Stress Appraisal Research Articles

Opportunity or Threat: Spirituality And Stress Appraisal During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Opportunity or Threat: Spirituality And Stress Appraisal During The COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 Lockdown as an Atypical Stressful Situation and Ways of Coping with It

Little is known as to what extent the pandemic lockdown has changed the perceived level of stress and stress-coping strategies. In response to this gap we present the results of quantitative and qualitative studies on stress levels and coping with stress conducted among Polish adults during the COVID-19 lockdown. The first study indicates that the lockdown has changed stress appraisal moderately, and it has also affected stress-coping strategies in various areas. The second study reveals miscellaneous reasons for stress appraisal (health, economic, political, social, freedom restriction, and religious). Participants perceived pandemic and lockdown as a moderate stressor, more as a challenge than a threat. Moreover the avoidant style recognized as the most adaptive reaction on stress in our study, confirms that people have a natural ability to adapt to unpredictable and unexpected situations like COVID-19 lockdown. © 2021 Polish Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

The mediating role of rumination between stress appraisal and cyberchondria

Cyberchondria, defined as excessive concern about one's health and looking for solutions to health problems on the Internet, is becoming increasingly common. This paper examines the relations between the dimensions of stress appraisal (threat, challenge-activity, challenge-passivity, harm/loss) and cyberchondria. We also tested whether these relations were mediated by rumination. The study included a nonclinical sample of N = 615 participants aged 18 to 83 years (M = 43.86, SD = 14.57, 53 % women), who completed the short version of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale, the Rumination Scale, and the Stress Appraisal Questionnaire. We used the Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) method. The results revealed that rumination was a partial mediator between stress as a threat and cyberchondria and between stress as a harm/loss and cyberchondria. Cyberchondria was positively related to rumination, stress as a threat, and stress as a harm/loss and negatively related to the challenge-activity dimension of stress appraisal. The study indicates that stress appraisal is linked to cyberchondria and that rumination plays an important role in this relationship.

“Do Your Best to Avoid it”: Appraisals and Coping with Discrimination-Related Stress Among Older Chinese Immigrants in Affordable Senior Housings During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT This study investigated how older Chinese immigrants in affordable senior housing facilities (ASHs) appraise and cope with anti-Asian discrimination and related stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 26 participants aged over 65, analyzing verbatim transcripts and field notes using thematic analysis. Four major domains were identified: (1) discriminatory experience, (2) appraisals of discrimination stress, (3) coping strategies, and (4) rationales behind coping. Among the participants, 11 (42%) reported experiencing discrimination either personally or by someone they know. Participants’ appraisals of discrimination stress varied, and most of them opted for disengagement coping strategies (e.g., avoidance, rationalization) attributing them to health concerns, individual characteristics, environmental and societal factors, and low acculturation. The findings suggest the need for more social and community resources to enhance coping capacity and resilience in this vulnerable population.

Caregiving in academia: Examining educator well‐being and burnout during prolonged stressors

AbstractIn the face of prolonged stress, care professionals, including educators, often experience higher rates of burnout and worsened mental well‐being. As school systems across the United States reconsidered their instructional practices in an effort to curtail the spread of COVID‐19, educators have had to navigate a new academic landscape hallmarked by change, stress, burnout, and hopefully resilience. Guided by the theory of resilience and relational load (TRRL), this national study of educators (N = 449; Mage = 41.33 [14.49], 57.2% Female) illuminates the ways in which connectedness with colleagues, support gaps, and stress appraisals shape coping during the pandemic. Specifically, educators who reported higher levels of connection with their colleagues tended to experience enhanced mental well‐being and reduced levels of burnout because they perceived lower levels of stress and greater surpluses in support. Findings deepen our understanding of risk and protective factors contributing to burnout and well‐being within academia, underscore the value of relationships with colleagues, and refine the predictions of the TRRL.

Stressor Appraisals and Moderating Role of Forgiveness, Social Support, and Resilience as Adaptive Coping in Stress and Depression Among Older Sexual Minorities

Abstract Introduction Compared to straight people, older sexual minorities are at a higher risk of experiencing depression because they encounter additional stressors related to sexual minority status. Nonetheless, the stressor appraisal process and the coping mechanism employed by sexual minority older adults remain understudied. Additionally, research on forgiveness in sexual minorities is scant, especially among older populations. This study examines the extent to which negative social interactions and shame about sexual minority identity explain perceived stress that underlines depression and the relative importance of forgiveness, social support, and resilience in forming adaptive coping, which moderates between stress and depression among sexual minority older adults. Methods We used hierarchical component models in structural equation modeling to analyze data—collected in 2017—from a sample of 50 lesbian women and 50 gay men older than 50 years. Results Negative social interactions and shame due to heterosexism significantly predict perceived stress, which in turn significantly predicts depressive symptoms. Also, forgiveness is more powerful at forming adaptive coping than social support, while resilience is the most powerful. Moreover, adaptive coping significantly moderates between stress and depressive symptoms. Conclusion Forgiveness and resilience are more important than social support in buffering between stress and mental health problems among older lesbian women and gay men. Policy Implications Access to forgiveness interventions should be readily available within mental health settings to promote the mental wellbeing and adaptive coping of clients who experienced interpersonal transgressions or negative self-thoughts.

Self-based goals, underlying reasons, performance and discrete emotions among parkrunners.

A temporal sequence of hypothesized relationships was tested between self-based goals and their underlying reasons → stress appraisals → performance and emotions, among UK parkrunners. A conditional process model was also examined to ascertain the potential moderating role of self-determined reasons in explaining the indirect relationship of self-based goals predicting performance and emotions via stress appraisals. Utilizing a prospective design, 324 parkrunners (Mage = 45.27; SD = 10.73 years) completed online measures of self-based goals, their underlying reasons at 7 days (T1), and stress appraisals at 24 h (T2), prior to their next UK parkrun. Performance data and discrete emotions (pride and shame) were reported 24 h post-parkrun (T3). Structural Equation Modeling revealed partial support for the hypothesized model. More specifically, findings suggested that: (1) T1 self-determined reasons underpinning a self-approach goal positively predicted T2 challenge appraisals and T3 pride, (2) T1 self-determined reasons for pursuing a self-avoidance goal corresponded to reduced T3 performance and shame, (3) T2 challenge and threat appraisals were found to positively relate to T3 pride, and (4) the slower parkrunners ran, the more shame they felt post-event. T2 challenge and threat appraisals were found to mediate the relationship between T1 self-determined reasons underlying a self-approach goal and T3 pride. Further analysis failed to support a conditional process model. Our findings suggest the intensity of pursuing a self-based goal does not matter at all, but underlying self-determined reasons are a key driver influencing stress appraisals, performance and subsequent emotions among parkrunners.

Do your friends stress you out? A field study of the spread of stress through a community network.

In this study, we seek to understand how stress changes in dynamic social systems. Where prior work on the interpersonal transmission of stress focused on pairs of individuals and small groups, we adopt a network perspective to investigate how the distribution of stress in an individual's social environment influences their stress appraisal process. We conducted a 6-month longitudinal study of 315 early to midcareer adults in professional master's programs as they encountered the stress of everyday academic life. We follow the dynamics of the participants' networks and their concomitant stress at four key time points during those 6 months. We find that the perceived stress of one's social contacts affects their experience of stress in this setting. Yet, not everyone is equally susceptible to this social influence. In particular, we find that social influence is substantially amplified under conditions of relative consensus among one's social contacts. Also, a low level of neuroticism, a high level of conscientiousness, and a high level of internal control orientation help buffer the transmission of stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations of stress, anxiety, and partner satisfaction with maternal-fetal attachment in women pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic: an online study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to exceptional stress in pregnant women. The aim of the present study was to investigate associations of maternal stress (pandemic-related and -unrelated), anxiety, and relationship satisfaction experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic with prenatal mother-infant attachment.MethodsAn online study was conducted evaluating pandemic-related stress, pregnancy-specific stress (unrelated to the pandemic), anxiety, partnership satisfaction, and maternal-fetal attachment in German-speaking women during the second COVID-19 lockdown between January and March 2021. In total, 431 pregnant women (349 lived in Germany and 82 in Switzerland) filled in the questionnaires and gave information on demographic and pregnancy-related variables (i.e. age, gestational age, parity). Bivariate correlations were calculated in order to investigate associations between the different variables and additionally, a hierarchical regression model was conducted in order to evaluate the influence of the independent variables on prenatal attachment.ResultsThe hierarchical regression analysis revealed that after controlling for age, gestational age, and parity higher pandemic-related stress, namely stress associated with feeling unprepared for birth, higher partnership satisfaction as well as higher positive appraisal (considered as a way of coping with pandemic-related stress) was associated with stronger maternal-fetal attachment, whereas associations of anxiety and other forms of stress were non-significant.ConclusionsThe study highlights interesting associations between maternal pandemic-related preparedness stress and positive appraisal of the pregnancy as well as partnership satisfaction and prenatal attachment in women pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perfectionism, locus of control, and academic stress among college students

Two forms of perfectionism—perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns—have been examined as correlates of psychological distress, but very little research has examined how these relate to academic stress of college students. We examined these dimensions of perfectionism as predictors of anticipated stress in response to simulated instances of academic failure, and we examined whether locus of control of the stressor played a moderating role. College students (N = 432) completed online measures of perfectionism, global appraisals of academic stress, and anticipated stress and locus of control in response to six hypothetical examples of academic failure. Perfectionistic concerns was associated with appraisals of greater academic stress, whereas perfectionistic strivings was associated with appraisals of lower academic stress. Yet perfectionistic strivings was positively related to anticipated stress in response to simulated failure; this association was stronger when locus of control was more internal than when it was more external. These findings have implications for understanding the contexts in which perfectionistic strivings is and is not associated with college-level academic stress.

The moderating role of hair cortisol in the association of early and recent stress with stress-related phenotypes.

BackgroundIncreased hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) have been found in clinical samples of schizophrenia, first episode psychosis and clinical risk for psychosis, but evidence of such is scarce in schizotypy. High HCC are supposed to reflect elevated chronic stress. However, HCC were not directly associated with adversity measures and stress-related phenotypes in previous research. This study tested whether HCC moderated the association between a comprehensive range of psychosocial stressors with several stress-related phenotypes in a sample of nonclinical young adults. It was expected that stressors, either distal (i.e., early-life) or recent, would be associated with subclinical features, particularly for those with elevated HCC, reflecting the effects of a potential biological sensitization to stress.MethodsThe sample comprised 132 nonclinical young adults belonging to the Barcelona Longitudinal Investigation of Schizotypy Study (BLISS). Participants completed a questionnaire of childhood adversity and two complementary measures of recent life events, tapping threatening vs. more general life events. Both the frequency and subjective impact (positive vs. negative) of general life events were also assessed. Psychotic (i.e., schizotypy, suspiciousness) and non-psychotic (i.e., depression, anxiety) subclinical features as well as appraisals of perceived stress were examined. Hierarchical linear regressions and simple slope analyses were computed.ResultsHCC moderated the effects of both early and recent stress on suspiciousness as well as the effects of recent life events on perceived stress, such that those with higher HCC presented increased suspiciousness and perceived stress at higher levels of stress exposure. Positive, but not negative, recent life events were associated with decreased perceived stress and depression, and these associations were moderated by low HCC, indicating a buffering effect for those with a non-impaired HPA axis.ConclusionIn line with the neural diathesis-stress model, results highlight the role of the interplay between the HPA axis and exposure to stressful experiences in exacerbating psychosis features and extend evidence to the nonclinical expression of the psychosis continuum. In addition, findings support the protective effect of positive experiences in decreasing stress appraisals and affective disturbances, which is consistent with emerging research about the relevance of positive factors in reducing the likelihood of psychopathological outcomes.

Subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A 3-year, 35-wave longitudinal study

ABSTRACT This article reports the results of a longitudinal study conducted between December 2019 and December 2022 (35 waves) with 979 participants in Germany. Based on event, transition, and adaptation theories, trajectories of subjective wellbeing (i.e. life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect) were hypothesized and tested across multiple national lockdown and restriction periods. In addition, based on the transactional stress model, this study examined how individuals’ stress appraisals (i.e. threat, challenge) and coping strategies (i.e. active coping, behavioral disengagement) moderate trajectories of subjective wellbeing. There was evidence for some relatively weak lockdown effects on wellbeing and for subsequent recovery effects. Evidence for moderating effects of stress appraisals and coping strategies was mixed. Overall, findings suggest that national lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had negative, albeit on average relatively weak, effects on subjective wellbeing. Moreover, certain stress appraisals and coping strategies might help individuals maintain wellbeing in times of crisis.

Commentary: Video games and stress: how stress appraisals and game content affect cardiovascular and emotion outcomes.

GENERAL COMMENTARY article Front. Psychol., 15 June 2023Sec. Health Psychology Volume 14 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191123

Socioeconomic status and morbidity: Are stress exposure, stress reactivity, or both the key mediators?

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is robustly associated with higher risks of morbidity and early mortality. Two intermediate mechanisms—stress exposure and stress reactivity—have been proposed to explain this association. However, few studies have formally examined the mediation roles of these two processes in the SES-health link, particularly using a longitudinal design. This study, therefore, aimed to test the intermediate role of stress exposure (i.e., the total number of stressors, stress severity) and stress reactivity (i.e., emotional reactivity, stress appraisal) in contributing to SES disparities in morbidity over a 10-year period. Data were drawn from a subsample of 1,522 middle-aged and older adults (34-83 years of age, 57.2% female, 83.5% White) from the Midlife in the United States study, a nationally representative community sample. SES was assessed in 2003-2004. Stress exposure and stress reactivity were assessed using an 8-day daily stress assessment in 2004-2009. Morbidities (i.e., 26 chronic medical conditions) were assessed in 2003-2004 and 2013-2014. Participants from low socioeconomic status reported a faster increase in the total number of morbidities from 2003-2004 and 2013-2014 than their high-SES counterparts. Mediation analyses showed that the association between SES and morbidities was partially mediated by stress reactivity, or specifically, negative emotional reactivity, but not by stress exposure. These findings highlight the intermediate role of stress reactivity in contributing to SES disparities in morbidities, suggesting the importance of developing interventions focusing on strengthing stress reactivity to promote health in middle-aged and older US adults with low SES.

Examining the associations between physical activity, self-esteem, perceived stress, and internalizing symptoms among older adolescents.

In older adolescence, stress has been found to be prevalent. It has been seen that higher physical activity (PA) relates to lower stress levels, which, in turn, relates to fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms (internalizing symptoms). However, how these associations function is not fully understood. PA is strongly associated with greater self-esteem in adolescents. As greater self-esteem is thought to aid better coping with stress and has been seen as beneficial for mental health in adolescents, PA may be associated with lower stress and better mental health through self-esteem and more adaptive stress appraisals. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the relationships between PA, self-esteem, stress, and mental health. A cross-sectional design was employed, and path analysis was implemented. PA, self-esteem, stress appraisals, distress tolerance, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression were assessed using online questionnaires from 244 adolescent participants from the United Kingdom (aged 15-19, M = 16.75 [SD = 0.82], 145 female). Path analysis revealed that PA was associated with lower perceived stress through increased self-esteem, adaptive appraisals, and higher distress tolerance (total standardized indirect effect; p = .007 (-0.25 to -0.11). Moreover, lower perceived stress was associated with lower anxiety (standardized direct effect; p < .001 [2.65-4.0] and depressive symptoms (standardized direct effect; p < .001 [0.33-0.63]). Findings suggest that higher PA could be effective in improving mental health among older adolescents, due to its association with perceived stress through higher self-esteem and more adaptive appraisals of stress.

Risk for Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents with a History of Adversity: Unique Role of Stress Appraisals.

Lifetime social adversity predicts elevated depressive symptoms in adolescence. However, most adversity-exposed youth do not develop depression, highlighting the importance of examining risk and protective factors. The present study leveraged a multi-method approach, incorporating self-report, interview, and independent coding to examine whether appraisals of recent stressors moderate the effect of social adversity on depressive symptoms in 81 adolescent girls (Mage = 16.30years, SD = .85). We utilized semi-structured interviews of lifetime adversity and recent stressors and semi-structured interviews and self-reports of depressive symptoms. Stress appraisals were calculated by regressing youths' subjective estimations of event stressfulness and dependence on estimations of independent coders. Lifetime social adversity predicted elevated depressive symptoms more strongly in girls who appraised interpersonal events as more stressful and dependent on their actions, providing insight into individual differences in depressive symptoms in adversity-exposed adolescents.

Systematic Review of Instruments Assessing Psychosocial Adaptation and Outcomes Among Families of Children With Congenital Heart Disease.

This systematic review identified instruments quantitatively assessing psychosocial adaptation and outcomes in families of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and evaluated instrument psychometrics. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and a prospectively registered protocol, electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS) were searched from inception until June 20, 2021 for peer-reviewed articles published in English, reporting quantitative data on psychosocial outcomes among parents/caregivers, siblings, or family system. Instrument characteristics and psychometrics were extracted, and adapted COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) criteria were applied to assess instrument quality. Descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis were used for analysis. Overall, 108 articles reporting on 107 distinct samples across 26 countries met inclusion. Across those articles, 40 instruments assessed psychological functioning or distress, 12 assessed coping, 11 assessed quality of life constructs, 10 assessed parenting stress/caregiver burden, 10 assessed family functioning/impact, 10 assessed stress appraisal, 5 assessed sibling psychosocial outcomes, and 2 assessed couple relationship satisfaction/strain. Applying COSMIN criteria to available data on original instrument development articles/manuals for English language instruments (n = 54), 67% scored a positive property evidence rating for content validity, 39% for internal consistency, 4% for test-retest reliability, and 9% for responsiveness (longitudinal validity). Studies vary widely in instruments used to assess psychosocial adaptation and outcomes among families of children with CHD. Instrument selection informed by robust key psychometrics, increased psychometric reporting, development of both a "toolkit" approach and a comprehensive CHD-specific family instrument are among key recommendations.

Special privileges or busywork? The impact of qualitative job insecurity on idiosyncratic deals and illegitimate tasks among hospitality workers

This study examined relationships linking qualitative job insecurity (JI) to idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) and illegitimate tasks (i-tasks) for hospitality workers. I-deals are valuable arrangements, opportunities, or privileges provided to employees by their supervisors for which employees’ have negotiated for themselves and, thus, may not be available to all other employees. I-tasks, refer to employees’ perceptions that they have been delegated tasks that are neither necessary nor reasonable for them to complete. Leveraging the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, we proposed that employee stress appraisals mediate relationships between qualitative JI and both i-deals and i-tasks and that employee proactivity serves as a boundary condition of relationships between qualitative JI and stress appraisals. Results from a four-wave, time-lagged survey study largely supported our hypotheses. In particular, employee stress appraisals were found to explain relationships between qualitative JI and both i-deals and i-tasks. Moreover, employee proactivity moderated the relationship between qualitative JI and hindrance appraisals.

Fatigue, Stress Appraisal, and Emotional Functioning Among Youth With Sickle Cell Disease: A Daily Diary Study.

The aim of this study was to assess how fatigue is related to mood among youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) by evaluating if the cognitive appraisal of stress moderates the impact of fatigue on emotional functioning consistent with the Risk-and-Resistance Model of Chronic Illness. Daily diaries assessing fatigue (Numerical Rating Scale), pain intensity (Numerical Rating Scale), mood (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children), and cognitive appraisal of stress (Stress Appraisal Measure for Adolescents) were collected from 25 youth with SCD (ages 11-18 years) for 8 consecutive weeks resulting in 644 daily diaries for analyses. When measured concurrently, higher fatigue was associated with higher negative mood controlling for pain and prior-night sleep quality. Fatigue predicted next-day negative mood through its interaction with primary and secondary appraisal of stress, consistent with stress appraisal as a protective factor. A similar pattern was observed for pain, which, like fatigue, is a common SCD-related stressor. Fatigue and negative mood are inter-related when concurrently assessed, but their temporal association in SCD suggests that mood changes are not an inevitable sequalae of increased fatigue; fatigue influenced subsequent levels of negative mood, but only in the presence of less adaptive cognitions about stress; specifically, a higher perceived threat from stress and a lower belief in the ability to manage stress. The results suggest specific cognitive targets for reducing the negative impact of fatigue on mood in SCD.

HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENTS' MENTAL WELL-BEING AND PERCEIVED HEALTH - ТHE IMPACT OF OPTIMISM, RESILIENCE, RELIGIOSITY AND STRESS

The study explored the impact of optimism, resilience and religiosity on the mental well-being and perceived health as well as their role in the perceived stress and mental well-being relation in health professions’ students. The study was carried out online with a total of 123 students in medicine, nursing, assistant-pharmacists and social workers. Analyses suggest that optimism and resilience were associated with the stress appraisal as less intensive, less threatening and more controllable. Religiosity was not associated with perceived stress. The mental well-being was predicted positively by optimism, resilience and religiosity and negatively by stress, but perceived health – only by stress. Resilience enhanced mental well-being both directly and indirectly through the perceived stress (partial mediator). Optimism acted as a moderator of stress and mental well-being relationship. Optimism, resilience and religiosity contribute to high levels of students' positive functioning in the mental health domain, but not in physical health domain as far as the subjective general physical health is concerned. Positive impact of optimism and resilience on psychological functioning is related to their associations with favorable stress appraisals and the buffering effect of optimism on stress. The positive influence of subjective level of religiosity on mental well-being is unrelated to how stress is perceived. Stress management programs as well as appropriate interventions and educational approaches to enhance resilience could be offered to health professions’ students.