Deck 12: Stress and Health

Question 1

Angela has decided to quit smoking. Though the temptation to smoke is stressful, she has developed ways to resist. She goes for a walk, calls a friend, or chews gum to keep from picking up a cigarette. Though the urge to smoke is still there, she has found ways to change her situation when she feels stressed so she can cope. Angela is

A) using problem-focused coping.
B) relying primarily on social support.
C) using emotion-focused coping.
D) displaying hardiness.

Answer 1

using problem-focused coping.

Question 2

Because Roger's employer has a deal with a local fitness club, he is able to join for a reduced rate. Roger is excited to be able to use such a modern facility and looks forward to improving his cardiovascular fitness and losing his "spare tire." Research has shown that regular exercise

A) is one of the best things Roger can do for his health.
B) will not make any difference in Roger's overall health.
C) will increase his risk of heart disease and stroke.
D) improve his busy schedule.

Answer 2

is one of the best things Roger can do for his health.

Question 3

At 50, Keket has a heart attack. Her physician warns her that if she doesn't take a more laid-back approach to life and her work, she will die. Because her recovery takes significantly longer than she told her employer it should, she loses her job. Rather than seeing this as an opportunity to find a job she enjoys, Keket harbours resentment and hostility toward her former coworkers and boss. Based on this information, Keket's heart attack was probably due to

A) hardiness.
B) toughness.
C) a Type A behaviour pattern.
D) a Type B behaviour pattern.

Answer 3

a Type A behaviour pattern.

Question 4

Torrance has good adaptive skills, is able to juggle a variety of job responsibilities, and provides a comfortable life for him and his family. His father died several years earlier and his mother had been living alone ever since. His mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's and had to move in with Torrance and his family. Ever since, Torrance has not felt as capable of handling his responsibilities. The event of Torrance's mother's diagnosis and change in living arrangements would be considered a

A) systemic stressor.
B) processive stressor.
C) trigger.
D) maladaptive adjustment.

Question 5

Viggo needs to take an extended leave of absence from work for personal reasons. The remaining employees are required to perform Viggo's duties, and Dewitt is the only one who understands how to do many of them. Though Dewitt's body is unable to maintain the alarmed state it entered when he learned of the additional work, he remains stressed out over the weeks that follow. He hopes Viggo will return before he becomes truly overwhelmed. Dewitt is in the ______________ stage of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS).

A) primary
B) alarm
C) resistance
D) exhaustion

Question 6

While taking a university health class, Eugene learns that children of alcoholics often have trouble forming healthy and lasting relationships with other people. Eugene recognizes himself in the pattern of behaviours displayed by these children and decides that he wants to seek help. He asks his professor for a referral and she suggests Al-Anon, a support group for children of alcoholics. Encouraged, Eugene both begins attending Al-Anon meetings and makes an appointment to see a therapist. Eugene is

A) utilizing projective identification.
B) seeking social support.
C) sublimating his problems.
D) trying to reduce controllability.

Question 7

Dakarai values winning about all else. He hates being passed on the highway, losing an account to another company, or being skipped over for a promotion. He is impatient with the other members of his work team and is more likely to get into a shouting match than ask for help if something goes wrong. Dakarai is displaying a ____________________ behaviour pattern.

A) Type A
B) Type B
C) protective
D) toughness

Question 8

A study was carried out at the University of Pennsylvania where they looked at rates of depression within two groups. First, the study sorted the students randomly into the two groups the experimental group and the control group. The experiment group was taught methods of learned optimism. The control group was told to carry on with their lives as normal. After approximately 18 months, the groups were followed up on. The results found

A) the control group saw less frequency and severity of anxiety and depression.
B) the experimental group saw less frequency and severity of anxiety and depression.
C) there was no difference between the experimental and control groups.
D) the experimental group saw increased frequency in severity of anxiety and depression.

Question 9

Bram's chemistry major is extremely demanding, but he is committed to earning good grades. Every semester he manages to get through his papers and exams without getting sick, but after he takes his last final he always catches a cold. At that point, Bram's body has reached the _______________________ stage of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS).

A) primary
B) alarm
C) resistance
D) exhaustion

Question 10

Marguerite is taking six courses in her freshman year of college. She also has two part-time jobs while trying to maintain her friendships by attending frequent social get-togethers. Recently, her grades have been slipping, she has been late to work a couple of times, and she feels that she is not spending enough time with her friends. Marguerite feels overwhelmed and unable to keep up her current pace. What Marguerite is experiencing is called

A) stress.
B) depression.
C) overload.
D) adaptation.

Question 11

Tanner and Olivia were both recently laid off from their jobs. Although Tanner grew up in the area, he had not actively maintained friendships with his classmates and only occasionally spoke with his parents. Olivia, on the other hand, had recently moved to the area. Aside from her boyfriend, she had not had the chance to forge strong friendships with local people. She had, however, maintained relationships with her friends and parents back home who provided guidance and direction during this difficult time. Is Tanner or Olivia in the better position?

A) Neither. Both Olivia and Tanner have experienced the same job loss.
B) Tanner. He is familiar with the area and can find a job more quickly.
C) Olivia. She has the benefit of a strong social support system.
D) Both Olivia and Tanner have resources to better their position.

Question 12

Both Colleen and Faye were recently diagnosed with Lupus. Colleen took the news badly and immediately assumed she would live out the rest of her life in pain and frustration. Faye, on the other hand, was momentarily shocked by the news, but felt comfortable that she and her family would adjust and make the best of a difficult situation. As Colleen became more reclusive and depressed, her symptoms seemed to worsen as she originally predicted they would. In contrast, Faye exercised when able and took the opportunity to enhance her relationships with friends and family. Over time, Faye's symptoms began to lessen. Which of the scenarios below would be the LEAST likely scenario in relation to Colleen and Faye's current status?

A) Colleen and Faye's symptoms may actually be the same, only Faye spends more time reflecting on positive aspects of her life whereas Colleen thinks mainly of her pain and suffering. This gives the impression that Colleen's symptoms are worse.
B) Faye actively utilizes her support systems, thereby reducing her stress, whereas Colleen has hidden away from her friends and carries the burden of her stresses alone.
C) As Lupus is an autoimmune disease, the characteristics of an optimist or pessimist have no impact on the severity of symptoms. Symptoms are only remedied through appropriate medications and treatment.
D) Due to brain-body connection, Faye's belief and determination to not only survive but thrive and live a full and active life can help to relieve her symptoms. Colleen only focuses on the negative symptoms of her disease; her body is therefore reacting negatively to her thought processes.

Question 13

Inga and Neil are scheduled to move into their new house tomorrow, but their realtor calls to tell them that the previous owners turned off the heat, which caused several of the water pipes to burst. Since the house is temporarily uninhabitable, Inga and Neil decide that they can put their belongings in storage and stay with Neil's parents while the repairs are made. They ask the realtor to arrange repairs at the previous owner's expense. Though they are disappointed that they won't be able to entertain for the holidays, they know they will be able to do it next year. By assessing their resources to cope with the situation, Neil and Inga have engaged in a

A) primary appraisal.
B) secondary appraisal.
C) behavioural assessment.
D) fixation.

Question 14

Allegra tries to lead a healthy life. She maintains a vegetarian diet, avoids fatty foods, and receives a flu shot every year. She tells others that her only vice is smoking. While she knows that she should quit, she believes that her otherwise healthy lifestyle will offset the effects of tobacco. Is she right?

A) Yes. Studies show that the negative effects of smoking can be offset by other healthful practices, as long as those practices are consistent.
B) Yes, but only until one reaches the age of 50; then tobacco affects everyone the same way, regardless of other lifestyle practices.
C) No. A vegetarian diet will actually increase the effects of tobacco on the body.
D) No. Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of death, and the only way to offset the negative effects of smoking is to quit.

Question 15

At 65, Terry is diagnosed with cancer. Because the idea of cancer terrifies him, he refuses to believe that he has a sickness and does not get any treatments. When his physician informs him that his case has become terminal because he did not act, Terry tells his friends that his doctor doesn't know what he's talking about. Terry is

A) using problem-focused coping.
B) relying primarily on social support.
C) using emotion-focused coping.
D) displaying hardiness.

Question 16

Inga and Neil are scheduled to move into their new house tomorrow, but their realtor calls to tell them that the previous owners turned off the heat, which caused several of the water pipes to burst. Since the house is temporarily uninhabitable, Inga and Neil agree that the situation is both serious and upsetting. To do this, they have engaged in a

A) primary appraisal.
B) secondary appraisal.
C) behavioural assessment.
D) fixation.

Question 17

Mary has a tendency to see life experiences as opportunities for growth. Although negative events can cause her to feel down, she looks for the silver lining even in the worst of circumstances. She feels she has led a blessed life so far and looks forward to learning and growing in the future. Mary's husband, Brian, on the other hand, is easily frustrated with his wife's outlook on life. He feels punished by even the most trivial inconvenience. He expresses that his past was nothing but a struggle and doesn't see the future being any different. Mary would be considered _________ whereas Brian would be considered ___________.

A) logical; illogical
B) stress-free; stressful
C) euphoric; depressed
D) an optimist; a pessimist

Question 18

Nadia was invited over to a party at a co-workers house. The party was in an unfamiliar part of the city, but Nadia decided she would leave early enough to provide plenty of time to arrive at home relatively early in the evening. However, she stayed later than she had planned, and experienced car trouble on the way home. In her attempt to make it home safely, she began to breathe more rapidly, her heart began beating faster, and her muscles became tense. She felt as though she might panic. Nadia was experiencing __________.

A) primary appraisal
B) secondary appraisal
C) "rest and digest" response
D) "fight or flight" response

Question 19

Some people have a tendency to engage in destructive behaviours when they are under stress. A bad day at school for one may lead to drinks at the bar, smoking a cigarette, or engaging in unhealthy eating habits. However, these behaviours only increase stress over time due to the damaging effects such behaviours have on the body. Given the variation in positive, healthier avenues of reducing stress, what seems to be the most logical reason that people may choose negative tendencies over positive?

A) Behaviours such as smoking, drinking or eating fatty foods are more readily available than other forms of stress-reducing behaviours, and they also provide immediate relief from stress whereas more healthy forms of managing stress can reduce stress, but only over a period of time.
B) Substances such as alcohol, nicotine and fatty foods can be highly addictive. When the body is under stress, people have a tendency to gravitate more to addictive substances as opposed to non-addictive substances or behaviours.
C) Certain people have a genetic predisposition to managing stress in negative ways, especially if they also grew up in an environment where smoking, drinking, or poor eating habits were the norm.
D) Excessive, long-term stress can affect the brain's ability to function at optimum capacity. Individuals under heavy stress lack the ability to make more appropriate choices when it comes to managing their stress.

Question 20

Inga and Neil are scheduled to move into their new house tomorrow, but their realtor calls to tell them that the previous owners turned off the heat, which caused several of the water pipes to burst. Since the house is temporarily uninhabitable, Inga and Neil decide that they can put their belongings in storage and stay with Neil's parents while the repairs are made. They ask the realtor to arrange repairs at the previous owner's expense. Inga and Neil have employed

A) problem-focused coping strategies.
B) physiological toughness.
C) resistance.
D) behavioural analysis.

Question 21

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with changes in the way the brain processes information. Research has found __________ resulted in poorer outcomes for PTSD patients receiving cognitive behavioural therapy.

A) memory improvement
B) primary appraisal
C) fixation
D) memory impairment

Question 22

Lisa recently made an appointment with her physician. She explained to him that over the last few weeks she had been feeling tired all of the time and had no energy. She wasn't eating very well due to a lack of appetite. She wondered if she might have a virus or the flu, since it was going around. Her doctor ran some blood tests with the results indicating no abnormalities. He enquired if she had experienced any recent stressors in her life. Lisa confided that she was going through a divorce, but didn't see how that would be relevant to her symptoms. Her doctor explained that the nature of her symptomology was most likely ________ due to the stress of her circumstances.

A) psychosomatic
B) coincidence
C) all in her head
D) made up