Comprehensive Stress Management empowers students to learn what stress is, evaluate their level of stress, and
apply to their own lives the tools and skills to manage that stress. The book examines a variety of topics relevant
to college students such as intrapersonal and interpersonal stressors, physiological reactions to stress, spirituality
and stress, occupational stress, and family stress. Lab Assessments at the conclusion of each chapter help students
relate what they have learned to their personal lives by encouraging them to identify specific attitudes, behaviors,
and coping skills as well as target areas for improvement. The 13th edition incorporates many changes and updates
while still retaining the content and features valued by instructors and students over the previous editions.
Table of Contents
Preface xvi Scientific Foundations 1 What Is Stress? 2 The Pioneers 3 Stress Theory 6 Life-Events Theory 6 Hardiness Theory 7 Social Support Theory 7 The Stressor 7 Stress Reactivity 8 Gender Differences in Reactivity 10 A Definition of Stress 10 Stress Management Goals 10 The Way to Use This Book 11 Your Personal Stress Profile and Activity Workbook 11 The Stress Portfolio 12 "Getting Involved in Your Community" Boxes 13 Summary 15 Notes 16 Internet Resources 17 Stress Psychophysiology 18 The Brain 18 The Endocrine System 21 The Autonomic Nervous System 24 The Cardiovascular System 26 The Gastrointestinal System 28 The Muscles 28 The Skin 29 Symptoms, Stress, and You 30 Summary 31 Notes 31 Internet Resources 32 How Much Do You Know About Stress Psychophysiology? 33 What Are Your Physiological Reactions to Stress? 34 Stress and Illness/Disease 35 Hot Reactors 35 Psychosomatic Disease 35 Stress and the Immunological System 36 Stress and Serum Cholesterol 38 Specific Conditions 39 Hypertension 39 Stroke 40 Coronary Heart Disease 41 Ulcers 43 Migraine Headaches 43 Tension Headaches 45 Cancer 46 Allergies, Asthma, and Hay Fever 46 Rheumatoid Arthritis 48 Backache 48 TMJ Syndrome 49 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder 49 Stress and Other Conditions 52 Summary 52 Notes 52 Internet Resources 55 General Applications: Life-Situation and Perception Interventions 57 Intervention 58 A Model of Stress 58 Feedback Loops in the Stress Model 60 Setting Up Roadblocks 60 Comprehensive Stress Management 61 Eustress and the Model 62 Taking Control 63 Making a Commitment 65 Summary 67 Internet Resources 67 Life-Situation Interventions Intrapersonal 68 Eliminating Unnecessary Stressors 68 Nutrition and Stress 70 Noise and Stress 77 Life Events and Stress 78 Hassles and Chronic Stress 80 Success Analysis 81 Summary 83 Notes 83 Internet Resources 84 What Is Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)? 85 What Stressful Events Do You Experience? 86 Are Your Life Events Unhealthy? 87 What Hassles Do You Encounter? 88 Life-Situation Interventions Interpersonal 89 Asserting Yourself 89 Nonverbal Assertiveness 90 Verbal Assertiveness 91 Conflict Resolution 92 Communication 95 Nonverbal Communication 95 Verbal Communication 96 Time Management 97 Assessing How You Spend Time 97 Setting Goals 98 Prioritizing 98 Scheduling 99 Maximizing Your Rewards 99 Saying No 99 Delegating 99 Evaluating Tasks Once 99 Using the Circular File 100 Limiting Interruptions 100 Investing Time 100 Social Support Networking 100 Summary 103 Notes 103 Internet Resources 104 How Assertive Are You? 105 How Do You Resolve Conflicts? 106 How is Your Social Support? 107 Perception Interventions 109 Selective Awareness 109 Stop to Smell the Roses 111 Perspective and Selective Awareness 112 An Attitude of Gratitude 113 Humor and Stress 114 Type A Behavior Pattern 115 Self-Esteem 118 Locus of Control 119 Anxiety Management 120 Test Anxiety 121 Trait and State Anxiety 121 Panic Disorder 121 Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder) 122 Specific Phobias 123 Coping Techniques 123 Hardiness 127 Summary 128 Notes 128 Internet Resources 132 Are You a Type A? 133 How Is Your Self-Esteem? 134 How Is Your Physical Self-Esteem? 135 What Is Your Locus of Control? 136 What Is Your Level of Anxiety? 138 What Is Your Level of Test Anxiety? 139 What Is Your Level of Social Physique Anxiety? 140 Do You have Irrational Beliefs? 141 Spirituality and Stress 143 Spiritual Health 143 Religion and Spirituality 144 Spirituality and Health 144 How Spirituality and Religion Affect Health 145 Control Theory 146 Social Support Theory 147 Spirituality, Social Support, and Terrorism 147 Placebo Theory 148 Forgiveness and Health 148 Volunteerism as a Spiritual and Healthy Activity 149 Service-Learning: A Spiritual and Academic Activity 149 Closing Thoughts on Spirituality, Health, and Managing Stress 151 Summary 153 Notes 153 Internet Resources 155 General Applications: Relaxation Techniques 157 Meditation 158 What Is Meditation? 158 Types of Meditation 158 Benefits of Meditation 160 Physiological Effects 160 Psychological Effects 161 How to Meditate 161 Making Time for Meditation 163 Summary 164 Notes 164 Internet Resources 166 Is Meditation for You? 167 Autogenic Training and Imagery 169 What Is Autogenic Training? 169 Benefits of Autogenic Training 170 Physiological Effects 170 Psychological Effects 170 How to Do Autogenic Training 171 Prerequisites 171 Body Position 171 Six Initial Stages of Autogenic Training 172 Imagery 173 An Autogenic Training Experience 174 Summary 176 Notes 177 Internet Resources 178 Is Autogenic Training for You? 179 Progressive Relaxation 181 Bracing 181 What Is Progressive Relaxation? 182 Benefits of Progressive Relaxation 183 Physiological Effects 183 Psychological Effects 183 How to Do Progressive Relaxation 183 Cues Identifying Tension 184 Prerequisites 184 Body Position 184 Exercises 185 Other Short Exercises 189 Summary 189 Notes 190 Internet Resources 191 Is Progressive Relaxation for You? 193 Other Relaxation Techniques 195 Biofeedback 195 Benefits of Biofeedback 196 How to Relax Using Biofeedback 198 How to Arrange for Biofeedback Training 199 Diaphragmatic Breathing 199 Body Scanning 200 Massage and Acupressure 201 Yoga and Stretching 201 Repetitive Prayer 202 Quieting Reflex 202 Instant Calming Sequence 202 Mindfulness 203 Music and Relaxation 203 Tai Chi 204 Pets and Stress 205 Summary 207 Notes 207 Internet Resources 211 General Applications: Physiological Arousal and Behavior Change Interventions 213 Physiological Arousal Interventions Exercise 214 Exercise and Health 215 Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise 215 Physical Health 216 Psychological Health 217 Can Physical Fitness and Exercise Make You Smarter? 219 The Healthy Way to Exercise 220 Principles of Exercise 221 Intensity, Frequency, and Duration 222 Assessing Your Cardiorespiratory Fitness 222 Starting an Exercise Program 222 How to Exercise 223 Do's and Don'ts 223 Competition and Enjoyment 224 Choosing an Exercise Program 225 Swimming 225 Rope Jumping 226 Bicycling 226 Walking 226 Jogging 227 Aerobic Dance 228 Low-Impact Aerobic Dance 229 Stretching 230 Weight Training 230 Exercise and the Elderly 230 Where to Get More Information 231 Exercise-Keeping It Going 235 Summary 235 Notes 236 Internet Resources 237 Strategies for Decreasing Stressful Behaviors 238 Health and Lifestyle Behaviors 238 Health-Related Behavior Assessment 238 Selected Lifestyle Behaviors 238 Barriers to Action 239 Locus of Control 239 Methods for Decreasing Stressful Behaviors 240 Self-Monitoring 240 Tailoring 240 Material Reinforcement 241 Social Reinforcement 241 Social Support 242 Self-Contracting 242 Contracting with a Significant Other 242 Shaping 243 Reminders 243 Self-Help Groups 243 Professional Help 243 Application of Behavior Change Techniques 244 Example: Exercise 244 Behavior Change Theories and Stress 244 Stages of Change Theory 245 Self-Efficacy Theory 246 The Theory of Reasoned Action and the Theory of Planned Behavior 247 Summary 248 Notes 249 Internet Resources 250 Are Your Behaviors Healthy? 251 Are Your Lifestyle Behaviors Healthy? 253 What Are Your Barriers to Behaving Healthfully? 254 How Much Control Do You Have? 255 Diversity and Stress 257 "Minority" Defined 257 Positive Aspects of Minority Status 258 An Introduction to the Descriptions of Problems Paced by Minorities 259 Stressors Challenging Minorities 260 Health Status 261 National Health Objectives and Diversity 262 Infant Mortality 263 Life Expectancy 264 Years of Potential Life Lost 264 High Blood Pressure 264 Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) 265 Cancer 266 Mental Health 266 Poverty and Educational Level 266 Family Life 267 Homelessness 268 Family Structure 268 Age and Physical Disability 269 Elders 269 People with Disabilities 270 Summary 271 Notes 271 Internet Resources 273 Specific Applications 275 Occupational Stress 276 Occupational Stress Cycle 276 What Is Occupational Stress? 277 Why Is Occupational Stress of Concern? 278 Gender and Occupational Stress 282 Disease and Occupational Stress 282 Physiological Effects 283 Disease States 283 Psychological Effects 283 Occupational Stressors 284 Lack of Participation 284 Role Problems 284 Job Dissatisfaction 286 The Work Environment 286 The Workaholic 286 Burnout 289 Women and Work Outside the Home 290 Sexual Harassment at Work 292 Working in the Home 294 Interventions 295 Life-Situation Interventions 295 Perception Interventions 295 Emotional Arousal Interventions 296 Physiological Arousal Interventions 296 Managing Occupational Stress 296 Summary 297 Notes 298 Internet Resources 301 Do You Have Occupational Stress? 303 Are You a Workaholic? 304 Do You Have Burnout or Brownout? 305 Stress and the College Student 307 The Younger College Student 308 Lifestyle Change 308 Grades 309 Course Overload 309 Finances 310 Friendship 311 Love 312 Sex 312 HIV/AIDS 314 Other Sexually Transmitted Infections 316 Date Rape 316 Shyness 317 Jealousy 318 Breakups 318 The Older College Student 318 Career and School 319 Family and School 319 Self-Doubt 319 The Minority College Student 320 Interventions 321 Life-Situation Interventions 321 Perception Interventions 324 Emotional Arousal Interventions 325 Physiological Arousal Interventions 325 Summary 326 Notes 326 Internet Resources 327 How Intimate Are Your Friendships? 329 What Type of Lover Are You? 331 Family Stress 333 The Family 333 Needs Satisfied by the Family 333 The Effective Family 334 The Changing Family 335 Marriage 336 Cohabitation 337 Divorce 337 Single-Parent Families 339 Gay and Lesbian Families 339 Family Stressors 340 The Dual-Career Family 341 Children 341 Family Planning 342 Adoption 343 Mobility 346 Violence: A Family Matter 346 Financial Stressors 348 Other Stressors 349 A Model of Family Stress 350 Interventions 350 Life-Situation Interventions 350 Financial Stress Interventions 353 Perception Interventions 354 Emotional Arousal Interventions 356 Physiological Arousal Interventions 356 Summary 356 Notes 357 Internet Resources 358 Are You Ready for Marriage? 359 How Do You View Abortion? 360 Stress and the Elderly 361 The Elderly: A Description 362 Test of Knowledge About the Elderly 362 Adjustment in the Later Years 363 Erik Erikson: Life Crises 363 Robert Havighurst: Developmental Tasks 363 Positive Change 363 Exercise and the Elderly 364 Retirement 365 Caregiving 366 Death and Dying 368 Death 368 Dying 368 Grief 370 Interventions 371 Life-Situation Interventions 371 Perception Interventions 373 Emotional Arousal Interventions 375 Physiological Arousal Interventions 376 Summary 376 Notes 377 Internet Resources 378 What Are Your Attitudes Toward Death? 379 What Are Your Feelings About Death? 380 Epilogue 381 Appendix A-1 Stress Information Resources Glossary G-1 Selected Bibliography B-1 Credits C-1 Index I-1