Stress-Free Ways to Teach Stress for Year 2 A -Level .... Outline one difference between the...

Stress-Free Ways to Teach Stress for Year 2 A-Level Psychology

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Session Overview

Life Changes / Daily Hassles

Activity 1: Investigating

Stress

Activity 2: Life Changes

Stress Management

Activity 3: Stressful

Evaluation

Activity 4: ESCAPE

Evaluation

Locus of Control & Hardiness

Activity 5: Examining LoC

& Hardiness

The Immune System

The Specification

The Specification – IS HUGE!

Topic Specification

14.1 Physiology of stress The physiology of stress, including general adaptation syndrome, the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal system, the sympathomedullary pathway and the role of cortisol.

14.2 Stress and illness The role of stress in illness, including reference to immunosuppression and cardiovascular disorders.

14.3 Sources of stress Sources of stress: life changes and daily hassles. Workplace stress, including the effects of workload and control.

14.4 Measuring stress Measuring stress: self-report scales (Social Readjustment Ratings Scale and Hassles and Uplifts Scale) and physiological measures, including skin conductance response.

14.5 Individual differences

Individual differences in stress: personality types A, B and C and associated behaviours; hardiness, including commitment, challenge and control.

14.6 Managing stress

Managing and coping with stress: drug therapy (benzodiazepines, beta blockers), stress inoculation therapy and biofeedback. Gender differences in coping with stress. The role of social support in coping with stress; types of social support, including instrumental, emotional and esteem support.

A-Level SAM 1 A-Level SAM 2 A-Level SAM 322. Outline one difference between the functions of the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal system and the sympathomedullary pathway. [2 marks]

Outline one limitation of the general adaptation syndrome as a model for the physiology of the stress response. [2 marks]

28. With reference to research evidence, discuss links between stress and illness. [8 marks]

30 Using your knowledge of workplace stress, explain why Mike may be experiencing these stress-related symptoms. [4 marks]

26. Discuss sources of workplace stress. [8 marks]

27. Explain one limitation of the Hassles and Uplifts Scale as a method of measuring stress. [2 marks]

31 The Social Readjustment Rating Scale is widely used to measure stress. Explain one limitation of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. [2 marks]

29. With reference to hardiness, outline what is meant by ‘challenge’. [2 marks]

25. Discuss individual differences in responses to stress. [16 marks]

32. Drug therapy, stress inoculation therapy and biofeedback are methods used to cope with stress. Discuss two of these methods of coping with stress. [16 marks]

24. Briefly explain what is meant by instrumental social support. [2 marks]

25. Using your knowledge of gender differences in types of social support, explain the findings in Table 3. [4 marks]

24. Sadiq has a stressful job, a young family, and a mother who has recently had a fall and been hospitalised. Sadiq visits her whenever he can. Although he feels he is coping with the stress in his life his blood pressure has risen dangerously in the last six months. Sadiq feels that he needs to manage his stress. From your knowledge of managing and coping with stress, explain how Sadiq could deal with his stress. [4 marks]

Possible Essay Questions

27 Potential Essay Questionsfrom Exam Pro & Textbooks!

Why on earth did you choosestress?

Examiner Commentary

Examiner commentary provides some insight into the following fourquestions: Outline and evaluate research into life changes and / or daily hassles as sources of stress.

(Total 16 marks)

Q3. ‘There are several methods used to manage the negative effects of stress. Thesemethods can be biological or psychological.’ Discuss two or more methods of stressmanagement. (Total 16 marks)

Q4. What is meant by locus of control and hardiness? Discuss the role of locus of control andthe role of hardiness in mediating responses to stress. Refer to evidence in your answer.(Total16 marks)

Q5. Outline and evaluate research into the relationship between the immune system andstress-related illness. (Total 12 marks)

Life Changes and / or Daily Hassles

Outline and evaluate research into life changes and / or dailyhassles as sources of stress. (Total 16 marks)

Many students confused the way the SRRS was constructed with the way it has been used, for example, in the Rahe et al. study

Evaluation was generic and repetitive: simply saying that each study lacked population validity does not provide an effective evaluation.

Knowledge Evaluation

It was also disappointing that few students made use of all the research into daily hassles, which could be used to evaluate life changes.

Life Changes and / or Daily Hassles

Outline and evaluate research into life changes and / or dailyhassles as sources of stress. (Total 16 marks)

What can we learn?AO1: Students need to be clear on the development of the SRRS andits use in research.AO1: Students should NOT avoid research into Daily Hassles.

AO3: Students need to tailor evaluation to the question e.g. why is a‘lack of population validity’ an issue for research into life changes?AO3: Students can use Daily Hassles as an evaluation of Life Changes.

Activity 1: Investigating Stress


The aim of this activity is to provide an opportunity for students to consider the difficulties with examining stress, while embedding research methods.

I must design an instrument for measuring the relationship between stressful life events and

illness…

Activity 2: Life Changes (Part 1)


The aim of this activity is for students to consider the development of the SRRSand consider the strengths / limitations of this instrument.


Activity 2: Life Changes (Part 1) Provide students with 9 statements.

Cut out and arrange the statements in order from most to least stressful.

Discussion: Compare their answers, in groups.


At this point provide the students with the ‘right’ answers.



Provide your students with a full copy of the LCU inventory and ask them to circle those which apply.

They then calculate their total LCU score.

Note: Be sensitive.

Stress Management

‘There are several methods used to manage the negative effects of stress.These methods can be biological or psychological.’ Discuss two or moremethods of stress management. (Total 16 marks)

If a candidate offers two types of drug treatment, they must clearly differentiate the two.

Evaluation was often generic: with comments simply stating that drugs are effective, without any supporting evidence.


Or that drugs had side effects, without commenting on what these were and the potential problem.

Easier and clearer to discuss one biological and one psychological method of stress management.

Stress Management

‘There are several methods used to manage the negative effects of stress. Thesemethods can be biological or psychological.’ Discuss two or more methods ofstress management. (Total 16 marks)

What can we learn?AO1: Students can describe two drugs treatments and/or two psychological treatments, however they must CLEARLY differentiate.

Easier and clearer to discuss one biological and one psychological.AO1: Biological treatments include: BZs, Beta-blockers, BiofeedbackAO1: Psychological treatments include: Stress inoculation therapy and hardiness trainingAO1: There needs to be a reasonable balance between the two methods

AO3: Evaluation could include: effectiveness, availability, long-term vs. short-term, evidence, side effects, cost effectivenss.AO3: If stating ‘drugs are more effective’, supporting evidence is required. Likewise, if stating ‘drugs have side-effects’ the answer must include commentary.

Activity 3: Stressful Evaluation


The aim of this activity is to develop truly effective evaluation when it comes to evaluation biological and psychological therapies, using the points detailed in the mark scheme: Effectiveness Availability & Cost Effectiveness Long-term vs. Short-term Effect Evidence Side Effects


Effectiveness, Availability, Long-term vs. Short-term Effect, Evidence, Side Effects & Cost Effectiveness

Effectiveness: Research suggests that drugs are

effective…

Side Effects: BZs and Beta blockers have negative

side effects…

Short-term: Drugs treat the symptoms but not the

cause…

Lockwood (1989) examined 2,000 professional musicians and found that 27% reported taking beta blockers to

reduce the stress associated with performing.

BZs are associated with side effects like agitation and aggressiveness. Beta blockers have been linked with an

increased chance of develop diabetes.

Drugs like BZs and Beta blockers simply mask the symptoms. Therefore, there is a high chance of relapse once the person stops taking the drug.

Cost: Drugs are cost effective…

Compared to other treatments (e.g. biofeedback which requires specialist equipment), drugs like BZs and Beta

blockers are cost effective, as they do no require a therapist to administer.

Poin

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Exam

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Compared to other treatments (e.g. biofeedback which requires specialist equipment), drugs like BZs and Beta blockers are cost effective, as they do not require a therapist to administer and can be administered instantly.

Cost & Availability: One strength of drug therapies as a method of stress management is that they are cost effective in comparison to other, typically psychological treatments, and are readily available.

This matters because it saves the NHS money and therefore means that more people can receive treatment. In addition, drugs can be prescribed instantly whereas many psychological treatments have lengthy waiting lists. This means that patients who require treatment can receive instant treatment while waiting for psychological therapies to become available, which highlights two positive uses of drug therapies as a method for stress management.

Activity 4: ESCAPE Evaluation


The aim of this activity is to provide students with a template to aid evaluation.

While this activity was designed for schizophrenia, the idea/template works perfectly for stress.



Teaching Strategy: Each student works on one letter – finding the information from their notes, the textbook or prior knowledge. Students then combine their work to create one super poster!

Students then select three points and write full developed (and signposted) burger paragraphs.


What is meant by locus of control and hardiness? Discuss the role of locusof control and the role of hardiness in mediating responses to stress. Referto evidence in your answer. (Total 16 marks)

The multiple requirements of this question evidently caused difficultiesfor some who focussed much more on one concept than the other.

Discussion tended to focus on evidence rather than on the concepts, with some evaluation points repeated several times but in relation to different studies.


In some answers that students discussed the effects of Type A personality and NOT locus of control and hardiness.


What is meant by locus of control and hardiness? Discuss the role of locusof control and the role of hardiness in mediating responses to stress. Referto evidence in your answer. (Total 16 marks)

What can we learn?AO1 & AO3: Students need to address all aspects of the question (e.g. both locus ofcontrol and hardiness).

AO3: Evaluation could include: how these variables mediate stress, negative effects ofhigh internal LoC, self-report measures, correlation, gender differences, however, theyMUST be linked to the question.

Activity 5: Examining LoC & Hardiness

Activity 5: Examining LoC & Hardiness

The aim of these two questionnaires is to provide students with an opportunity to apply LoC and Hardiness to themselves, before considering the strengths/limitations of these instruments.

Immune System

Outline and evaluate research into the relationship between theimmune system and stress-related illness. (Total 12 marks)

The other difficulty for many candidates was selecting the appropriate material, many seemed to think that any study on stress would be relevant.

Many struggled with the commentary, often resorting to cook book evaluation, e.g. ‘it only used students so you can’t generalise’.


Candidates should also think before citing ethical grounds; for example the common cold is, for the most part, not a life-threatening illness!

Immune System

Outline and evaluate research into the relationship between theimmune system and stress-related illness. (Total 12 marks)

What can we learn?AO1: Likely research/theory, includes: Cohen et al; Kiecolt-Glaser et al.

AO3: Students should avoid cook book evaluation, which was often repetitive, such as ‘it onlyused students so you can’t generalise’.

AO3: Evaluation could include: methodological issues, issues with correlational research, naturalexperiments, sampling bias, BUT it must be linked to the question.

AO3: Students should be cautious when using ethical issues as an evaluative point: Cohen didobtain full informed consent from the volunteers and they certainly knew that there was the riskof getting a cold. Similarly, the common cold is, for the most part, not a life-threatening illness!

Session Overview

Life Changes / Daily Hassles

Activity 1: Investigating

Stress

Activity 2: Life Changes

Stress Management

Activity 3: Stressful

Evaluation

Activity 4: ESCAPE

Evaluation


Activity 5: Examining LoC

& Hardiness

The Immune System

The Specification

Any Questions?

Strong Foundations – Student Workshop

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