Question

Chapter 14 Health and Stress – Case Study (14 marks)

Rationale: Given the role that stress plays in our lives, students are well-served by considering the symptoms of stress and the differences between adaptive and maladaptive coping.

Instructions: Read the Stress Case Studies below and answer the questions that follow.

Stress Case Studies

Read the following case studies, which detail typical daily routines.

Case study 1

Pawan (38) works as an administrator and lives with his daughter, Aneela (8), in Vanier. This is his typical day:

6.30am: Get up, prepare two packed lunches and start getting Aneela ready. Chase around with sports kit and try to do some housework including putting on a load of washing. Coerce Aneela into some clarinet practice (ten minutes arguing, resulting in three minutes practice).

8.00am: Drive Aneela to school then continue to work, a distance of about 10 miles, worrying about Aneela left in an almost deserted playground.

9.00am: Work starts, but I am often late. Breakfast is a sandwich. It is not particularly a stressful job and I enjoy it, but I have been there six years and I really need to earn more money or try something different. For practical reasons it would be difficult for me to change so I do get frustrated.

5.00pm: Collect Aneela at 5.30. She does activities three days, and on the other two I leave work at 3.00pm.

6.30pm: Cook dinner and encourage Aneela to do her homework.

8.00pm: Aneela puts herself to bed while I catch up on bills, paperwork, and housework. When things get really bad, two or three times a year, I get a horrible racing heartbeat and shoulder pains as I get very tense in my neck and back. I then start to feel permanently anxious. My biggest stress is feeling that I cannot devote enough time to Aneela, mainly because of work. I used to see friends on a regular basis but now I rarely bother as it’s another hassle and expense getting a babysitter for the evening. I knew early on that I would be bringing up Aneela on my own and we don't live near any family who could help me juggle a job and child. Sometimes it is hard to make ends meet. If Aneela is ill, I can't work, and my annual vacation, 25 days a year, doesn't cover the 13 weeks of school holidays. The company has been good about giving me unpaid leave but I have to take far too much. It’s difficult having to rely on friends, asking favours all the time makes me very tense.

Answer the questions below:

3.Psychological responses - Identify TWO psychological responses to stressors

4.Physiological responses - Identify TWO physiological responses to stressors

Answer 1

Two psychological response to stressors are as follows

• Getting frustrated at the job when thinking of getting another job with more money but unable to achieve the same due to practical reasons.
• Depression due to the inability to spend more time with Aneela due to a busy working schedule.

Two physiological response to stressors are as follows

• Increased heartbeat and pain in the shoulder when thinking of meeting two ends of life such as taking care of Aneela expenses, household bills, etc.
• Getting tensed when asking for favors to friends when in need of help.