Assignment: Analysis of Personal Stress (rev. Spring 2023) Purpose: The purpose of this written assignment and associated activities is for the student to: 1. apply psychological concepts for stress to interpret personal self-assessment results 2. recognize healthy forms of coping with stress 3. identify strategies for coping with stress to maintain or achieve health and wellness 4. communicate clearly according to scientific values of specificity, precision, measurement, objectivity, evidence-based Resources needed to complete this assignment: Chapter Fourteen, Psychology OpenStax textbook Completed SSRS Scale (Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale). In the Open Stax textbook there is a “Link to Learning” to complete that scale. It is also provided below: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_82.htm (follow instructions at the site). General Instructions: Create a Microsoft Word document (or use another format and then convert to WORD). Files that are not in the correct format and can’t be read can’t be graded. Type your full name at the top of the document. Type answers to all the following essay questions (Content section, below), support answers with specific concrete examples, and demonstrate understanding of concepts. Some questions will require one paragraph, while others will require several paragraphs to completely answer them. You do not need to write transitions between the questions. This is not a standard ‘essay’ so you do not need a cover page or introduction. Number and label your responses so it is clear which question is being answered and label all the parts of each question. The responses should be original (in your own words). Document and cite all sources (including the textbook) to avoid even the suggestion of plagiarism. Plagiarism, intentional or not, is a violation of college policy. No credit will be given for responses that are too close to the original text. Quotation marks must be used for any direct quotes. Use of quoted material must not be excessive. Submission of final document. Submit it in the appropriate drop box in Course Projects folder.
Writing Quality 30 points. Use standard written English. Proofread for grammatical and mechanical errors (spelling and punctuation). The most frequently observed grammatical errors are: fragments, run-on (fused) sentences, and lack of subject-verb agreement in tense and number, and pronoun errors. A helpful website is: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/. The audience is an imaginary college student who does not know anything about psychology so you need to explain in detail. The tone should be appropriate for college (academic) rather than casual. Do not use slang, foul language, or text/chat speak (ex. OMG, idk). Content 70 points (responses to 8 questions below) Throughout this assignment, keep in mind the definition of stress described in chapter 14 of the Psychology OpenStax textbook: “A useful way to conceptualize stress is to view it as a process whereby an individual perceives and responds to events that he appraises as overwhelming or threatening to his well-being (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). “ This means stress is subjective. The questions below are designed to help you understand the concepts from chapter fourteen and apply them to analyzing your personal stress and coping abilities. 2 points. Question 1. First, complete the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) by Holmes and Rahe. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_82.htm (follow instructions at the site and calculate your Life Change Units (LCU). Then look at the interpretation at the bottom of the scale. How many LCU did you have? What does the interpretation say about this score? 15 points. Question 2. Describe Event. Select one of the items (stressors) from the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) by Holmes and Rahe that you experienced that is especially vivid and easy to recall and which you perceived to be stressful at the time. For this one stressor, write a detailed description of the event. In the description, include all of the following components of the stress response for that stressor: a) Describe why this particular life change was stressful. What was changing? Was this a positive or negative change? b) Describe your thoughts (cognition) at the time the stressor first occurred and as it continued. c) Describe your emotions (feelings) at the time the stressor occurred and as it continued. d) Describe your physical or physiological (biological) symptoms at the time the stressor occurred and as it continued. e) Describe the behavior(s) (actions) you engaged in as you attempted to cope with the stressor. Refer to Section 14.1 What is Stress? and 14.2 Stressors in the OpenStax textbook to answer the next questions. 5 points. Question 3. For the event you described in Question 2, what was your primary appraisal? How/why was this a real or perceived threat to you? What was your secondary appraisal? How or why did your coping resources at the time seem inadequate or insufficient? How did your perception of the event, at the time it was happening, influence your level of stress? How do you think about this stress now? Demonstrate understanding of the concept of appraisal. 10 points. Question 4. In your own words, accurately describe the three stages of the Hans Selye’s “General Adaptation Syndrome”. How is this related to stress? For your event described in question 2, what stage were you in? Explain why you think it is that stage. 5 points. Question 5. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale attempts to measure the effect life changes as a form of stress. What other stressors, besides life changes, are described section 14.2? Which of these have you experienced? 10 Points. Question 6. Refer to Section 14.3 Stress and Illness in the OpenStax Textbook. Discuss the relationship between stress and illness. How does stress make us sick? What illnesses and disorders result from excessive or prolonged stress? Have you experienced illness or disorders that you believe to be a direct result of stress? 10 points. Question 7. Refer to Section 14.4 Regulation of Stress in the OpenStax textbook. Discuss the factors that regulate (reduce) the negative impact of stress and have positive effects. Which of these factors do you practice? 10 points. Question 8. Refer to Section 14.5 Pursuit of Happiness In your own words describe what you learned about happiness. How is happiness related to personal stress, health, and coping skills? How can you use this information in the future to decrease your overall level of stress and improve your response to stress to maintain health? What specific changes could you make to accomplish this? What is your biggest ‘take away’? 3 points. General Education Learning Outcome (GELO): Effectively applies knowledge and skills to new contexts or situations. Sources: OpenStax Psychology, chapter fourteen. Retrieved 11/13/2019. https://cnx.org/contents/Sr8Ev5Og@12.2:oEYbq2uU@9/Introduction https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology-2e
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