Unit Objectives
Understand the challenges faced in the field of adolescent health psychology.
Differentiate types of stress.
Describe why adequate sleep is essential for adolescents.
Discuss the effects of diet on behavior
Health Psychology is a field that examines psychological factors critical to maintaining health. Adolescent Health Psychology is a subfield that recognizes that this group may have specific vulnerabilities, risks, and strengths that warrant particular study.
Stress
Most adolescents will state that their lives are stressful. Many factors can cause adolescent stress. In one survey, at least half of adolescents reported that they were highly stressed.
But what stress actually is may be hard to define. There are many definitions.
Many psychologists define stress as a change in which the organism has to cope. With this definition, stress can be positive. However, it can also be harmful and overwhelming. Most people realize that stress can be positive, at least at times. Exercise, for example, stresses the heart or muscles but adds to the strength. Studying is stressful but builds knowledge. Psychologists and other behavioral scientists have worked to clarify when stress is likely to be helpful and likely to be too much (Hagger, 2009).
The theory guiding much research in psychology was presented by Canadian physician Hans Seyle during the last century. It is called the General Adaption Model. It attempts to define the conditions under which we adapt to stress (Groër, Meagher, & Kendall-Tackett, 2010). Seyle began his research with rats, trying to find appropriate models for human physical diseases. His findings led to the belief that the General Adaptation Syndrome existed across all mammals, including humans.
In this model, the animal or human experiences change. Stress, as above, is defined as change. Stress can be tolerated by the animal or person experiencing it, based on resources and the stress amount. Tolerable stress is called eustress. Stress approaching its limits is called distress. Ultimately distress may become overwhelming and causes a failure (Luria & Torjman, 2009).
Stress, particularly distress, has several harmful properties (Maria Katarzyna, 2007). For example, it is known to weaken the immune system. It does this by suppressing the cells that fight infection. Therefore, it makes people more susceptible to bacteria and viruses. It also makes people more susceptible to many types of psychological disorders, discussed in Unit Nine. Many incidents of depression and anxiety are initially triggered by stress. Stress also can be a factor in addiction and suicide (Wright, 2012).
Psychologists have studied the situations in which stress becomes distress. These include whether the stress is predictable or not. Unpredictable stress is much more likely to hurt the organism, especially if it is chronic and not escapable (Abelson, Khan, Young, & Liberzon, 2010; Denson, Spanovic, & Miller, 2009).
Somewhat related, uncontrollable