394 participants rate stress levels, completed questionairre on stressful events over past year and depression. Combined to make 'stress index' score.
Exposure to cold virus, 82 percent affected. After 7 days, most stress more likely to get full- blown cold (couldnt fight off) Higher stress index=positive correlation with developing a cold.
Immune function not measured directly, cannot confirm cause and effect as may be due to factors e.g. drinking, smoking, poor diet.
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Kiecolt-Glaser et al. (1984)
75 medical students, completed questionairres on negative life events + social isolation. Immune functioned measured via activity of natural killer cells before and during end exams.
Immune significantly lower during end exams, lower with reports of high social isolation. Stress weakens immune functioning.
Direct measure of immune function but didnt investigate illness outcomes. Not generalisable, only medical students. Follow up studie showed similar outcomes, strengthening reliability.
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Segerstrom and Miller (2004)
Reviewed studies of stress and immune and concluded;
Short term stressors increases natural immunity (none specific immune)
Long term, chronic stressors weakens natural and specific immunity (global immunosupression) Makes you vunerable to illness.
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Holmes and Rahe (1967)
394 people assess personal impact of stress value of 43 life events. Marriage as basline of 50 and death of spouse of 100. Others scaled in relation.
This created the Social Readjustment Rating Scale
Weaknesses:
Devised in 1960's US, Historically + culturally limited.
No allowance for individual differences.
There is no distinction between + and - life events.
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Rahe et al. (1970)
2,500 male US Navy personnel completed SRRS for 6 months. Monitored 7 months after, all stress illness recorded.
Positive correlation of 0.118 between life stress scores and illness scores. Life event stress can cause illness.
Low correlation (0.118) showing weak relationship. Correlational, cannot give cause and effect. Low generalisability as sample specific.
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Marmot et al. (1997)
7000 uk civil servants over 5 years, all free from heart problems. Workplace stressors factored in and lifestyle factors e.g. drinking, smoking, obesity.
Lowest grades had 1.5 times rate of heart disease compared to higher grades. Degree of personal control (decision latitude) most important.
Questionairres, self serving bias therfore emphasising effects of workplace. Office workers only, mix of sexes but not generalisable.
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Berger (2000) and Meichenbaum (1985)
Proved Stress Incocuation Therapy is effective for managing life stresses e.g. exams.
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Guidotti et al. (1990)
Benzodiazepines act in brain on pathways using neurotransmitter serotonin reducing anxiety and stress.
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Stevens and Pollack (2005)
Range of side effects (BZs): memory problems, tiredness, loss of coordination.
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Wilhelmsen et al. (1987)
Treatment for life-threatening hypertension as they can act quickly (Betablockers)
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