Stress-Response

Role of multiple factors on response to stress:

• It is possible to see similar effects in humans.

  • Ex. Parents of childrn dying of cancer have been shown to hypersecrete glucocorticoids (clearly a stressful situation). However, some parents secrete much higher levels of glucocorticoids than others.
  • Why? It appears that parents with certain coping strategies had lower levels of glucocortocoids: 1) religious backgroun, 2) ability to ignore facts of the disease, and 3) an ability to lose themselves in the details of managing the disease.
  • These responses can be viewed in terms of taking control--prayer, reaching out to others with similar experiences (social support network) and also learning what�s next--predictability.

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