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Title: Stress YouTube - stress monsters


1
StressYouTube - stress monsters
  • Causes (3)
  • Measurements (3)
  • Management (3)

2
Stress is a biological response to an external
stressor/s
  • Biological response to the fight or flight
    mechanism
  • The bodies stress response causes an increase in
    blood pressure, reduction in blood flow to the
    peripheral blood vessels (hand and feet) and an
    increase in adrenaline, noradrenalin and
    corticosteroids to be released into the blood
    stream. Over a long period of time this stress
    response causes the bodys immune systems to
    eventually break down.

3
Why is understanding stress useful
  • 1. Causes psychological problems like anxiety and
    depression.
  • 2. Causes everyday physical illness like cough
    and colds by lowering the effectiveness of the
    immune system.
  • 3. Can cause heart disease and stroke by
    increasing build up of cholesterol.
  • 4. May lead to illnesses like cancer
  • 5. Causes millions of lost sick days from work
  • 6. Causes accidents and injuries at work due to
    loss of concentration

4
Evidence to show different factors which cause
stress
  • Life event scales were devised to demonstrate how
    major life events such as death, divorce,
    unemployment and severe illness can be used to
    calculate levels of stress and consequently to
    predict illness (Holmes and Rahe 1967). However
    even when we do not have extreme stressors like
    these we still end up feeling stressed!
  • Kanner 1981 - Minor stressors can combine to
    become large stressors

5
Psychological Measures (psychometric tests)
  • (i) Holmes and Rahe (1967) Social Readjustment
    Rating Scale (SRRS).
  • HR defined stress in terms of the change caused
    to a persons life (change can be positive,
    negative or neutral but would still be stressful
    by their definition). HR argued that whenever an
    individual had to make a substantial adjustment
    to the environment, the likelihood of stress is
    high.
  • Holmes Rahe first examined the medical records
    of around 5000 people. They found that, in many
    cases, significant life changes occurred in the
    months preceding the onset of illness. They
    selected 43 of these life events and asked a
    sample of 394 people to rate the degree of
    social readjustment required for each event
    (death of spouse was given the arbitrary value of
    100 and marriage the arbitrary value of 50).
    Based on these results, they constructed the
    SRRS.
  • Each life event was ranked and assigned a number
    of life change units (LCUs) from 100 to 11. A
    persons stress score is the sum of all the life
    change units for events they have experienced
    within a period of 12 months.

6
Examples of top rank events
  • The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS)
  • RANK
  • 1. Death of spouse
  • 2. Divorce
  • 3. Marital separation
  • 4. Jail term
  • 5. Death of close family member
  • 6. Personal injury or illness
  • 7. Fired at work
  • 8. Retirement
  • 9. Change in health of family member
  • 10. Pregnancy
  • 11. Sex difficulties
  • 12. Gain of new family member

7
Kanner Hassles and Uplifts
  • Kanner used hassles as a predictor of stress and
    illness. The standard life events (SRRS) which
    had been popular previously to predict stress,
    was compared with relatively minor events,
    namely, the hassles and uplifts of everyday life.
    Hassles and Uplifts Scales were administered once
    a month for 10 consecutive months to a community
    sample of 100 middle-aged adults in California.
  • A longitudinal study with repeated measures
    design was used as participants filled out both
    the Life Events Scale as well as the Hassles and
    Uplifts Scale. They then had their
    psychological symptoms of stress assessed using
    the Hopkins Symptom checklist and the Bradburn
    Morale scale. (Nine subjects dropped out)
  • It was found that the Hassles Scale was a better
    predictor of psychological and physiological
    symptoms than were the life events scores.
    Hassles also seemed to be consistent month on
    month. Hassles and symptoms of stress were
    significantly correlated. The more hassles the
    participant reported the more symptoms they
    reported. Uplifts were positively related to
    reduced symptoms for women but not for men.
  • It was concluded that the assessment of daily
    hassles and uplifts may be a better approach to
    the prediction of stress and ill health than the
    life events approach.

8
Hassles and Uplifts - Kanner
Daily Hassles Daily Uplifts
1 Concerns about weight 1 Relating well to spouse or partner
2 Health of a family member 2 Relating well to friends
3 Rising price of common goods 3 Completing a task
4 Home maintenance 4 Feeling healthy
5 Too many things to do 5 Getting enough sleep
6 Misplacing or losing things 6 Eating out
7 Outside home maintenance 7 Meeting your responsibilities
8 Property, investment or taxes 8 Visiting, phoning or writing to someone
9 Crime 9 Spending time with the family
10 Physical appearance 10 Finding your home a pleasant environment
9
Work has also been shown to produce stress!
  • What jobs or types of work would you think might
    be the most stressful?

10
Johansson Swedish Saw Mill
  • Aim to investigate whether work stressors such
    as repetitiveness, machine-regulated pace of work
    and high levels of responsibility increase
    stress-related physiological arousal and stress
    related illness
  • Procedures The researchers identified a
    high-risk group of 14 finishers in a Swedish
    sawmill. Their job was to finish off the wood at
    the last stage of processing timber. The work was
    machine-paced, isolated, very repetitive yet
    highly skilled, and the finishers productivity
    determined the wage rates for the entire factory
  • The 14 finishers were compared with a low-risk
    group of 10 cleaners, whose work was more varied,
    largely self-paced, and allowed more socialising
    with other workers
  • Levels of stress-related hormones (adrenaline and
    noradrenaline) in the urine were measured on work
    days and rest days
  • Records were kept of stress-related illness and
    absenteeism
  • Findings The high-risk group of 14 finishers
    secreted more stress hormones (adrenaline and
    noradrenaline) on work days than on rest days,
    and higher levels than the control group. The
    high-risk group of finishers also showed
    significantly higher levels of stress-related
    illness such as headaches and higher levels of
    absenteeism than the low-risk group of cleaners.
  • Conclusions A combination of work stressors-
    especially repetitiveness, machine-pacing of work
    and high levels of responsibility lead to
    chronic (long-term) physiological arousal. This
    in turn leads to stress-related illness and
    absenteeism.
  • If employers want to reduce illness and
    absenteeism in their workforce, they need to find
    ways of reducing these work stressors, for
    example by introducing variety into employees
    work and by allowing them to experience some
    sense of control over the pace of their work.

11
Johansson Swedish Saw Mill measures
  • Each participant had to give a urine sample four
    times a day so that their adrenal levels could be
    measured.
  • Their body temperature was recorded at the same
    time as this can give an indication of how alert
    a person is.
  • These two physiological measures were combined
    with self report where each participant had to
    say how much caffeine and nicotine they had
    consumed since the last urine test. They also
    had to report on a range of emotions and feelings
    as well as sleepiness, well-being, calmness,
    irritation and efficiency etc. They had to
    scale these feelings on a continuum from minimum
    to maximum using a scale with millimetres. The
    score was how many millimetres from the base
    point the participants had marked themselves to
    be feeling.
  • This combined approach gave both qualitative and
    quantitative measurements enabling Johannson to
    compare the two groups of workers and understand
    the impact of higher stress levels on the
    participants.

12
Stress on the job
  • Numerous studies show that job stress is far and
    away the major source of stress for American
    adults and that it has escalated progressively
    over the past few decades. Increased levels of
    job stress as assessed by the perception of
    having little control but lots of demands have
    been demonstrated to be associated with increased
    rates of heart attack, hypertension and other
    disorders. In New York, Los Angeles and other
    municipalities, the relationship between job
    stress and heart attacks is so well acknowledged,
    that any police officer who suffers a coronary
    event on or off the job is assumed to have a work
    related injury and is compensated accordingly
    (including a heart attack sustained while fishing
    on vacation or gambling in Las Vegas).

13
Geer and Meisel Stress and control
  • Aim To see if perceived control or actual
    control can reduce stress reactions to averse
    stimuli.
  • Method Laboratory experiment in which
    participants were shown photographs of dead car
    crash victims and their stress levels were
    measured by GSR (Galvanic skin response) and
    heart rate through ECG monitoring.
  • Participants 60 undergraduates enrolled in a
    psychology course at a New York university.
  • Design Independent measures with participants
    randomly assigned to three conditions.
  • Group 1 were given control over how long they
    looked at the images for. They could press a
    button to terminate the image and were told a
    tone would precede each new image.
  • Group 2 Were warned the photos would be 60
    seconds apart they would see the picture for 35
    seconds and a 10 second warning tone would
    precede each photo. The group had no control but
    did know what was happening.
  • Group 3 were told that from time to time they
    would see photos and hear tones but were not
    given timings or any control.
  • Procedure each participant was seated in a sound
    proofed room and wired up to the GSR and ECG
    machines. The machine was calibrated for 5
    minutes while the participant relaxed and a
    baseline measurement was then taken.
    Instructions were read over an intercom. Each
    photo was precede with a 10 second tone and then
    flashed up for 35 seconds (only the one group
    could terminate the photo and move on). The GSR
    was taken at the onset of the tone and during the
    second half of the tone and in response to the
    picture.
  • Results ECG recordings were discarded as they
    appeared inaccurate.
  • Group 2 showed most stress. Group 1 showed least
    stress.
  • Conclusions that having control over your
    environment can reduce stress responses.

14
Causes of stress and supporting evidence
  • Work as a cause of stress Johansson 1978 Swedish
    Sawmill, repetitiveness, machine pacing and
    responsibility.
  • Hassles and Life Events as a cause of stress
    Kanner 1981.
  • Lack of control as a cause of stress Geer and
    Meilsel 1973 lab experiment with car crash victims

15
How can we measure stress levels?
  • Physiological
  • Blood pressure
  • Steroid levels in urine and saliva (Reicher and
    Haslam).
  • Galvanic skin response and heart rate (Geer and
    Meisel).
  • Advantages scientific
  • Disadvantages
  • quantitative

16
Self Report
  • We have already considered how stress can be
    measured when looking at causes of stress - by
    looking at Holmes and Rahe and Kanner with their
    Life Events and Hassles and Uplifts Scales.
  • Advantages qualitative and quantitative,
    detailed, personal.
  • Disadvantages time consuming, difficulty in
    analysing, experimenter bias

17
Combined Approach to measuring stress
  • Johansson measured stress using biological
    measures and self report.
  • This is a useful conclusion section when
    describing measurements as it involved both
    qualitative and quantitative data in the same
    measurements and reliability of the self report
    can be checked against the biological tests.

18
Methods of measuring stress and supporting
evidence
  • 1. Geer and Meisel 1973 physiological -GSR
    (galvanic skins response) and heart rate, body
    temperature.YouTube - Stress Monitor
  • 2. Kanner self report of hassles and uplifts.
    Holmes and Rahe self report of major life
    events.
  • 3. Johansson 1978 combined approach using
    physiological - urine tests and self report.

19
Validity and measurements
  • It is possible that a question could arise which
    is entirely about validity the most common way
    in which this is usually addressed is when the
    area specifically looks at measurements as
    validity obviously means are we measuring what we
    say we are measuring!
  • Discuss the validity of measurements of stress
    (15)

20
Techniques of stress management
  • Learning Objectives
  • Understand and evaluate behavioural and
    cognitive techniques to stress management.
  • Explain the use of stress management techniques

21
What techniques can be used to manage stress
  • Cognitive techniques
  • (SIT) Stress Inoculation Therapy can be used
    to help people learn to identify when they will
    become stressed and use positive thoughts to try
    and reduce future stress responses during
    sessions of cognitive therapy.
  • Michenbaum (1975)YouTube - Stress Reduction 1 of
    6
  • http//www.youtube.com/watch?vUGaRyLN9gb8

22
RET Rational emotive therapyPage 162
  • Developed by Ellis 1962.
  • Ellis believed that faulty or irrational ways of
    thinking affect stress appraisal processes
    increase the appraisal of threat or harm.
  • RET A-B-C-D-E framework whereby the therapist
    bluntly/aggressively challenges the client to
    examine their belief systems to realise how
    irrational and damaging they are.
  • Copy table 2 into your notes!
  • Once completed summarise the evaluation in your
    own words.

23
Meichenbaum Stress Inoculation Therapy - Cognitive
  • Standard behavioural measures have tried to help
    people become desensitised to stress.
    Meichenbaum compared these standard behavioural
    methods with cognitive ones. Cognitive therapy
    sessions aimed at enabling people to identify
    their stressors and change their mental processes
    when under stress rather than just their
    behaviours.
  • 21 students ages 17 25 responded to an advert
    about treatment of test anxiety. It was a field
    experiment with participants put into three
    groups, SIT, standard desensitisation and a
    control group. Each participant was tested using
    a test anxiety questionnaire.
  • The SIT group received 8 therapy sessions giving
    them insight into their thoughts before tests.
    They were then given some positive statements to
    say and relaxation techniques to use in test
    situations.
  • The systematic desensitisation groups were also
    given 8 therapy sessions with only progressive
    relaxation training whilst imaging stressful
    situations.
  • The control group were told they were on a
    waiting list for treatment.
  • Findings performance in tests in the SIT group
    improved the most although both therapy groups
    showed improvement over the control groups.
  • Conclusions that SIT is an effective way of
    reducing anxiety in students who are prone to
    anxiety in test situations and more effective
    than simply behavioural techniques when a
    cognitive component is added in.

24
Past Exam Question
  • Discuss the cognitive approach to managing
    stress. Refer to one other approach in your
    answer. 12 marks

25
Behavioural techniques biofeedback
  • Allowing people to monitor their own health and
    gain feedback about the effects of certain
    behaviours allows them to modify behaviour
    through positive reinforcement.
  • Budzynski (1973)YouTube - Stress Management and
    Temperature Bio Feedback http//www.youtube.com/wa
    tch?vZBY1YdwEfNQ
  • YouTube - How to Use Biofeedback for Stress
    http//www.youtube.com/watch?vkn1RHEcmrNI
  • YouTube - breathing techniques for stress,
    anxiety and panic

26
Behavioural techniques Biofeedback - Budzinski
  • Aim to see if biofeedback techniques work and
    help reduce tension headaches or whether the
    effect is due to the placebo effect. The placebo
    effect is a positive psychological effect that
    can occur even when there is no actual treatment.
  • Method Experimental method with patients trained
    in the laboratory. Data was collected using
    muscle tension measurements (EMG) with an
    electromyography, a machine which gives feedback
    by a graph by applying electrodes to the muscles.
    Patients were also given a psychometric test for
    depression (MMPI) and asked to complete
    questionnaires on their headaches. It was an
    independent measures design with participants
    randomly assigned to one of three groups.
  • Participants 18 replied to a newspaper advert in
    the USA. They were screened by telephone and
    then had psychiatric and medical examinations to
    ensure there were no other reasons for their
    headaches. There were 2 males and 16 females
    aged 22-44 with a mean age of 36.
  • Group A had real biofeedback training with
    relaxation using the EMG
  • Group B had biofeedback training but with false
    (pseudo) feedback
  • Group C were used as a control group
  • Procedure all groups kept a diary of their
    headaches for two weeks, rating them from 0 mild
    to 5 severe. Groups A and B were told to
    practice relaxation after the training for 15
    20 mins each day.
  • Results After 3 months group As muscle tension
    was significantly lower than the other two
    groups. Reporting of headaches in group A also
    fell significantly compared to their base line
    which it did not in the other two groups.
  • Conclusions biofeedback is an effective way to
    reduce stress levels by reducing tension.

27
Social approaches
  • Many researchers have found out that social
    support helps reduce stress. Loneliness and
    isolation increase stress.
  • Waxler- Morrison (2006) found women with strong
    social relationships were more likely to survive
    breast cancer!

28
Waxler-Morrison Social Support
  • Aim to look at how a womans social
    relationships influence her response to breast
    cancer and survival.
  • Method a quasi experiment with woman who were
    diagnosed with breast cancer. The information
    was gathered using questionnaires and 18
    interviews plus examination of medical records.
    Women were fitted into categories based on their
    social support network.
  • Participants 133 women under 55 yrs
    (pre-menopausal) who had been referred with
    breast cancer in Canada.
  • Design Independent measures design with women of
    different pre existing levels of social support.
  • Procedure women were sent a questionnaire to
    fill in about their social support including
    questions on education and family
    responsibilities, friends, their perception of
    their support from others, marital status and
    church memberships etc. Their diagnoses were
    taken from medical records which were again
    checked 4 years later.
  • Findings and conclusions qualitative data from
    questionnaires showed that practical help given
    by others for cleaning, child care, cooking etc
    was essential for support. Jobs were seen as
    important for support and most survivors reported
    supportive husbands although problems were often
    reported with children who may also need support.
    There was a significant relationship between
    the amount of support reported and survival rates.

29
Techniques for managing stress and supporting
research
  • 1. Cognitive techniques Michenbaum 1975
  • 2. Behavioural techniques biofeedback
    Budzynski 1973
  • 3. Social support Waxler-Morrison 2006

30
Problems and usefulness
  • Due to the high rate of illness and days off work
    sick combined with an increasingly stressful
    society it is really useful to learn how to
    manage our stress and avoid long term ill health.
    We have already seen how lack of control causes
    stress (Geer and Meisel) so by giving back
    control through cognitive or behavioural measures
    it can only help reduce stress
  • However stress management needs trained
    counsellors, resources, commitment, time, money,
    and possibly a level of understanding that not
    everyone will be able to show. Some strategies
    are also more appropriate for long term stress
    rather than short term. For example if
    bereavement causes stress then cognitive therapy
    is not the answer social support might be most
    appropriate if there is a longer term problem
    social support may be a good first option
    followed by cognitive or behaviour therapy etc.

31
Exam questions For Home Work!!Due 24/11/10
  • Outline one technique for managing stress (10)
  • Describe and evaluate the role of social support
    in mediating responses to stress. Refer to
    evidence in your answer.(12)
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