Stress-Related Disorders

The Concept of Stress

The term stress is typically meant to describe an individual's response to negative life events and involves cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and physiological components. Due to its multifaceted nature, the concept of stress has proved to be an imprecise term for the purpose of scientific investigations. Stress has been operationalized in many ways, and as such, it is often confounded with depression, anxiety, lack of social support, Type A behavior, hostility, and anger. Although no consensus has been achieved regarding the definition of stress, one generally accepted conceptualization of stress is that it is a response to a threat or environmental challenge that exists on a continuum between excitement and anxiety and is normally experienced as tension or negative affect. The severity of the individual's response depends on the degree to which he or she feels a sense of control over the challenge and the level of belief he or she has about the ability to cope effectively with the challenge. Stress has various dimensions, including its duration (acute vs. chronic), quantity (discrete events vs. cumulative events), and quality (interpersonal vs. noninterpersonal events).

Several factors contribute to a stress response. In order for a stress response to occur, there must be the presence of a Stressor. Stressors are events or conditions that present a demand or challenge or in some way constrain the individual and may involve catastrophic events (e.g., a natural disaster or being the victim of violence or war), major life changes, minor events, or chronic conditions (e.g., occupational stress). Lazarus and Folkman also noted the importance of cognitive appraisal in the stress process. An event needs to be judged in two ways: One is its relevance to one's physical and psychological well-being, and the other is whether one has the resources available to cope with the problem. This appraisal process influences the quality and intensity of one's emotional response as well as guides the selection of either emotion-regulation or problem-solution strategies for coping.

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