Psychophysiological Disorders and Health Psychology

Kannan K

Ch 8

Psychophysiological Disorders
Psychophysiological Disorders involve genuine physical disorders
Physical symptoms can be caused by or worsened by emotional distress The category recognizes that a broad range of diseases involving the circulatory, respiratory, digestive and central nervous systems can be influenced by stress

Ch 8.1

Kannan K

Definitions of Stress
Stress is:
An environmental condition that triggers psychopathology A response to environmental conditions that leads to emotional upset, deteriorating performance or physiological changes

Stressors are stimuli Cognitive view of stress places emphasis on the interpretation of e ternal stimuli
Coping refers to how people deal with stress

Ch 8.2

Kannan K

The General Adaptation Syndrome

Ch 8.3

Kannan K

Measuring Stress
The Social !ead"ustment !ating Scale
As#ed sub"ects to rate various life e periences for stress impact $marriage % &''( Total score on the scale is correlated with diseases such as heart attac# and leu#emia Sub"ects record and rate their life e periences during each day Subse*uent study has shown that adverse life events increase prior to an illness
Kannan K

Assessment of Daily ) perience

Ch 8.4

Biological Theories of the Stress-Illness Link

Somatic+,ea#ness theory holds that a wea# organ system may be susceptible to disruption by stress Specific+!eaction theory suggests that people respond to stress in uni*ue ways, some organ systems show greater reactivity than do other systems Stress diminishes the function of the immune system

Ch 8.5

Kannan K

Psychological Theories of the Stress-Illness Link

Psychoanalytic view holds that specific conflicts give rise to psychophysiological disorders Cognitive+-ehavioral view proposes that humans have higher cognitive functions which can amplify and e tend the duration of arousal of our bodies

Ch 8.6

Kannan K

ypertension
.ypertension is high blood pressure $bp(
.ypertension leads to heart attac#s and stro#es
Systolic bp is arterial pressure during contraction of the ventricles of the heart Diastolic bp is arterial pressure during rela ation of the ventricles of the heart

/ncreased bp is brought on by increased cardiac output $more blood leaving the heart( or by vasoconstriction of the arteries

Ch 8.7

Kannan K

Stress and BP
Stressful conditions produce a short+term increase in blood pressure
These increases return to baseline when the stressor is withdrawn

Studies of blood pressure done on ambulatory sub"ects reveal that anger is most strongly lin#ed to elevated bp
The changes were large in a subset of sub"ects !eactivity refers to increased bp and heart rate in response to stress

Ch 8.8

Kannan K

!oronary eart Disease

Coronary .eart Disease refers to
Angina pectoris: periodic chest pains
!educed o ygen supply to heart -rought on by a cutoff of o ygen to the heart muscle !is# factors for 0/ include age, gender $males(, elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, e cessive use of alcohol and diabetes
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0yocardial infarction: heart attac#

Ch 8.9

Diatheses for ! D
Psychological diatheses for C.D include:
Type A behavior pattern $time urgency, competitive, aggressive1hostile( .igh levels of anger Cynicism Type D personality: high levels of anger, an iety and depression as well as low levels of emotional e pression

-iological diatheses: focus is on reactivity

Ch 8.10

Kannan K

AIDS
A/DS
/s a fatal disease caused viral infection Compromises the immune system

A/DS
Arises from irrational and self+defeating behavior /s not presently curable or preventable by medical means /s preventable by psychological means
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Ch 8.11

Therapies for Psychophysiological Disorders

Drug interventions can be used to reduce the physical symptoms brought on by stress !eduction of an iety, depression or anger is a #ey element in the treatment of stress+related disorders
Psychoanalysis: uses free association Cognitive1behavioral: uses systematic desensitization, in vivo e posure, assertion training

Ch 8.12

Kannan K

Treating ypertension
2on+pharmacological treatments include:
3osing weight !educing salt inta#e 4iving up smo#ing 3imiting alcohol inta#e 4etting regular e ercise !ela ation training !educing anger

Ch 8.13

Kannan K

Stress Management
Stress 0anagement is a set of techni*ues used to cope with stress
Arousal can be reduced through rela ation training or by biofeedbac# Cognitive restructuring can be used to alter the thought patterns of a person and to increase their perceived level of control -ehavioral s#ills training relating to time management and how to prioritize Train the person in how to alter their environment
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Ch 8.14

Pain Management
Pain can be modified by
Distraction !efocusing attention 3owering an iety )ffecting a sense of control over pain relabeling the sensation as tic#ling or numbness 5se of biofeedbac#

Ch 8.15

Kannan K