Health Psych Session 1- Stress, Coping & Therapies

Question 1

What is the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 1

A more complete model of health and illness including physical, mental and social circumstances

Question 2

Name some of the physiological responses to a stressful event

Answer 2

Increased oxygen availability
Increase fuel availability
Preparation for tissue damage/fatigue
Enhanced mental functioning
Conservation of energy resources
Enhanced physical functioning

Question 3

Describe the relationship between stress and performance

Answer 3

Performance increases with stress but after a certain point begins to decrease back to zero

Question 4

What are the 3 steps of the long term stress response and describe them

Answer 4

1. Alarm- 1st response to stress but body cannot retain this
2. Resistance- body tries to combat high levels of stress causing weight loss and fatigue
3. Exhaustion- physically and emotionally depleted

Question 5

Describe the process of appraisal

Answer 5

Primary appraisal- is this event a threat? How bad could it be?
Secondary appraisal- do I have the resources or skills to cope?
Reappraisal- reconsider the situation after trying to cope with it

Question 6

Name the 2 most important factors that influence the effect of stress

Answer 6

Control- more control=less stress

Social support- buffer against stress

Question 7

Name some of the cognitive distortions that present with stress

Answer 7

Overgeneralisation
Catastrophising
Personalisation

Question 8

Name the 4 main ways stress can impact on health

Answer 8

Direct physical
Immunosuppression
Unhealthy behaviours
Mental health

Question 9

What are the 2 main coping styles?

Answer 9

Emotion focussed

Problem focussed

Question 10

Describe emotion focussed coping

Answer 10

Changing the emotion by either doing something or changing how you think about the situation

Question 11

Describe problem focussed coping

Answer 11

Changing the problem or your resources by reducing the demands of the stressful situation or expanding resources to deal with it

Question 12

Name the 3 main ways to aid coping

Answer 12

Increase/mobilise social support
Increase personal control
Prepare patients for stressful events (reduce ambiguity and uncertainty)

Question 13

What are the outcomes of successful coping?

Answer 13

Tolerating or adjusting to negative events or realities
Reducing threats and enhancing prospects of recovery, preparing for the future
Maintaining a positive self image
Maintaining emotional equilibrium
Continuing satisfying relationships with others

Question 14

Name the 2 most common emotional responses to chronic illness

Answer 14

Depression

Anxiety

Question 15

What is anxiety a response to?

Answer 15

Threat

Question 16

What is sustained anxiety associated with?

Answer 16

Unhelpful thinking patterns
Physiological effects
Anxiety disorder (e.g. Phobia, panic attack, PTSD)

Question 17

What is depression a response to?

Answer 17

Loss, failure or helplessness

Question 18

What are the characteristics of the emotional state of depression?

Answer 18

Persistent low mood
Sadness
Loss of interest
Despair
Feelings of worthlessness

Question 19

What factors make you at higher risk of depression?

Answer 19

Illness that is severe, painful or disabling
Negative life events
Lack resources to cope

Question 20

Name the 3 main barriers to recognising psychological problems

Answer 20

Symptoms may be inadvertently missed
Patients may not disclose symptoms
HCPs may avoid asking

Question 21

What is the difference between classical and operant conditioning

Answer 21

Classical conditioning pairs two stimuli but operant conditioning pairs behaviour and response

Question 22

Describe the 3 types of framework for psychological therapies

Answer 22

A- psychological treatment as an integral part of mental health care
B- eclectic psychological therapy and counselling
C- formal psychotherapies

Question 23

What are the 3 main types of psychological therapies?

Answer 23

Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT)
Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic therapies
Systemic and family therapy

Question 24

Describe CBT

Answer 24

Combination of cognitive and behavioural therapy

Relieves symptoms by changing maladaptive thoughts, beliefs and behaviour

Question 25

What behavioural techniques are used in CBT?

Answer 25

Graded exposure to feared situations Activity scheduling Reinforcement

Question 26

What cognitive techniques are used in CBT?

Answer 26

Education Monitoring of thoughts, behaviours, feelings, contexts, to develop awareness of their inter-relationship Examining/challenging negative thoughts Behavioural experiments Cognitive rehearsal of coping with difficult situations

Question 27

What is CBT used for?

Answer 27

Depression Anxiety states Eating disorders Sexual dysfunction

Question 28

What makes you a suitable patient for CBT?

Answer 28

Keen to be active participants Can engage collaboratively Can accept a model emphasising thoughts/feelings Able to articulate problems and actively seeking solutions

Question 29

What are the limitations of CBT?

Answer 29

Findings of efficacy usually derived from homogeneous populations with limited co-morbidity Delivered by expert practitioners Circumscribed benefits where problem complex and diffuse

Question 30

Describe the 2 types of psychoanalytic/dynamic therapies

Answer 30

Focal- ID conflicts arising from early experience that are reenact end in adult life Analytic- allow unconscious conflicts to be reenacted and interpreted in relationship with therapist

Question 31

What techniques are used in psychodynamic therapy?

Answer 31

Resolve the unconscious conflicts that underlie symptoms Explore feelings using experience of therapist and relationship Enhance insight of difficulties and help incorporate painful previous experiences

Question 32

Who is psychodynamic therapy suitable for?

Answer 32

People with interpersonal difficulties and personality problems Requires capacity to tolerate mental/emotional pain and interest in self-exploration

Question 33

Describe systemic and family therapy

Answer 33

Focus on relational context, address patterns of interaction and meaning Aim to facilitate resources within the system as a whole

Question 34

Who is systemic/family therapy suitable for?

Answer 34

``` Mild-moderate difficulties related to life events, sub clinical depression, mild anxiety/stress, marital/relationship difficulties Recent onset (<1 year) ```

Question 35

How do you decide which type of therapy to use?

Answer 35

Depends on both problem and patient