Stress-related illness:

Cardiovascular and Psychiatric disorders

Research task

• Work in 4 different groups and Powerpoint prepare a presentation different illnesses and how research show types of stress can cause these.

A. Please explain briefly what the illness is and what it does to your body.

B. Please ensure you describe the link between stress and your illness

C. Include RESEARCH and findings to support this.D. Include evaluation points that include research (blue

and yellow boxes).

Groups and Topics

• Group 1 – Cardiovascular disorders and anger (acute stressor).

• Group 2 - Cardiovascular disorders and work-related stress (chronic stressor).

• Group 3 – Stress and depression. • Group 4 – stress and other disorders.

Group 2 - Cardiovascular disorders and work-related stress (chronic stressor).

• AO1 - Russek (1962) – looked at two types of doctors. • GP’s and anesthetists vs pathologists and

dermatologists • Cardiovascular disease was highest for GP’s and

lowest for dermatologists.

• A02 – Exposure to stress are based on self report questionnaires. People tend to remember more negative things and so might effect how much people report these and link them to stress.

Group 4 – stress and other disorders.

• Ao1 – Vietnam war veterans. MacNair 2002 – found soldiers who fought in the war had PTSD as well as those with chronic stressors like poverty and abuse.

• PTSD – creates a loss of faith of safety or predictability.

Group 1 – Cardiovascular disorders and anger (acute stressor).

• Williams et al (2000) investigate anger and heart disease.

• 13,000 people completed anger questionnaire.

• 6 years later those who had a high score on the anger questionnaire were x2.5 more likely to have a heart attack.

Group 3 – Stress and depression.

• Brown and Harris (1978) found women with chronic stress conditions were more likely to develop depression.

• Working-class women were more at risk than middle class women.

• Melchior et al (2007) survey of 1000 people in NZ. 15% in high stress jobs had suffered clinical depression compared with 8% in low stress jobs.

Main AO2 points Heart Disease

• Exposure to stress are based on self report questionnaires. People tend to remember more negative things and so might effect how much people report these and link them to stress.

• Sympathetic branch of the ANS in some is more reactive than others (Rozanski et al 1999) This means some people are more at risk from stress than others.

Main Ao2 points - depression

• Are stressful events the cause of depression or do they happen BECAUSE of the depression. What comes first?

• Retrospective – Recall of events in the past can be unreliable.

• The effect of stress on depression appears to be small.

Diathesis model – AO2

• According to this model if a person develops a disease or illness it will be because they are genetically vulnerable to a disease or illness for it to develop.

• Any stress that happens in their life can trigger this genetic vulnerability.

• This explains why some people can adapt to stress better than others.

Cardiovascular disorders and anger (acute stressor).

Ao1 Ao2/3

Cardiovascular disorders and work-related stress (chronic stressor).

Ao1 Ao2/3

Stress and depression. Ao1 Ao2/3

stress and other disorders. Ao1 Ao2/3

Exam practice

Jane

• Jane recently has been diagnosed with coronary heart disease and has had to make significant changes to her lifestyle to reduce her blood pressure.

• Jane has spent the last 20 years working in a prison in west London. She often has to deal with dangerous inmates and works long hours which makes her frequently angry.

• Using your knowledge of Psychological research explain why Jane may have developed CHD

Possible answers

• Williams et al (2000) linking anger with heart disease through Questionnaires.

• Russek (1962) study of medical professionals (low and high stress).

• Jane has a highly stressful job leading to chronic stress. This has made her angry.

Answer

• 2 (a) The graph indicates a fairly strong, positive correlation between scores on a stress questionnaire and days off through illness. The following can all receive a mark: direction, strength and a description of their relationship. Credit can also be given for mentioning the flattening of the graph at higher stress levels.

Exam questions• Outline and evaluate research into stress-

related illness (12 Marks) AO1 points AO2 points

AO1 points AO2 points

Williams et al (2000)

Russek (1962)

Brown and Harris (1978) – stress and depression

Melchior et al (2007) – NZ high stress work and depressions

MacNair (2002)

Individual differences

Retrospective data

Cause or symptom?

Diathesis model

Homework

• Complete the 12 mark essay.

Peer assessment

• Compare answers.• Ao1 and Ao2 point?• What would you give them out of 12?

Plenary

• Write down 1 thing you have learnt.