Assignment task: Reflect on a time you have recently experienced stress. What triggered the stress reaction? What factors contributed to your appraisal of the situation, and what were the consequences of experiencing this stressor? How did you respond and cope? As you think about this stressor, it may be helpful to take notes about the experience, your reactions, and the outcomes.
After identifying your specific stressor and the situation, think about what you have learned this week regarding stress reactions and the outcomes of stress (chapter reading, discussion topic, etc.). What would a psychologist explore to better understand your stress situation? What would they make of your reactions and coping mechanisms?
Use the following guided questions to help analyze and reflect on your stress situation and reaction:
Q1. Briefly describe your stressor. What environmental event, hassle, or life challenge caused your stress?
Q2. Was your stressor chronic or acute? Briefly explain why or why not.
Q3. What was your initial appraisal of the stressor? In other words, did you appraise the stressor as a challenge and/or a threat? Briefly explain why or why not.
Q4. Briefly describe your reaction to the stressor as related to each of the following categories: physiological reaction; cognitive reaction; behavioral reaction.
Q5. What, if any, individual factors or personal characteristics might have contributed to your initial reaction?
Q6. What was your secondary appraisal of the stressor? What, if anything, changed?
Q7. What, if any, type of social support did you receive when coping with this stress?
Q8. What additional social supports would have been helpful?
Q9. What coping mechanism did you use? Were they problem-focused or emotional-focused?
Q10. What, if any, impacts did this stressor have on your health and/or lifestyle?
Q11. What strategies might you use to prevent this stressor from having long-term physical or mental consequences?