The explanatory model of stress (factors, causes and effects).

The theory that deciphers the causes and effects of stress.

To date, there is still no consensus to offer a concrete and universal definition of the concept of stress. Even so, there seems to be some agreement in defining it as the set of psychophysiological changes that occur in the organism in response to a situation of overdemand, which mobilizes the activation of the organism.

If this situation is perpetuated over time in excess, the organism ends up being damaged, since it is unable to maintain this level of activation permanently due to the overexertion it entails.

Thus, we can differentiate between a punctual or positive stress response (which is adaptive and allows us to face the possible adversities of daily life) and a chronic stress response (which is the cause of certain alterations in the organism, both physical and psychological). Let's see what are the fundamentals of this phenomenon.

Explaining stress

There have been many attempts to provide a theoretical explanation of the concept of stress. The following is the most widely accepted and the one that offers the most complete explanation at present: the Process Model of Stress.

This integrative model highlights the enormous complexity of the concept of stress, arguing that there are multiple variables that are related to each other in the response emitted by the organism. As reflected in the following linesIn the case of stress, up to seven types of factors can be distinguished that influence the way in which people emit this type of response.

Determining factors in the stress response

These are the situations and variables (contextual and psychological) that can cause a stressful response.

Psychosocial demands

This factor refers to the external environmental stressorsBoth natural (e.g. temperature) and artificial (pollution) and also psychosocial (interpersonal relationships) stressors. Regarding this last phenomenon, it has been observed that its association with a low socioeconomic status can lead to the experience of less social support.

2. Cognitive assessment

The person's cognitive appraisal of the situation also influences the stress reaction. Specifically, there are usually five situational aspects that are assessed when a person is faced with a stressful event:

• The type of threat The type of threat posed by the demand: loss, danger or challenge.
• The valence that the person gives to the threat: valuation as positive or negative.
• The dependence-independence of the person's actions to cope with the demand.
• The predictabilitywhether the demand is expected or not.
• The controllabilitywhether or not the person perceives that he/she can control the demand.

3. Physiological stress response

When there is a stress response in the organism a series of physiological changes occur that allow the person to increase his or her state of alertness in reaction to the stressor. Let's see some examples in the Olivares and Méndez proposal.

Physiological changes Benefits Increase in heart rate and Blood pressure. More blood is pumped to the brain, lungs, arms and legs, providing more fuel to the brain. Increased breathing. Breathing becomes deeper and faster to supply more oxygen to the muscles. Muscle tension. Muscles tighten, preparing for action. Secretion of carbohydrates and lipids into the bloodstream. It provides fuel for quick availability of energy. Increased perspiration. Cools excess muscle heat. Release of coagulation factors. Faster clotting of wounds, resulting in blood loss. Delayed digestion. Increased blood supply to the brain and muscles.

On the other hand, simultaneously, certain modifications also occur in the person at the emotional level. In the first place, a sensation of emotional discomfort appears, which is called distress.which basically consists of a set of emotions of a negative nature such as anxiety, anger, fear, etc.

The emotional expression linked to the stress response depends on the person's assessment of the situation. Thus, the specific circumstances of the situation mark both the thoughts that one has before the demand and the feelings aroused afterwards.

4. Coping

On a practical level, it is one of the most important elements of the scheme, since it will depend on the coping style that is put in place whether the cognitive and emotional discomfort produced by the external stressor can be reduced.

The coping style refers to the person's general way of thinking and acting in a more or less stable way in the face of the various stressful situations of the person's life. in the face of the various stressful situations of his or her daily life. Coping depends on the person's belief about whether or not he/she can do something to change the situation.

According to Lazarus and Folkman's proposal, the multiple forms of coping can be included within the following typologies:

Dimension Description Confrontation Direct actions directed towards the situation, for example, expressing anger towards the person causing the problem. Withdrawal Trying to forget about the problem, refusing to take it seriously. Self-control Keeping problems to oneself. Seeking social support Asking a friend for advice or help, talking to someone who can do something specific. Accepting responsibility Apologizing, criticizing oneself. Flight or avoidance Waiting for a miracle to happen, avoiding contact with people. Problem-solving planning Establishing a plan of action and following it. Positive reassessment Assigning a more positive meaning to the situation, e.g., "Experience teaches, there are good people," etc.

These authors have classified these coping styles into two categories: problem-oriented style. (Confrontation and Problem-Solving Planning), and emotion-oriented style (the remaining six types). In several studies it has been observed that people with higher rates of depression, anxiety and emotional distress tend to practice the emotion-oriented styles.

Thus, it is concluded that, at the emotional level, the latter do not result in adaptive and satisfactory ways of coping with stress.. On the other hand, it seems to be demonstrated that the establishment of a well-founded action plan and the subsequent implementation of all the steps that compose it is a more effective methodology of personal psychological coping.

5. Personal characteristics

Experts have observed that certain personality traits can influence the type of reaction a person expresses to stress.

Hardiness

Kobasa has described the concept of Hardiness ("resilience" or "hardiness") as a protective factor against stress. Hardiness is composed of three elements: commitment (believing in and recognizing one's own values), defiance (valuing situations as a challenge rather than, for example, as a threat) and control (feeling in control of the situation).

Sense of coherence

Antonovsky, similarly to Kobasa, has defined this phenomenon as a stable personality disposition that serves as a coping resource for stress, as a protective factor for the person. It is composed of comprehensibility (cognitive control over the environment), management (to what degree the person considers that he/she has the resources to cope with the situation) and meaningfulness (evaluation of the situation as a challenge and whether it is worth facing it).

In addition, other personality traits have been found to be related to the type of reaction to stress, such as the following:

• People with neurotic tendencies (anxious and emotionally unstable) tend to appraise the situation in a more threatening way than other groups with less variable emotional functioning.

• People with a high level of hostility tend to experience anger and high cardiovascular reactivity much more frequently than the rest of the population.

• People with a repressive style may show inhibition of their immune response.

• Optimistic individuals, high self-esteem, internal locus of control (high self-perception of the person's ability to control the environment) and hardiness are associated with an adequate or "problem-oriented" coping style.

6. Type of reaction to stress

This concept was proposed by a group of researchers (Eysenck, Grossarth and Maticek) who sought to explain the causes of cardio to explain the causes of coronary heart disease and cancer.. 

It consists of a classification that differentiates six types of personal characteristics that tend to be associated with the development of certain physical diseases. More specifically, the following classification shows the six types and the disease to which they are related:

TYPE Disorder or disease 1 Cancer proneness: Conformist dependence, inhibition to establish interpersonal intimacy. 2 Propensity to coronary heart disease: Anger reactions, chronic irritation aggression. Hyperexcitability. 3 Hysterical: Protection against 1 and 2. Expression of alternate responses between 1 and 2. 4 Healthy: Protective against diseases in general. Autonomous behavior. Appropriate and realistic coping. 5 Rational/Antiemotional: Prone to depression and cancer. Suppression of emotional expression. 6 Antisocial: Psychopathic profile. Propensity to drug addiction.

7. Social characteristics

One of the main elements relating social characteristics and stress response is social support.. More specifically, evidence of the influence of variables of this phenomenon has been studied, such as the direction (whether it is provided or received), the disposition (quantity and quality), the person's description/evaluation of the perceived support, the content (emotional, instrumental, informative or evaluative) and the social networks as a source of social support.

Numerous studies highlight the importance of social support in maintaining good physical and psychological health. Studies show how social support promotes health by inhibiting the onset of the disease (reducing the impact of the stressor) or facilitating recovery from the disease (strengthening the person's ability to cope with the disease), it should be noted that the absence of social support can have very negative consequences.The lack of it becomes a very important risk factor for the subsequent development of depression.

For example, married people who enjoy a healthy marriage have a much lower risk than single people, divorced people or those married in a troubled marriage.

8. Health status

Most of the factors that have been shown so far (cognitive evaluation of the situation, coping style, personal characteristics, etc.) are also related to health status. are also related to the physical health status of the person..

It has been observed, for example, that a very negative appraisal of the event or the application of an erroneous coping style leads to a decrease in the body's immune response (a reduction in the body's defenses against external pathogens), thus increasing the vulnerability to suffer certain diseases associated with the immune system (cancer, infections, etc.).

By way of conclusion

Since the beginning of the research that has tried to shed some light on the concept of stress and the factors that explain it, science has managed to reveal the existence of the concept of stress and the factors that explain it, science has succeeded in revealing the enormous complexity associated with this phenomenon.. Therefore, the idea that there is a single element that determines the appearance of this type of symptomatology so present in today's society is discarded.

For this reason, it is essential to banish the idea that pathological stress (occasional stress, as described in the article, does not have adverse psychological consequences) derives exclusively from the external environment or from situations outside the person's control.

In short, the individual himself also plays a very relevant role in the type of experience and how he acts to overcome the stress. and how he or she acts to overcome perceived daily stress.

Bibliographical references:

• Amigo, I, Fernández, C. and Pérez, M. (2009). Manual de psicología de la salud. Madrid: Pirámide.
• Belloch, A., Sandín, B. and Ramos, F. (2008). Manual de psicopatología. Revised edition (Vol I and II). Madrid. McGraw Hill.
• Labrador, F. J. (2008). Técnicas de modificación de conducta. Madrid: Pirámide.
• Olivares, J. Y Méndez, F. X. (2008). Técnicas de modificación de conducta. Madrid: Biblioteca nueva.