1. What does not destroy me, makes me stronger. Friedrich Nietzsche

2. Stress & Coping Stress: A disturbance in the homeostatic balance of a person’s life. It is induced by environmental demands that exceed the individual or system’s coping resources. Stress is taxing and has adverse cognitive, behavioral and physiological effects.

3. Early Researchers Erich Lindemann (1944) Coconut Grove fire 1942 Grief work Stronger than before the trauma Train others to help people deal with loss

4. Early Researchers (cont’d) Hans Selye (1956) Physiological response to stress Overcrowding, every day hassles Similar defense reactions General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Alarm Resistance Exhaustion

5. Early Researchers (cont’d) Gerald Caplan (1961) Dynamics of crisis theory Similar responses to different stresses Initial response leads to long-term adjustment Either new strengths or new vulnerabilities Crises entail both danger and possibility Erik Erikson (1982) Crises at different ages either lead to growth or problems in development

6. Schedule of Recent Events Holmes and Rahe (1967) List of major life events Social Readjustment Rating Scale Events most frequently preceding onset of illness Assessment of previous year SRE research links stress to: Heart problems Cancer Depression Anxiety Isolation Suicide Paranoia Aggression

8. Model of Psychosocial Stress

9. Psychosocial Stress Event Factors Number of events Severity Event valence Control and predictability Chronic vs. acute stress Recency

10. Psychosocial Stress Individual Factors Individual characteristics Coping styles Personality Person-environment fit

11. Psychosocial Stress Environmental Factors Families Workplaces Neighborhoods Religious settings

12. Psychosocial Stress Social Support – are interpersonal connections that are perceived as helpful by the provider and/or the recipient. Socially disconnected people are 5 times more likely to die from all causes. Presence of others during a crisis increases the likelihood of a positive outcome; others cushion the impact of the stress. Types of Support Perceived and Enacted Support Emotional support Tangible support

13. Interventions Disaster Relief Often prevents communities from mobilizing their own resources Interferes with a sense of self-efficacy Community members rise to the challenge and need that sense of control Need may outlive the initial outpouring of support Majority of disaster victims recover quickly Interventions should help communities build their resources and capacities and become more competent following a disaster.

14. Interventions Mutual Help Groups Voluntary, democratic As many as 60% are professionally led Greater reach than traditional therapy No cost Emotional expression, companionship Problem solving Often spiritual Exchange of resources