ACCTG 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Relaxation Technique, Cognitive Restructuring, Stress Management
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Managing stress
Stress theory: Cognitive-behavioural models of stress (“Quick review”)
Stress as outcome of environmental and cognitive processes
Treatment approaches
Stress management training
• Based on cognitive-behavioural models
• Stress = negative emotional and physiological state resulting from cognitive responses to
events
o Stress as a process, not an outcome
o Cognitive response to events determines mood, not event itself (Beck (1976) & Ellis
(1977))
• Factors that can be changed to reduce stress
o Environmental events
o Inappropriate behavioural, physiological or cognitive responses
• Aspects of stress management training
o Identifying and modifying triggers using problem-solving strategies
o Identifying and changing cognitive distortions
▪ E.g. through cognitive restructuring: bringing automatic or catastrophic
thoughts in line with reality
o Reducing muscular tension (physiological arousal) through relaxation
o Rehearsal of alternative behaviour to change ‘stressed’ behaviour
• Changing triggers
o Must first identify situations in which trigger occurs, then either change nature or
frequency
o Application of Egan’s problem-focussed counselling strategy:
▪ Problem exploration and clarification
▪ Goal setting
▪ Facilitating action
• Relaxation training
Categories that can lead to negative emotions/ Stress (Beck):
• Catastrophic thinking
o Seeing an event as completely negative
• Over-generalisation
o Drawing a general conclusion based on one incident
• Arbitrary inference
o Drawing a conclusion without significant evidence
• Selective abstraction
o Focussing on one detail taken out of context
Document Summary
Stress theory: cognitive-behavioural models of stress ( quick review ) Stress as outcome of environmental and cognitive processes. Inappropriate behavioural, physiological or cognitive responses: aspects of stress management training. 1: not the same as meditation: meditation means taking time out, whereas relaxation training teaches individuals to relax whilst dealing with the stress/ situation, benefits, physical. Increase in actual and perceived control over stress response. Increase access to calm and constructive thoughts: learning relaxation: If stressor can be foretold, the actions can be rehearsed before the event: after the event, the situation should be reviewed, and not just seen as a triumph or disaster that must soon be forgotten. Important consequence of mindfulness is realisation that thoughts/ emotions pass. 2: acceptance and commitment therapy act , combination of acceptance/ mindfulness and commitment/ behaviour change processes, rooted in radical behaviourism, because it assumes that psychological events are the result of conditioning processes, essence:
