Unit 6: Stress & Anger Management

I. Concepts of StressII. Situational Factors Affecting StressIII. Personal Factors Affecting StressIV. Mediational Model of StressV. Implications for Stress InterventionsVI. Relaxation as a Multidimensional ResponseVII. Somatic RelaxationVIII. Cognitive Relaxation

Unit 6: Stress & Anger Management

IX. Thought and EmotionX. Cognitive DistortionsXI. A-B-C Theory of EmotionXII. Cognitive RestructuringXIII. Self-Instructional TrainingXIV. Integrated Coping Response XV. Rehearsal of Coping ResponsesXVI. Understanding BurnoutXVII. Coping with Burnout

Definitions of Stress

• Stress as a Stimulus (stressors)• Stress as a Response (feeling stressed)• Stress as a Person-Situation Transaction

A Transactional Definition of Stress

Stress is a particular relationship or transaction between a person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his/her resources and/or endangering his/her well being, (Lazarus and Folkman)

Three Types of Appraisals

• Primary– What is the nature of the stressor?

• Secondary– What kinds of resources do I posses to cope with

this stressor?• Reappraisal– Reassessment of situational given additional

information and/or secondary appraisal

Situational Factors Affecting Stress

• Predictability– Event Uncertainty

• Ambiguity• Novelty• Imminence• Controllability

Personal Factors Affecting Stress

• Motives, Goals, & Values• Beliefs– Personal Control Beliefs– Existential Beliefs

• Personality Factors: Hardiness• Coping Skills

The Three Cs of Hardiness

• Challenge• Commitment• Control

Stages of Coping

• Anticipatory• Impact• Post Impact

Types of Coping

• Problem-Focused Coping• Emotion-Focused Coping• Seeking Social Support

Possible Coping Resources

• Physical Resources• Beliefs• Problem -Solving Skills• Social Support• Social Skills• Material Resources

Characteristics of Effective Coping

• People with effective coping skills have– complex repertoires (good variety) that are– flexibly applied and– readily generalizable to different situations.

Coping Defined

Coping is a process of constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific internal or external demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding a person’s resources.

Benson’s Relaxation Response

• Repetition of a word, phrase, mantra, prayer, or muscular activity

• Passive disregard towards thoughts that will arise

• Helpful to do in a quiet place and in a comfortable position

Conditions Impacted by Invoking the Relaxation Response

• Angina pectoris (symptom of heart diseas)

Other Useful Relaxation Techniques

• Smile when you feel tense• Have fun and enjoy pressure-filled and

adverse situations• Intentionally set up stressful situations• Slow down and take your time• Stay focused on the present• Create and stick to a plan

Cognitive Distortions

• All-or-Nothing Thinking• Overgeneralization• Mental Filter• Disqualifying the Positive• Jumping to Conclusions– Mind Reading– Fortune Teller Error

Cognitive Distortions (Continued)

• Magnification & Minimization• Emotional Reasoning• Should Statements• Labeling & Mislabeling• Personalization• Depressogenic Attribution Pattern• Negative Cognitive Triad

The A-B-Cs (or A-C-Bs) of Emotion

• A – Activating Event• C – Emotional Consequences

• Emotional reaction, presumably caused by irrational thinking

• B – Beliefs • Usually irrational if dealing with negative emotions

Ellis’ Core Irrational Belief

• It is awful, terrible, and catastrophic when things are not the way that I demand that they be.

Other Common Irrational Thoughts

• It’s a dire necessity for an adult to be loved by everyone for everything he or she does.

• One should be thoroughly competent, successful, and achieving in all possible respects.

• Certain people are wicked and villainous when they do not behave as I demand they should, and for this, they should be punished.

• If something is threatening, I should be terribly upset about it.

• Musts and Shoulds

Possible Stress Reducing Thoughts

• I may not like this situation, but I can certainly stand it.

• Unfortunately, people don’t always behave the way I want them to. That’s the way it goes - no use getting upset.

• I don’t have to be perfect. I can make mistakes too. I don’t have to please everybody.

• Life is too short to let things like this make me miserable.

Analyzing Thoughts and Feelings(see Smith pages 68-69)

• Activating Event– What happened? Describe the event.

• Emotional Consequences– How did you feel when the event occurred?– What was your emotional response?

• Beliefs– What were you thinking? What were you telling yourself?

Was any of this irrational?• Dispute– Counter what you told yourself. What is a more

productive thing to think?

Self-Instructional Training: Anticipatory Stage

• This will be frustrating. Just plan on how you can keep your cool and deal with it without blowing up.

• No negative self-statements. Just think and plan rationally

Self-Instructional Training: Impact Stage

• One step at a time. You can handle this. Just relax and think clearly.

• Keep your cool. No need to loose your tempter. Relax.

Self-Instructional Training: Post-Impact Stage

• Those damn ideas. They’re the problem. When you control them, you control your anger.

• Go back over what you did. What worked and what can be done better next time?

• Way to go! It’s getting better every time. You’re controlling the anger instead of it controlling you.

Burnout Defined

• The psychological, emotional, and sometimes physical withdrawal from an activity in response to excessive stress or dissatisfaction.

Symptoms of Burnout

• Low motivation or energy

• Concentration problems• Lack of caring• Disturbed sleep• Physical and/or mental

exhaustion

• Lowered self-esteem• Negative affect• Mood changes/swings• Substance abuse• Changes in values• Emotional isolation• Increased Anxiety• Impaired performance

Situational Factors Contributing to Burnout

• High or conflicting demands• Low social support• Low autonomy• Low rewards• Low demands

Personal Factors Contributing to Burnout

• Extreme dedication to work or profession• High trait anxiety• Perfectionistic or unrealistic goals• Type A personality• Too flexible or rigid in coping skills• Non-discriminating locus of control• Feeling isolated and lonely

Coping with Burnout: The Process

• Awareness of the Problem• Taking Responsibility for Changing the

situation and/or Yourself• Discriminating the Changeable from the

Unchangeable• Developing New Strategies and Coping Skills

Coping With Burnout: Specific Recommendations

• Examining Coping Patterns• Goal-Setting and Clarifying Priorities• Acknowledging Vulnerabilities• Compartmentalizing Work and Non-work• Decompression Time/Time Off• Maintaining Physical Fitness• Building Social Support

Coping With Burnout: Specific Recommendations

• Challenging/Changing Maladaptive Attitudes and Beliefs

• Using Burnout to Promote Personal Growth• Learn Mental Coping Skills• Choose to Have Fun

Unit 7:Attention Control

I. Introduction II. Effective AttentionIII. Attention Control Principles IV. Things that Disrupt AttentionV. Suggestions for Improving AttentionVI. Attention & Pain Tolerance

Effective Attention

• Voluntary focus on relevant cues• Maintaining focus over time• Shifting the focus of attention when necessary• Screening out irrelevant stimuli

Effective Attention: Information Processing

• Attending to relevant cues• Integrating cues within memory• Responding appropriately

Choking Defined

• Because of excessive arousal, an individual’s performance progressively deteriorates and the the person can’t regain control of it– High arousal– Attention shifts towards the person’s dominant

attentional style– Attention goes internal and narrow (towards

negative thoughts and feelings)

Things that Disrupt Attention:Internal Distracters

• Thoughts about the past• Thoughts about the future• Pressure and choking under pressure• Over-Analyzing (Paralysis through analysis)• Fatigue• Lack of motivation

Things that Disrupt Attention:External Distracters

• Visual distracters• Auditory distracters• Gamesmanship

Suggestions for Improving Attention

• Use simulations• Use cue or trigger words• Employ non-judgmental thinking• Establish routines• Develop performance plans• Practice eye control• Use self-monitoring

Suggestions for Improving Attention (Continued)

• Over-learn behaviors• Turn failure into success (in your mind)• Practice shifting attention• Park distracting thoughts• Increasing focusing and refocusing skills• Use technology (EEG, biofeedback, etc…)• Use mental skills (goals, imagery, etc…)

Pain Control Strategies

• Dissociative Strategies– Direct attention away from painful stimuli– Examples: counting backwards by 17s, imagining

you are somewhere else, watching an engaging movie

• Associative Strategies– Direct attention towards painful stimuli, but in a

detached, non-emotional way

Internal

External

Broad Narrow

Broad-External

Broad-Internal Narrow-Internal

Narrow External

Real listening is based on the intention to…

• Understand someone.• Enjoy someone.• Learn something.• Give help, solace, or support.

Twelve Blocks to Listening

• Comparing• Mind Reading• Rehearsing• Filtering• Judging• Daydreaming

• Identifying• Advising• Sparring• Being Right• Derailing• Placating

Four Steps to Effective Listening

• Active Listening– Paraphrasing– Clarifying– Feedback (immediate, honest, supportive, clear, &

concise)• Listening with Empathy• Listening with Openness• Listening with Awareness

Six Rules for Effective Listening

• Maintain good eye contact• Lean slightly forward• Reinforce the speaker by nodding and

paraphrasing• Clarify by asking questions• Actively move away from distractions• Be committed to understanding

Pseudo-Listening Intentions

• To listen in order to buy time to think of what to say

• To listen for specific pieces of information, ignoring the rest

• To listen because we think we “should” (half-listening)

Unit 8: Communication

I. Communication as a Life SkillII. The Communication ProcessIII. ListeningIV. ExpressingV. Nonverbal Communication

Kinds of Expression

• Observations (Facts)• Thoughts (Conclusions drawn from the facts)• Feelings (Emotions)• Needs (What would help or please you?)

Value Judgments

• Comparative appraisals that are based on standards or norms

• They include judgments about goodness/badness, positive/negative, etc…

• Often related to moral or ethical considerations

• Example: “It is wrong(or appropriate) to assist homeless individuals.”

Theories

• A set of statements that specifies how different factors are related to one another

• Usually created to explain the causes of something

• Example: “Pam gets very nervous when she drives her car at night. She must have poor night vision.”

Beliefs

• Statements at a cognitive level that are representative of psychological facts

• The statements are perceived as facts themselves, but there is insufficient foundation to form irrefutable knowledge or truth

• Example: “Openness is essential to a good marriage.”

Opinions

• Conclusions that are based primarily on personal bias or intuition, rather than substantive facts.

• Some overlap with value judgments• Example: “Faculty meetings are a waste of

time.”

Guidelines for Sending Effective Messages

• Be direct• Be immediate• Own your messages (“I” and “My”)• Be complete and accurate• Distinguish between observations and

thoughts• Clearly state your feelings and needs

Whole Messages…

• include what you observe, think, feel, and need.• are an important part of good relationships and effective

expression.• To send whole messages, ask yourself, “Have I…

– expressed what I know to be the facts?”– expressed and clearly labeled my thoughts?”– expressed my feelings?”– shared my needs?”

Guidelines for Sending Effective Messages

• Keep messages congruent• Focus on one thing at a time• Be straight (avoid hidden agendas)• Be supportive• Fit the receiver’s frame of reference• Be redundant• Obtain feedback

Hidden Agendas

• I’m good• I’m good (but you’re not)• You’re good (but I’m not)• I’m helpless, I suffer• I’m blameless• I’m fragile• I’m tough• I know it all

Tactics to Avoid When Being Supportive

• Global labels• Sarcasm• Dragging up the past• Negative comparisons• Judgmental “you” messages• Threats

Areas of Verbal Message Impact(Albert Mehrabian)

7% Verbal (actual words)38% Paralanguage (pitch, volume, rhythm)55% Body language (mostly facial expressions)

Paralanguage (the way in words are spoken)

• Pitch• Resonance• Articulation• Tempo• Volume• Rhythm

Body Language (Kinesics)

• Gestures• Posture• Touching behavior• Facial expressions• Eye behavior

Unit 9:Conflict Resolution

I. The Nature of ConflictII. Five Approaches Taken in Response to

ConflictIII. Do’s and Don’ts for Resolving Conflicts

What People Bring to the Conflict Situation

• Unmet Needs• Beliefs• Past Grievances• Favorite Solutions

Beliefs that Lead to Impasses (and Their Alternatives)

• It is impossible to solve anything. Life is too complex and beyond the capacity of humans to deal with.– It is possible to solve many problem. Humans have the

capacity to deal with life and its complexities

• I feel helpless, so let’s argue.– I’m powerful, can adapt to change, and don’t need to

argue

Beliefs that Lead to Impasses (and Their Alternatives)

• This is my territory/property. I own this.– This is our territory, our property.

• Stand fast and don’t ever give up.– Negotiate and be willing to let go if necessary.

• Things don’t ever work out.– Many things do work out.

• You can’t expect to much– Expect a lot of yourself and others.

Beliefs that Lead to Impasses (and Their Alternatives)

• Someone has to suffer.– Much of human suffering can be eliminated or

avoided.• Don’t ask dumb questions.– There are no dumb questions.

• There is not enough time– There is plenty of time. People act in the present

and it is always now.

Beliefs that Lead to Impasses (and Their Alternatives)

• This can’t make a difference– It is impossible to not make a difference

• This is just the way it is.– This is just one of the many possible ways it could

be.

• You can’t get anywhere with certain people– You can get somewhere with anyone.

Beliefs that Lead to Impasses (and Their Alternatives)

• Humans are basically flawed.– Humans are all endowed with what they need to adapt

and thrive in the world.

• You have to compromise.– Compromise is only one option among many for resolving

conflicts

• There will always be winners and losers.– It is possible for everyone to win.

Beliefs that Lead to Impasses (and Their Alternatives)

• You can’t trust anyone.– You can learn to trust yourself and others.

Do’s and Don’ts for Resolving Conflicts

• Do speak up when an issue is important to you.

• Don’t strike while he iron is hot.• Do take time to think about a problem and to

clarify your position.• Don’t use below the belt tactics.• Do speak in “I” language• Don’t make vague requests.

Do’s and Don’ts for Resolving Conflicts

• Do try to appreciate the fact that people are different.

• Don’t participate in intellectual arguments that go nowhere.

• Do recognize that each person is responsible for his or her own behavior.

• Don’t tell another person what she or he thinks or feels or “should” think or feel.

Do’s and Don’ts for Resolving Conflicts

• Do try to avoid speaking through a third party.• Don’t expect change to come about from hit-

an-run confrontations.

Goals of Psychology

• Description• Understanding• Prediction• Control

Theory

InterventionResearch

Unit 10: Sleep

I. Sleep BasicsII. Circadian RhythmsIII. Sleep DebtIV. The Opponent Process Theory of SleepV. Sleep as a Performance Enhancement Skill?

What is Sleep?

“Sleep is a period of sensory isolation.”-William Dement• Sensory input from the environment is

blocked• When you are asleep, you won’t notice a

bright light flashing even if your eyes are taped open

Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)

• Give people the opportunity to sleep every 2 hours (i.e., 9:30, 11:30, 1:30, 3:30 & 5:30)

• Have 20 minutes to fall asleep• As soon as you fall asleep, or at 20 minute

mark, the test ends

Multiple Sleep Latency Test

• Well rested people: 15-20 minutes• Sleep deprived: 10 minutes• Serious sleep deprivation: 5 minutes or less

(associated with big sleep debt and/or sleep disorders)

• Correlates very strongly with subjective feelings of tiredness and fatigue

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Sleep Debt

• Defined: All lost sleep less than the daily average amount you need

• If you need an average of 10 hours per night, and you sleep 7 hours, you just added 3 hours to your sleep debt

Sleep Debt: The Cumulative Effect of Lost Sleep

Baseline: 9 hours sleep/night; Study: 5 hours sleep /night

Sleep Debt

• Sleep debt is only reduced (or paid back) by getting EXTRA sleep (sleeping MORE than the daily average amount you need)

• If you’re tired today, it’s more likely a function of your sleep debt than how much sleep you got last night

Circadian Rhythms

• Defined: Rhythms that repeat about every 24 hours (often slightly more than 24 hours)

• Processes following circadian rhythms:– Melatonin levels– Body temperature– Tooth enamel – Alertness

Circadian Rhythms

• Important rhythm for our discussion: “clock-dependent alerting”

• Experience a push of wakefulness two times a day:– In the morning when you wake (e.g. 8 AM)– Again around 12 hours later (e.g. 8 PM)

• Second push is stronger because you’ve acquired a day’s worth of sleep debt

Sleep & Motor Memory

• Motor Learning task: typing out numbers on a keyboard (~ playing a piano)

• Wake First Group: Train (10 AM) Test (10 PM) SLEEP Retest (10 AM)

• Sleep First Group: Train (10 PM) SLEEP Test (10 AM) Retest (10 PM)

Wake First Group

Sleep First Group

Basketball: Individual Sprint (282 ft)Sleep extension begins after Session 6

Basketball: 3 Point Shots (out of 15; sleep extension starts after day 18)