AQA A- Unit 2- Stress

Sympathomedullary Pathway (SAM):

• Deals with short term stressors.
• Hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system
• Then stimulates the adrenal medulla to release the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline into the bloodstream.
• This gets the body ready for fight or flight
  • slows down reproductive and digestive system
  • increases blood supply to legs
  • heart pumps faster
  • breathing rate increases
  • pupils dilate

Pituitary-adrenal system:

• Deals with long term stressors.
• Hypothalamus causes pituitary gland to release ACTH
• ACTH travels through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands.
• Cortisol released by adrenal cortex- responsible for quick bursts of energy, lower sensitivity to pain, impaired cognitive performance, lowered immune response

Kiecolt-Glaser et al (1984):

• 75 medical students
• Blood test 1 month before and during exams
• Higher NK cells in first blood sample
• Findings- short term stressors reduce immune system increasing vulnerability to illness.

Kiecolt-Glaser et al (2005):

• Effects of inter-personal relationships on wound healing
• Blisters on arms of married couples
• Healed slower after conflicting discussions.

Marmot et al:

• 7372 participants- civil servants from london.
• They completed an questionnaire and checked for signs of cardiovascular disease
• 5 years later- checked for cardiovascular disease, asked about employment grade, job control and social support.
• Lower grade (lack of control) was the cause of stress.

Johansson et al:

• Natural experiment 24 participants
• Two groups: 10 in low risk and 14 in high risk
• Those in high risk has 2X as much adrenalin and felt rushed.

Karasek's stress model

Life changes: an event which requires a readjustment.

SRRS-Holmes & Rahe: 

• Based on 43 life event
• Marriage used as a base line of 50
• 394 participants- scores from all participants were totaled and averaged

Rahe et al:

• Military version of SRRS given to 2700 men before they went on tour.
• Low LCU score had low illness and those with high LCU score had higher levels of illness

Delongis et al:

• 75 married couples
• Gave participants a life events questionnaire and a HSUP questionaire.
• They found no realtionship between life events and health.

Daily Hassles- Frustrating demands that happen in everyday life.

Daily Uplifts- The minor positive experience of everyday life

Hassle and Up Lifts scale:

• HSUP measures respondent's attitudes towards daily situations.
• Provides a way to evaluate the positive and negative

Bouteyer et al:

• Studied relationship between daily hassles & mental health of students between school and uni
• First year Psych students completed hassle part of HSUP & Becks depression inventory.
• 41% suffered from depression.
• High correlation between scores on scale & incidents of depressive symptoms.

Accumulation effect- a build up of daily hassles resulting in more serious stress reactions such as anxiety and depression.

Amplification effect- major life changes may make people more vulnerable towards daily hassles.

Type A:

• Competitive
• Achievement striving
• Impatient
• working to deadlines 
• Unhappy doing nothing
• Hostile and aggressive

Type B: 

• Patient
• Relaxed
• Easy going

Hardy personality:

• Control- you can influence events in your life
• Commitment- involved in world around them and strong sense of purpose
• Challenge- viewed as an opportunity rather than stressor.

Freidman and Rosenman- Western Collaborative Group Study:

• 3000 men 39-59, California,they were examined for signs of CHD and personalities were assessed in an interview.
• After 8 1/2 2X as many type A experienced heart attack and had high blood pressure.

Kabasa and Maddi- American buisness executive:

• 800 Americans completed the SRRS
• 150 were classified as high stress- some of these had low illness.
• Hardy personality encourages resilience-those high stress, low illness were high on Hardy

Supporting- Lifton:

• Measured hardiness in students in 5 unis
• Low hardiness were disproportionately represented in drop-outs & high scores were more likely to finish their degree.

Opposing-Myrtek:

• Meta-analysis of 35 studies.
• Found association between CHD and 1 component of Type A- Hostility but no other association between type A and CHD

Drug Therapies:

• Benzodiazepines (BZ)
• Slows down activity of central nervous system.
• BZ's enhance action of GABA- a neurotransmitter- the body's natural form of anxiety relief.
• Also reduce serotonin activity- reduces anxiety

strengths:

• Effective
• Easy
• Pharmacological effects- not just placebo
• Kahn et al- 250 patients, 8 weeks- BZ's significantly superior to a placebo.

Weaknesses:

• BZ's are addictive- even really low doses- limited to 4 weeks.
• Side effects- increased aggressiveness, cognitive side effects & tired.
• Treats the symptoms rather than the problem- not long term.

Biofeedback:

• Machine measures muscle tension, skin temp and electrical conduction in skin.
• As device pick up higher readings the noise gets louder and will have to find a way to calm down and lower readings to stop annoying noise.
• Will understand what helps calm them down and can apply to later situations.

Strengths:

• Results often impressive
• Lasting effects
• Harmless- no side effects- not unethical etc.
• Meuret: biofeedback on breathing pattern effective for people with panic disorder

Weaknesses:

• Requires motivation and commitment.
• Time- lots of sessions- training
• Specialist equipment.

Hardiness Training:

• Aims to increase self-confidence and sense of control and consists of 3 stages:
• Focusing- taught to recognise biological signs of stress & identify source of stress.
• Reliving stress encounter- relive stress encounter & helped to analyse situation & their response. Gives them insight into current coping strategies & how to be more effective.
• Self improvement- insight can now be used to move forward & learn new techniques. Taught to see stressor as a challenge to take control of.

Strengths: 

• Fletcher- UK olympic swimmers experience hardiness training- ensure they are committed to their training & challenge of increasing performance levels & able to control stressful aspects of daily life

Weaknesses:

• Considerable effort required- might not be necessary when results can be achieved more simply.
• Might not be suitable for certain personalities.

Stress Inoculation Therapy (Meichenbaum): Form of cognitive behavioural therapy

• Suggests a form of coping before problem arises and consitis of 3 stages:
  • Conceptualisation phase- therapist and client establish relationship. Client learns nature and impact of stress- taught how to view stressors as problem to be solved.
  • Skill acquisition phase-  coping skills (tailored to client) taught and practiced in the clinic and rehearse in real life.
  • Application phase- given opportunity to apply new coping skill in different situations.

 Strengths-

• Treats cause and symptoms
• Preparation for future- long term
• Meichenbaum- compared SIT with Systematic desensitisation and found SIT could help with other phobias aswel.

Weaknesses-

• Time consuming- lots of sessions
• Requires lots of motivation
• Complex and range of activities could be reduced.