempting to overcome problems and difficulties
In Psychology used as:
A thought process,
A personality characteristic
In social context
”Coping" was officially utilized by Psychological Abstracts only in 1967

10. Types of Coping Problem-focused coping Emotion-focused coping
Based on one's capability to think and alter the environmental event or situation
Emotion-focused coping
Based on focusing inward on altering the way one thinks or feels about a situation or an event

11. Problem-focused Coping
Examples of this strategy at the thought process level include:
Utilization of problem solving skills
Interpersonal conflict resolution
Advice seeking
Time management
Goal-setting
Gathering information about what is causing one stress
Examples of this strategy at the behavioral or action level include activities such as:
Joining a smoking cessation program
Compliance to a prescribed medical treatment
Adherence to a diabetic diet plan
Scheduling and prioritizing tasks for managing time

12. Emotion-focused Coping
Examples of this strategy at the thought process level include:
Denying the existence of the stressful situation
Freely expressing emotions
Avoiding the stressful situation
Making social comparisons
Minimization of looking at the bright side of things
Examples of this strategy at the behavioral or action level include:
Seeking social support
Use of exercise
Relaxation
Meditation
Support groups

13. Types of Stressors A. Life Events or Life Change Events
Discrete, observable, and objectively reportable event that requires some social and/or psychological adjustment on the part of the individual
Recent -- Within past one year
Remote -- Childhood events such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect

14. Types of Stressors … 2 B. Chronic Stressors
Events encountered in everyday life, more prevalent
Persistent life difficulties -- life events lasting more than 6 months, e.g. long term disability
Role strains -- from performing specific roles (parenting, working, being in a relationship etc.) or multiplicity of roles at the same time
Chronic strains -- response of one social group to another, e.g. overt or covert, intentional or unintentional discriminatory behavior due to race, ethnicity etc.
Daily hassles -- Every day problems , e.g. standing in a queue, getting stuck in traffic
Community-wide strains -- Stressors at an ecological level, e.g. living in a high crime neighborhood

15. Non Events
Desired or Anticipated events when they do not occur (e.g. wanting to graduate but not enough credits)
Desirable events that do not occur even though their occurrence is normative for people of a certain group (e.g. having an intimate friend of opposite sex as a college student)
Not having anything to do (e.g. getting bored)

16. Thoughts for Reflection
Read & reflect with a partner:
1.1 Murphy’s Laws
1.2 Why stress exists?
1.3 On attitude

17. Skill Building Activities
Complete and discuss with a partner Worksheet 1.1: What do you know about stress?
Complete and discuss with a partner Worksheet 1.2: How are your stress copings skills?
Complete and discuss with a partner Worksheet 1.3: What kind of attitude do you have about stress?
Complete and discuss with a partner Worksheet 1.4: The Social Readjustment Rating Scale?
Complete and discuss with a partner Worksheet 1.5: Personality Type Identification?
Complete and discuss with a partner Worksheet 1.6: Advantages of Stress Management