Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

Uplifts 
20 
0 40 
60 
80 
100 
Percentage of people experiencing 
Hassles
Study Alert
Remember the three catego-
ries of stressors—cataclysmic 
events, personal stressors, 
and background stressors—
and that they produce 
diff erent levels of stress.
psychophysiological disorders 
Medical problems infl uenced by an 
interaction of psychological, emo-
tional, and physical diffi culties.
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Module 43 
Stress and Coping 
477
psychophysiological disorders range from major problems, such as high blood pressure, 
to usually less serious conditions, such as headaches, backaches, skin rashes, indiges-
tion, fatigue, and constipation. Stress has even been linked to the common cold (Cohen 
et al., 2003; Andrasik, 2006). 
On a psychological level, high levels of stress prevent people from adequately 
coping with life. Their view of the environment can become clouded (for example, 
a minor criticism made by a friend is blown out of proportion). Moreover, at the 
highest levels of stress, emotional responses may be so extreme that people are 
unable to act at all. People under a lot of stress also become less able to deal with 
new stressors. 
In short, stress affects us in multiple ways. It may increase the risk that we will 
become ill, it may directly cause illness, it may make us less able to recover from a 
disease, and it may reduce our ability to cope with future stress. (See Figure 3 to get 
a measure of your own level of stress.) 
How Stressful Is Your Life?
Test your level of stress by answering these questions, and adding the score from each box. Questions apply to the last month only. 
A key below will help you determine the extent of your stress.
1. How often have you been upset because of something 
that happened unexpectedly?
■
0
5
never, 1
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 
3
5
fairly often, 4
5
very often
2. How often have you felt that you were unable to control 
the important things in your life?
■
0
5
never, 1
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 
3
5
fairly often, 4
5
very often
3. How often have you felt nervous and “stressed”?
■
0
5
never, 1
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 
3
5
fairly often, 4
5
very often
4. How often have you felt confi dent about your ability to 
handle your personal problems?
■
4
5
never, 3
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 
1
5
fairly often, 0
5
very often
5. How often have you felt that things were going your 
way?
■
4
5
never, 3
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 
1
5
fairly often, 0
5
very often
6. How often have you been able to control irritations in 
your life?
■
4
5
never, 3
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 
1
5
fairly often, 0
5
very often
7. How often have you found that you could not cope with 
all the things that you had to do?
■
0
5
never, 1
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 3
5
fairly 
often, 4
5
very often
8. How often have you felt that you were on top of things?
■
4
5
never, 3
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 1
5
fairly often, 
0
5
very often
9. How often have you been angered because of things that 
were outside your control?
■
0
5
never, 1
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 3
5
fairly often, 
4
5
very often
10. How often have you felt diffi
culties were piling up so high 
that you could not overcome them?
■
0
5
never, 1
5
almost never, 2
5
sometimes, 3
5
fairly often, 
4
5
very often