Chapter Nine: Stress, Psychological Factors, and Health
PSY 440: Abnormal Psychology
Rick Grieve, Ph.D.
Western Kentucky University
Stress
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Stress
– The pressure or demand that is placed on an organism
to adapt or adjust
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Stressor
– Source of stress
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Distress
– State of physical or mental pain or suffering
PHYSIOLOGY OF STRESS
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Hans
Selye:
rats faced with prolonged stress went through the three phases of the general adaptation syndrome
Adjustment Disorder
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A maladaptive reaction
to an identified stressor that develops within a few months of the onset of the
stressor
– Characterized by significant impairment in social,
occupational, or academic functioning or by states of emotion that exceed those
usually associated with the stressor
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Emotional reaction
cannot meet criteria for an Anxiety or Mood Disorder
Adjustment Disorder
– If the reaction persists for more than 6 months,
diagnosis may be changed
– Subtypes:
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Adjustment Disorder with
Depressed Mood
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Adjustment Disorder with
Anxiety
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Adjustment Disorder with
Disturbance of Conduct
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Adjustment Disorder with
Mixed Disturbance of Emotions and Conduct
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Adjustment Disorder
Unspecified
STRESS AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
lCohen et al. (1991) found stress predicted who would contract a cold, and
who would show symptoms:
–Stressful
life events predicted who would show
symptoms
–Level of
perceived stress and negative affect predicted who would contract a virus, but not who
would develop symptoms
STRESS AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
lStress decreases the chances of the immune system destroying a cancer
cell
Psychoneuro-immunology
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psychoneuroimmunology –
the study of the effects
that behavior has on the immune system
Stress and Illness
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Psychoneuroimmunology
– The field that studies the relationship between
psychological factors, especially stress, and the workings of the endocrine and
immune systems
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Stress and the Endocrine
System
– Stress causes the following to be released into the
blood stream:
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ACTH
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Corticosteroids
Stress and Illness
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Catecholemines
– Fight or flight syndrome
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Stress and the Immune
System
– Immune system is the body’s defense against disease
– Stress can weaken immune system
Stress and Illness
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General Adaptation
Syndrom
– Hans Selye
– Alarm Stage
– Resistance Stage
– Exhaustion Stage
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Stress and Life Changes
– What are life changes?
– Have different levels of severity
Stress and Illness
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Acculturative Stress
– Acculturation
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The process of adapting
to a new culture
– Acculturation can be good and bad
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Positive factors
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Negative factors
Stress and Illness
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Psychological Factors
That Moderate Stress
– Coping Styles
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Emotion-Focused Coping
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Problem-Focused Coping
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Denial
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Wish-fulfillment
Fantasies
– Self-Efficacy Expectations
Stress and Illness
– Psychological Hardiness
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Commitment
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Challenge
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Control
– Optimism
– Social Support
– Ethnic Identity
HEALTH-COMPROMISING BEHAVIORS
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1200+
chemical substances
HEALTH-COMPROMISING BEHAVIORS
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moderate
drinking may have cardiovascular benefits
HEALTH-COMPROMISING BEHAVIORS
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throughout
evolution, starvation a major risk
HEALTH-COMPROMISING BEHAVIORS
lbody designed for rigorous hunting and gathering
PROMOTING HEALTHFUL BEHAVIOR
ldelay of gratification often makes healthful behavior difficult
lpeople can change behavior by:
–using
goals to motivate themselves (e.g., I want to be able to hike ten miles by next June)
–changing
their environment (e.g.,
not having junk food in the house)
Psychological Factors and Physical Disorders
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Psychosomatic
– Pertaining to a physical disorder in which
psychological factors play a causal or contributing role
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Headaches
– Tension headaches
– Migraine headaches
– Theoretical perspectives on causes
– Treatment
Psychological Factors and Physical Disorders
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Cardiovascular Disease
– CHD
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Risk factors
– Type A Behavior Pattern
– Social Environment Stress
– Ethnicity and CHD
– Good News
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Asthma
– Respiratory disorder
Psychological Factors and Physical Disorders
– Prevalence
– Theoretical perspectives on causes
– Treatment
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Cancer
– Etiology
– Preventive measures
– Stress and cancer
– Psychological factors
Psychological Factors and Physical Disorders
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AIDS
– Etiology
– No cure
– Preventive programs
– Psychological Interventions
References
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American
Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (Fourth Ed.). Washington, D. C.: Author.
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Cohen,
S., Frank, E., Doyle, W. J., Skoner, D. P., Rabin, B. S., Gwaltney, J. M., Jr.
(1998). Types of stressors that increase susceptibility to the common cold in
healthy adults. Health Psychology, 17(3), 214_223.
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Epping-Jordan,
J. E., Compas, B. E., & Howell, D. C. (1994). Predictors of cancer
progression in young adult men and women: Avoidance, intrusive thoughts, and
psychological symptoms. Health Psychology, 13, 539-547.
l
Nevid,
J. S., Rathus, S. A., & Greene, B. (2003). Abnormal psychology in a
changing world. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
l
Peterson,
C. (2000). The future of optimism. American Psychologist, 55(1), 44-55.
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Seligman,
M. E., Peterson, C., Kaslow, N. J., Tanenbaum, R. J., Alloy, L. B., &
Abramson, L. Y. (1984). Attributional style and depressive symptoms among
children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 83, 235-238.
l
Yali, A.
M. (1999, August). Effects of positive outcome expectancies on adjustment to
pregnancy. Paper presented at the annual convention of the American
Psychological Association, Boston, MA.