Re-conceptualizing stress: Shifting views on the consequences of stress and its effects on stress reactivity

Abstract

BackgroundThe consequences of stress are typically regarded from a deficit-oriented approach, conceptualizing stress to be entirely negative in its outcomes. This approach is unbalanced, and may further hinder individuals from engaging in adaptive coping. In the current study, we explored whether negative views and beliefs regarding stress interacted with a stress framing manipulation (positive, neutral and negative) on measures of stress reactivity for both psychosocial and physiological stressors.MethodNinety participants were randomized into one of three framing conditions that conceptualized the experience of stress in balanced, unbalanced-negative or unbalanced-positive ways. After watching a video on stress, participants underwent a psychosocial (Trier Social Stress Test), or a physiological (CO2 challenge) method of stress-induction. Subjective and objective markers of stress were assessed.ResultsMost of the sampled population regarded stress as negative prior to framing. Further, subjective and objective reactivity were greater to the TSST compared to the CO2 challenge. Additionally, significant cubic trends were observed in the interactions of stress framing and stress-induction methodologies on heart rate and blood pressure. Balanced framing conditions in the TSST group had a significantly larger decrease in heart rate and diastolic blood pressure following stress compared to the positive and negative framing conditions.ConclusionFindings confirmed a deficit-orientation of stress within the sampled population. In addition, results highlighted the relative efficacy of the TSST compared to CO2 as a method of stress provocation. Finally, individuals in framing conditions that posited stress outcomes in unbalanced manners responded to stressors less efficiently. This suggests that unbalanced framing of stress may have set forth unrealistic expectations regarding stress that later hindered individuals from adaptive responses to stress. Potential benefits of alternative conceptualizations of stress on stress reactivity are discussed, and suggestions for future research are made.

Psychometric Properties of the Stress Control Mindset Measure in University Students from Australia and the UK

“…Specifically, stress mindset interventions in the future may seek to present a balanced view of stress or that stress can be enhancing. This is supported by the evidence for incremental validity attained in the current study, and is consistent with Liu, Vickers, Reed, and Hadad (2017), who found that presenting videos outlining balanced consequences of stress results in significantly lower heart rates and diastolic blood pressure following a lab-induced stressor than when videos outlining strictly positive or negative consequences of stress are presented.…”

The effect of pet therapy on the physiological and subjective stress response: A meta‐analysis

“…Specifically, in these studies, participants' physiological and subjective stress, and anxiety were assessed both before and after a stressor. The prestressor to poststressor correlation for the physiological data was extracted from Liu, Vickers, Reed, and Hadad (), who found a prestressor to poststressor correlation coefficient for HR of r = 0.837 ( df = 89; p < .001), for SBP of r = 0.803 ( df = 88; p < .001), and for DBP of r = 0.812 ( df = 89; p < .001). For the subjective data, we extracted the data from Linett () and found a correlation coefficient for subjective anxiety of r = 0.543 ( df = 55; p < .001) and for subjective stress, a correlation coefficient of r = 0.733 ( df = 55; p < .001).…”

The Influence of University Students’ Stress Mindsets on Health and Performance Outcomes

“…Rather than building upon their existing conceptualization to engender a more balanced view of stress, it may result in the video content being rejected altogether. More recent research (20) has found that presenting videos outlining the balanced consequences of stress results in significantly decreased heart rates and diastolic blood pressure following a lab-induced stressor compared to videos outlining strictly positive or negative consequences of stress. We contend that measurement of stress mindsets should be framed to explicitly measure nuanced beliefs about the malleability of the consequences of stress such that stress "can be" enhancing, on the basis of three arguments: (a) the potential benefits of holding a nuanced or balanced view of stress (20), (b) the importance, within mindset theory, of seeing particular traits as malleable (12,13), and (c) the current conceptualization of stress mindsets indicating that stress can be both enhancing and debilitating (5).…”

“…First, rather than simply drawing an individual's attention toward the enhancing properties of stress, attention should be drawn to the malleable and controllable nature of the stress response in order to elicit the belief that one is in control of their personal response to stressors. Supporting this assertion, recent research has found that showing a video presenting a balanced conceptualization of stress results in more adaptive physiological outcomes under acute stress in contrast with presentation of an unbalanced-positive or unbalanced-negative conceptualization of stress (20). Second, a recent meta-analysis (55) reviewed 24 university student stress-reduction interventions; all of which required engagement in a cognitive (including mindfulness) or behavioral strategy to deal with the stress.…”