health, stress, & coping

Question 1

what is health?

Answer 1

the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being
* not merely the absense of diease

Question 2

what is illness

Answer 2

the presence of a phycial or mental diease/impairment

Question 3

what are the aspects of health-related quality of life?

Answer 3

functioning
* self-care
* role
* social
well-being
* emotional well-being
* pain
* energy

Question 4

what is health psychology?

Answer 4

the study of both positive and negtaive impacts that humans’ behaviour and decisions have on their health, survival, and wellbeing

Question 5

what are the three approaches to health and illness?

Answer 5

1. biomedical model: illness and biological factors
2. biopsychosocial model: biological, psychological, social factors
3. health psychology: psychological influences staying healthy, becoming ill, and responding

Question 6

what is the biopsycosocial model?

Answer 6

focuses on health and illness, arguing that both are determined by a combination of biologcial, psychological, and social factors
* most health professionals endorse this model

Question 7

what is acute disease?

Answer 7

temporary conditions - develop over a short period of time and cause rapid chnage in health

Question 9

what is chronic disease?

Answer 9

conditions that last at least three months and may require additional support such as physio or occupational ttherapy

Question 10

what are the risk factors of cancer? how to cope?

Answer 10

cancer is the leading cause of death in canada
risk factors: unhealthy diety, smoking , excessive alchohol concumption, promiscuous sexual behaviour, sexually active early teens
coping: medical treatment and maintaining quality of life

Question 11

what are the risk factors of coronary heart disease?

Answer 11

coronary heart disease is the top cause of death and disability in u.s. and canada
risk factors: stress associated with risk factors of CHD
* relationship between type a personality and CHD

Question 12

what is aids? what is the treatment?

Answer 12

acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
* HIV causes AIDS as it attacks immune system untul it can’t function

treatment (no cure or vaccine)
* HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) -> combination of at least three medications
other:
* Education and information.
* Psychotherapy, self-help groups, group therapy.
* Antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs

Question 13

what is smoking? what can it cause?

Answer 13

nicotine from smoking causes addiction
* reward circuitory stimulated and uncomfortable withdrawl symptoms reduced (positive and negtaive reinforcement)
causes lung cancer and coronary heart disease
* #1 preventable causes of disease in canada
* reduces life expectancy by 7-14 yeards

Question 14

what is the BMI?

Answer 14

body mass index
*genes account for 50-90% of variation in body wieght

Question 15

what are the consequences of alcohol abuse?

Answer 15

Alcohol abuse/dependence more prevalent among men than women;
causes cirrhosis of the liver
* risk factors: genetic and envrionmental factors

Question 16

how does poverty influence health?

Answer 16

• less access to healthcare
• lack of control
• health issues magnified by stress
• poorer diets

Question 17

how does discrimination affect health?

Answer 17

• increased blood pressure
• unhealthy behaviours

Question 18

what is social resilience?

Answer 18

the ability to keep positive relationshops and to endure and recover from social isolation and life stressors

Question 20

what is social contagion?

Answer 20

subtle unintentional spreading of a behaviour because of social interactions

Question 21

what is stress?

Answer 21

Physiological and psychological response to stressor that threatens or challenges our ability to cope effectively
* requires adaption or adjustment

Question 22

what is a stressor?

Answer 22

event capable of producing physical or emotional stress

Question 23

what is general adaption syndome? what are the stages?

Answer 23

the sequence of reactions in response to stressor - by hans selye
1. alarm stage: sympathetic nervous system releases hormones -> emotional/physiological rection in response to the stessor
2. resistance stage: physiological efforst to resist or adapt to stressor
3. exhaustion stage: if organism fails in efforts to resist stressor - resources depleated and abiliity to cope declines

Question 24

eustress vs distress?

Answer 24

eustress: positive/good stress
distress: negative/unpleasant stress

Question 25

what are the four stress responses?

Answer 25

1. fight: facing any perceived threat aggressively
2. flight: running away from danger
3. freeze: unable to move or act against a threat
4. fawn/appease: immediately acting to try to please to avoid any
   conflict

walter cannon

Question 26

what is appraisal? what is lazarus and folkman’s psychological model of stress?

Answer 26

appraisal: the cognitive act of assessing and evaluating the potential threat and demands of the event
primary appraisal: perceiveing the threat
secondary appraisal: determine how to cope

lazarus and folkman: the stress response depends on the outcome of the primary and secondary appraisals
if percieve as threat and percieve as inadequate coping -> stress

Question 27

what is the individual zone of optimal functioning?

Answer 27

range of emotional intensity in which an individual is most likey to perform at their best

Question 28

what is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis?

Answer 28

a neural and endocrine circuit that provides communication between the nervous system and endocrine system
hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland which stimulates the adrenal cortex to realse cortisol which prepares beody to respond to stress
stimulating the release of oxytocin lowers stress

Question 29

what are the effects of stress?

Answer 29

effects can be acute or chronic
* Prolonged exposure results in damaging influences from the sympathetic nervous system.
* Immune system suppression
* Cardiovascular disease
* Some forms of cancer
* Shortening telomeres

Question 30

what does PTSD result from? what are the characteristics of PTSD?

Answer 30

typically results from experiencing extreme trauma (acute or chronic)
* prevalent from childhood trauma, military, emergy service workers
primary characteristsics
1. intrusive re-experiencing event
2. negative mood and cognitions
3. avidance of triggers
4. hyper-arousal/vililant

Question 31

what are the possible effects of PTSD?

Answer 31

subtance use, depression, suicidal ideation
unemployment, poverty

Question 32

how is the left brain and right brain affected by PTSD?

Answer 32

right brain:
* react in a way to ensure saftey
* right amygdala is over-reactive
* hippocampus is deactivated
left brain:
* preforntal cortex is unable to make sense of traumatic experience and make it coherent
* affects other areas that impacts speech

Question 33

what is the immune system?

Answer 33

the body’s defense against invading bacteria, vruises, and other ilness-producing organisms
* Consists of the skin, phagocytes, lymphocytes (T and B cells), and macrophages
* can be compronised by disorders

Question 34

what is psychoneuroimmunology?

Answer 34

the study of the relationship between the immune system and the central nervous system

Question 35

how does stress affect the immune system?

Answer 35

stress can decrease levels of immune system’s B and T cells
stress and anxiety can amke sutoimmune diseases worse

Question 36

how does optimism affect stress?

Answer 36

lowers stress and may reduce risk of illness

Question 37

how does psychological hardiness affect stress?

Answer 37

allows you to see stressor as a challenges instead of a threat, making you feel more in control of the situation

Question 38

how does social support affect stress?

Answer 38

helps by allowing you to get help, info, advice, and emotional support

Question 39

what is type a personality?

Answer 39

describes people who tend to be impatient and worry about time and are easily angered competitive and highly motivated
- more likely to be negatively affected by stress

Question 40

what is type b personality

Answer 40

describes people who are more laid back and characterized by patient easygoing and relaxed disposition

Question 41

what is coping?

Answer 41

the process used to manage the demands of stress and conflict

Question 42

what is the stress and coping paradigm?

Answer 42

an interaction of a person’s appraisal, personality, and stressor

Question 43

what is positive psychology?

Answer 43

uses scietific methods to study human strengths and potential

Question 44

what are the two basic ways of coping?

Answer 44

problem-focused coping
* attempts to tackle the problem head on (reducing, modifying, eliminating source of stress)
emotion-focused coping
* dealing with one’s feelings about the stressful event )chnagng the emotional responses)

Question 45

how is exercise beneficial

Answer 45

aerobic exercise for a min 2.5 hours a week is recommended
moderate amounts of daily activity is good
*Strength training increases muscle and bone strength; reduces sarcopenia (muscle wasting) and osteoporosis (loss of bone mass.) and moderates effect of aging on body

Question 46

what is meditation? what are the types?

Answer 46

any procedure that involves a shift in consciousness to a state in which an individual is highly focused aware and in control of mental processes
* focused attention meditation
* open monitoring meditation
* mindfulness-based stress reduction: a structured relaxation program based on elements of meditation
* integreated mind-body training

Question 47

what is resilience

Answer 47

ability to cultivate strengths to positively meet the challenges of life/overcome adversity
* Involves behaviors, thoughts, and actionsthat can be learned and developed in anyone

Question 48

wat are protective influences?

Answer 48

personal, social, and institutional resources that foster competence and promote successful development
* can be within the individual or within the environment
* can reduce the risk of consequences of an event

Question 49

what is emotional resilience? what are the characteristics of emotional resilience?

Answer 49

being able to overcome stressors or endure negative life events while finding personal meaning in such experiences

characteristics
* emotional awareness and perspective
* personal and professional support
* internal locus of control
* perseverance
* spirituality
* optimism
* sense of humour

Question 50

what is post-traumatic growth?

Answer 50

the capacity to grow and experience long-term positive effects in response to negativent events
* often reported by cancer survivors

Question 51

what are the 5 domains of post-traumatic growth?

Answer 51

1. improved relationships
2. new possibilities for life
3. greater appreciation for life
4. greater sense of personal strength
5. spritual development

Question 52

what is compensatory control?

Answer 52

psychological strategies people use to preserve a sense of order when person control is compromised