Stress, Change, and AdaptionStressor, Stress, CrisisWhat is the difference?!Stressor – a stimulus or event with potential to cause stressPhysical – external to the system, primarily natural environment (chemicals, noise [jackhammer outside gets to you after a while])Social – traumatic or pleasant eventsPsychological – strong emotionsCan be good or badExamples: papers or projects due, time constraints, moving, breaking up or divorce, having a babyStress – response/reaction to a stressorInvolves pressure vs. adaptabilityStressor is an “event”/stress is a “response”Naturally occurring and certain amount is needed to get things doneCrisis – person or system is unable to handle stressA stressor, no matter how big does NOT automatically lead to a crisisRememberStressor is the EVENTStress is the RESPONSECrisis is the PROCESS of not being able to handle the stressor and accompanying stressFamily Stress and CrisisStress – any stimulus that causes physical and psychological distress when our day-to-day problems exceed our abilities to solve them and which require an organism or system to make some adjustments in order to adapt.Stressor – an occurrence that cannot effectively be managed by the individual’s or family’s usual way of doing things, not all of these have to be negativePhysical Stressors - external to the system, come primarily from environment. Chemicals, pollutants, infectious microbes, radiation, temperature, humidity, etc.Can be damaging but often can be avoided, planned for or anticipatedSocial (life) Stressors – unplanned or unexpected traumatic events for which there is usually little time for preparation.Usually the most difficult to handle because they can cause the most severe single stressful response; happen infrequently.Negative: Death of loved one, divorce, loss of job, financial reversal or forced relocationPleasant: graduation, wedding, birthsPsychological Stressors – strong emotions such as fear, anxiety, panic, frustration, anger, resentment, hate, disgust, unhappiness, sadness, grief, inferiority, self-pity, etc.Can be the most damaging. Can be induced by either physical or social, but are usually self-induced and cumulative.The three most toxic feeling to harbor are anxiety, frustration, and anger. Detrimental to relationship development and ongoing relationships.Family stress – state of tension arising when demands tax a family’s resourcesPressures inside and outside the family call for constant adjustment and readjustmentFamily crisis – sharper jolt to a familyStress Pile-up – multiple stressor events increase the difficulty individuals and families ah vein effectively dealing with new family system inputs (stressors) while they are trying to process ongoing stressorsCrisis – 3 interrelated ideasInvolves changeCrisis is a turning pointCrisis is a time of relative instabilityABC-X ModelA = Stressor EventAddition of family memberLoss of a family memberAmbiguous lossSudden change in family income or statusConflict over family rulesCare for disabled or dependent family memberDemoralization – scandal, criminal arrest, something happens in your family that you become demoralized.Daily hassles – sibling quarreling, activities, children with disabilities, etc.Crisis overload – even small events, it just kind of piles up and it all begins to take a toll, one little straw can break the camel’s back because you have so much going onCharacteristics of a stressorExpectedness (normative vs. non-normative)Normative transitions are expected to happen (graduation, marriage, older family members will die, etc.) may be surprised at the moment it occurs, but you know it’ll happen eventuallyNon-normative – not expected, sudden. Death of friend in car accident over spring break, natural disastersSource (extra family vs. intra family)Extra familial- external event to the family. Family all rallies together and helps each other out. Like a hurricane, everyone pulls together and helps out, they all become closer (of sorts) with the experienceIntra familial- worse than extra. Infidelity, drug addiction, alcoholism. Tears family apart, disorganizes the family and shakes the family core. Very disruptive to particular familyTiming (onset & duration)Onset - sudden / gradual – sudden can be harder to handleDuration - brief (arm break) / long term (Alzheimer’s or paralysis)Effects (family configuration and outcome)If an older person dies that’s one thing, but if there are children involved the roles will have to be reallocated and that can change what happens in the familyType of event (impact, control, status shift)Does it impact all family membersCold will effect mainly one person, or possibly multiple for just a little bit thoughif it involves a shift of status in the family..someone loses their job it isn’t so easy to find one these daysB = Crisis Meeting ResourcesPersonal resourcesSome degree of intelligenceCan find places to help you outSome degree of moneyEducationFamily’s internal resourcesFamily cohesion - Family is willing to support youFamily adaptability – how flexible is your family to be willing to help you,Social support – different groups / friends / etcC = Definition of eventMeaning family attributes to eventObjective – could look at things objectively because they don’t apply directly to usCultural – American people more interested in Kate and Williams wedding rather than the BritainSubjective/individual – reacting differently to son having cancer and dying and then right after finding out that your mother (older and it doesn’t progress as fast) having cancer.Factors influencing definitionNature of event – if it is extremely catastrophic and there are a lot of deaths (natural disaster) it would be hard to identify bodiesDegree of hardship – unemployed or notFamily’s previous experience – going as a young child to a funeral may give you better coping abilities later on in life; parents who over indulge their children have less stress but children will experience more stress later in life because they didn’t learn how to handle things when youngerHow family members hear of event – news, police, friends, next-of-kin (may not be best to directly have family members be emergency contact if they take things hard, may need a buffer person to tell them and be with them until other family can support)X = The CrisisCharacterized by the family’s inability to restore equilibrium or
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