Chronic Stress: Long-Term Reactions

As Noted In Your Text Chronic Stress Long Term Reactions To Stressor

As noted in your text, chronic stress (long-term reactions to stressors) and daily hassles can be damaging to your physical and psychological health. No one can avoid stress. However, there are a number of factors that can either contribute to becoming overwhelmed by stress or to flourishing in spite of it. For example, having a sense of control, social support, relaxation, and a sense of meaning can all contribute to effectively combating the effects of stress. In this exercise, you will complete a number of scales to help you determine your stress level, how you respond to and cope with stress, and resources you have to combat stress.

You will use the results of these scales to develop your personal stress profile. To make the exercise more fun, you might want to have your partner, spouse, or friend complete the scales too. That way, you can compare your stress profiles.

What You Must Do to Create Your Profile

Print, complete, and score the following scales. Do not read how to score a scale until after you have completed it:

  • Stressed Out Susceptibility to Stress (SUS)
  • Response to Stress Scale
  • Are you a Type A or Type B?
  • Coping with Stress
  • Multidimensional Health Locus of Control
  • Locus of Control
  • Life Orientation Test

Identify at least 5 of your personal stressors and 5 daily hassles. Using the information gathered in sections A and B, write a 3-5 page self-reflection paper that includes the following sections:

  1. Discuss your scores on each of the above scales and write a brief statement about what that score means for you. Were you surprised by the scores? Did the results resonate with your perception of your stress level?
  2. Integrate information from your textbook and other academic sources to provide a summary of your stressors and daily hassles.
  3. Using textbook and academic sources, propose strategies you might employ to reduce your stress.
  4. Discuss the issue of personal stress as it relates to psychological well-being. Connect your own scale results and experiences with the information in your textbook and academic literature.

Paper For Above instruction

The comprehensive assessment of personal stress levels through various psychological scales offers valuable insights into how individuals perceive, respond to, and manage stress. My results from these assessments illustrated a nuanced picture of my stress profile, highlighting areas of both resilience and vulnerability. Recognizing these facets allows for targeted strategies to enhance my psychological well-being and cope effectively with ongoing stressors.

My Susceptibility to Stress (SUS) score indicated a moderate sensitivity to stress, suggesting that I am somewhat prone to experiencing stress reactions but not excessively so. This result aligns with my perception that certain situations, such as work deadlines and interpersonal conflicts, tend to elevate my stress levels. Interestingly, I was somewhat surprised by this score, as I often consider myself resilient; however, the scale accurately reflected my vulnerability to specific stress triggers.

The Response to Stress Scale revealed a predominantly problem-focused coping style, favoring active strategies such as problem-solving and planning. This finding resonates with my self-perception, as I tend to confront stressors proactively. However, I also noticed tendencies toward emotional responses, like frustration when issues seem unmanageable, which could undermine my resilience if not addressed. In terms of the Type A versus Type B assessment, I identified as more Type B, indicating a calmer, more relaxed approach, which I believe helps buffer against stress but may sometimes lead to complacency.

Results from the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control suggested a significant belief in external factors influencing health outcomes, particularly luck and external influence, while my internal locus was moderate. This combination suggests that while I recognize my role in managing stress, I also attribute some outcomes to external forces. The Life Orientation Test's predominantly positive outlook score confirmed my tendency toward optimism, which has been shown to buffer against stress and promote adaptive coping (Carver et al., 2010).

Reflecting on my identified stressors, I listed work-related deadlines, financial concerns, health issues, family conflicts, and time management difficulties. My daily hassles include minor irritations such as traffic delays, technology frustrations, miscommunications, household chores, and social obligations. These daily hassles, while seemingly trivial individually, accumulate and significantly impact my overall stress levels, validating findings by Kanner et al. (1981) that daily hassles are predictive of health complaints and psychological distress.

To mitigate these stressors, I plan to adopt several evidence-based strategies. Mindfulness meditation practices, supported by research from Chiesa and Serretti (2009), can reduce stress by enhancing emotional regulation and decreasing symptoms of anxiety. Additionally, implementing time management techniques such as prioritization and scheduling can lessen the burden of workload and improve perceived control (Macan, 2010). Engaging in regular physical activity, which has demonstrated efficacy in reducing cortisol levels and improving mood (Hamer et al., 2009), is another recommended approach. Social support, as emphasized in Cohen and Wills (1985), remains crucial in buffering stress, so strengthening relationships with friends and family will be a priority.

The correlation between personal stress and psychological well-being is profound. Persistent stress can impair cognitive functioning, emotional stability, and physical health, leading to disorders such as depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease (McEwen, 2006). Conversely, effective stress management fosters resilience and enhances overall quality of life. My self-assessment results affirm the importance of employing targeted coping strategies and fostering positive outlooks to maintain mental health. Academic literature supports the notion that personal perceptions of stress and locus of control significantly influence individual responses and long-term health outcomes (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984; Seligman, 2006). My experience underscores the need for continuous self-awareness and proactive stress management to promote psychological resilience.

References

  • Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2010). Optimism. In E. C. Chang (Ed.), Optimism & pessimism: Implications for theory, research, and practice (pp. 75-100). American Psychological Association.
  • Chiesa, A., & Serretti, A. (2009). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for stress management in healthy people: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15(5), 593-600.
  • Hamer, M., Chida, Y., & Kivimäki, M. (2009). Physical activity and risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 94(12), 509-519.
  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer Publishing Company.
  • Macan, T. H. (2010). Time management. In S. G. Rogelberg (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of organizational well-being (pp. 195-218). Oxford University Press.
  • McEwen, B. S. (2006). Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators: Central role of the brain. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 8(4), 367-381.
  • Kanner, A. D., Coyne, J. C., Schwartz, P., & Lazarus, R. S. (1981). Comparison of two modes of stress measurement: Daily hassles and uplifts versus major life events. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4(1), 1-39.
  • Seligman, M. E. (2006). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. Vintage.

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