Stress Inoculation Training

Description of the Strategy

In recent decades, increased attention has been directed toward understanding the nature of stress, the impact of stress with regard to the etiology of mental illness, and its potentially negative consequences for physical health, individual performance, and productivity in the workplace. Stress generally is defined as a response that occurs when an individual perceives the demands of a particular situation or combination of situations as exceeding his or her coping resources. Stressful responding can include a variety of unwanted physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal consequences. For example, chronic-pain patients may experience stress that partially results from an inability to find adequate relief from their ailments. The frequency and intensity of their physical pain may exceed their perceived (or actual) ...