Stress

Physiology:

GAS

AO1

Selye (1936) universal stress response = adaptive

Non specific - same all stressors

Body attempts to remain balanced through activation / recovery

Stage 1: Alarm reaction, SAM pathway, adrenaline released from adrenal medulla

Stage 2: Resistance, body adapts by resisting stressor, hormones depleted, parasympathetic NS activated to conserve energy. HPA axis releases cortisol

Stage 3: Exhaustion, Adaptation to chronic stressor fails - all resources depleted, symptoms of sympathetic arousal, adrenal glands damaged, stress related illnesses e.g. CHD, depression

AO3

+ Selye research on rats​

- Not replicated on monkeys (Mason, 1971)

- Animal extrapolation​​​​

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Stress & Illness: Cardiovascular

AO1

Cardiovascular disorders = heart & blood vessels e.g. CHD, stroke

Acute stress = high adrenaline - direct effects on heart muscles

Acute stress & football match: Wilbert-Lampen, heart attacks German 1996 World Cup. Day Germany play, cardiac emergencies x2.66

Chronic stress in workplace: Yusuf Interheart Study. 15k people with heart attack & control. Chronic stressors had strong link to heart attack. Stress greater than obesity 3rd after smoking & cholesterol

AO3

- Link appears to be indirect. Orth-Gomer marital stress x3 risk of heart attack but only if pre-CVD

+ Supportive evidence. Song (2019) ppts with stress related disorders compared to siblings/controls. Stress led to 64% greater risk CVD.

- Cause physiological or psychological?

Sources of Stress: Workplace Stress

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

Individual Differences: Personality

AO1

Friedman & Rosenman observed a personality type of ppts with CHD

Type A: Competitive, time urgent, hostile

Type B: Laid back, reflective and tolerant - not linked to CHD

Western Collaborative Group Study: 3000 males, USA, no CHD at start of study. Answered 25 qus to assess personality type. Interviews conducted to incite Type A traits.

8.5 yrs later 257 men had CHD and 70% of men were assessed as Type A. Impatience and hostility -> physiological stress response.

Type C: Pathological niceness - compliant, passive, repress emotions. Linked to cancer.

Dattore (1980) studied 200 veterans of Vietnamese War - 75 cancer patients vs other diagnoses. Cancer ppts reported significantly greater suppression and fewer depression symptoms.

AO3

+ Real world application. Type A change behaviours after CHD and live longer

- Too broad? Linked to hostility mostly (Carmelli 1991)

- Type C and cancer link not reliable finding - mediating factors

- Too binary of A/B. Personality is more nuanced.

Managing Stress: Stress Inoculation Therapy

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

Managing Stress: Social Support

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

Physiology: Stress Response

AO1

Acute (short term): SAM pathway -> Hypothalamus -> Activates sympathetic branch NS -> Triggers  adrenal medulla release adrenaline / noradrenaline -> prepares body F or F. When passed parasympathetic NS activated.

Chronic (long term): HPA system activated. Hypothalamus -> corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) -> pituitary gland releases ACTH -> adrenal cortex releases cortisol -> glucose metabolism, restores energy, suppresses immune system. HPA self regulating. High levels of cortisol reduces CRF & ACTH reducing cortisol.

AO3

+ Real life: Addison's disease - cortisol replacement therapy

- Ignores psychological factors. Speisman (1964) medical procedure

- Gender bias acute stress - Taylor's "tend and befriend"​

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Sources of Stress: Life Changes

AO1

Life changes are important but infrequent life events

Need psychological adjustments

Bigger change = more stress

They are cumulative & can apply to + and - events

Holmes & Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale gives number of life changing units - higher the value = more stress e.g. divorce is 73. Self report (12 mths)

More LCU, more stress.

Rahe (1972) claimed that <150 LCU = reasonable health, 150-3000 LCUs 50% chance of illness, >300 LCUs 80% chance illness in next yr

Rahe (1970) US Navy Study +ve LCU in last 6 mths & illness on ship 

AO3

+ Evidence: Lietzen (2011) 16k asthma free ppts. LCU predictor.

- Ignores individual differences - subjective opinion of LCU needed

- +ve and -ve events not the same

- Ignores third variables

Measuring Stress:

Self Report

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

Individual Differences: Hardiness

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

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Managing Stress: Biofeedback

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

Stress & Illness: Immunosuppresion

AO1

Directly: cortisol produced by the HPA inhibits production of immune cells

Indirectly: stress can lead to unhelpful lifestyle choices e.g. drinking that -ve effects immune functioning

Chronic stress of exams: Kiecolt-Glaser medical students, decrease in natural killer and killer T cells when highly stressed. Greatest when student lonely or other stress

Chronic stress of caring for ill relative: Kiecolt-Glaser compared carers (of Alzheimers) with control. Over 13 months carers had weaker cell based immune response & more infectious diseases/ depression (32%) compared to control group (6%).

AO3

- Acute stress can have immunoenhancing effects​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

+ Real life application: stress hormones before life stressor

- Methodological issues in lab

Sources of Stress: Daily Hassles

AO1

Daily hassles include minor inconveniences e.g. lost keys and greater pressures e.g. no time

Primary appraisal - assess subjectively how psychologically threatening something is 

Secondary appraisal - if threatening we assess how equipped we are to deal with it

Hassles and Uplifts Scale (HSUP) = self report. How many / severity of halles & how many uplifts

Life changes = indirect effects = distal sources of stress

Daily hassles = direct and immediate threat = proximal sources of threat

Kanner et al (1981) 100 ppts did HSUP every mth x 9

Life changes scale one month before study and at end

Hopkins symptom checklist for anxiety & depression

+ve correlation hassles frequency & symptoms

Hassles greater predictor than life changes.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Measuring Stress: Physiological

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

Managing Stress: Drug Therapies

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon

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Managing Stress: Gender Differences

AO1

Coming soon

AO3

Coming soon