magnitude of the stress response, but also the kind of coping strategies that the individual may employ in efforts to deal with the stress. This cognitive appraisal of stress is a two-part process which involves a primary appraisal and a secondary appraisal. Primary appraisal involves the determination of an event as stressful. During primary appraisal, the event or situation can be categorized as irrelevant, beneficial, or stressful. If the event is appraised as stressful, it is then evaluated as either a harm/loss, a threat, or a challenge.

Research by Lazarus and colleagues, have referred to the individual and their interaction with the environment as a transaction, and one that is ongoing. Their theory places the emphasis on the meaning that an event has for the individual and not on the physiological responses. One's view of a situation determines whether an event is experienced as stressful or not, making stress the consequence of your appraisal of it. This has major consequences – as stress can thus be judged as how severe you judge it and thus how severely you react to it. According to this theory, the way an individual appraises an event plays a fundamental role in determining, not only the

* A harm/loss refers to an injury or damage that has already taken place.

* A threat refers to something that could produce harm or loss.

* A challenge event refers to the potential for growth, mastery, or some form of gain.

Lazarus argues that we cannot assess the origins of stress by looking solely at the nature of the environmental event, rather, stress is a process that involves the interaction of the individual with the environment. These are based mostly on one's own prior experiences and learning. And also, each of these categories generates different emotional responses. * Harm/loss stressors can

What is an Appraisal?

elicit anger, disgust, sadness, or disappointment. * Threatening stressors can

produce anxiety and challenging stressors can produce excitement.

Secondary appraisal occurs after assessment of the event as a threat or a challenge. During secondary appraisal the individual now evaluates his or

her coping resources and op-tions. Stress arises only when a particular transaction is appraised by the person as relevant to his or her well-being. In order for an event to be appraised as a stressor, it must be personally relevant and there must be a perceived mismatch between a situation's demands and one's resources to cope with it. When an event is appraised as a

challenge, it lead to different physiological consequences than when it is appraised as a harm/loss or threat. A stressor evaluated as a challenge should be viewed more positively than a harm/loss or threat event. Physiological reactions, or how you react - to stressors depend on two factors: effort and distress.

Your Appraisal of an event

> Your Primary Appraisal

During primary appraisal, the event or situation can be categorized as irrele-vant, beneficial, or stressful.

> Your Secondary Appraisal

During secondary appraisal the individual now evaluates his or her coping resources and options. Stress arises only when a particular transaction is appraised by the person as relevant to his or her well-being

Guide 8: Appraisal

Stress Diary Journal Your Guide

Stress Diary Journal Guides Guide 8: Appraisal

‘One's view of a situation determines whether an event is experienced as stressful or not, making stress the consequence of your appraisal of it.!”

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Effort with distress: leads to increases of both catecholamine

and cortisol secretion and result from daily hassles. These stressors are experienced as negative emotions.

Effort without distress: leads to an increase of catecholamine

and suppression of cortisol secretion. These stressors are experienced as positive emotions.

There is thus a strong emotional consequence of appraising an event as a threat or as a challenge.

Page 2 Stress Diary Journal

“ Your

Appraisal,

could mean

being

stressed or

not stress

at all - Its

your

choice”

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Page 3 The Stress Diaries we have available

The Stress Diary Journal This 4 week programme to complete stress mastery, is an invaluable tool to effectively manage your stress - to gain insight and explore self understanding. The Stress Diary Journal allows you to record your daily stress incidents & to monitor these incidents and analyse them – on a daily basis, for a period of 4 weeks. Divided into 4 weekly sections for you to master your stress progressively and more competently, it helps you review your initial appraisals, stress responses, your reactions & to identify your stress triggers, to then restructure your thoughts, your attitude and subsequent behaviours. You will be able to easier identify negative behaviour patterns, to increase your stress awareness, to learn new coping skills and to let you adapt new & alternative strategies. You will learn renewed self management skills, inner control, effective goal setting, time management skills, to overcome obstacles and increased perseverance to complete set tasks and to instil newfound routines, competencies and behaviours. It helps you to know yourself and manage your life more completely. This is an invaluable tool to gain unique insight, explore self-understanding, learn stress management skills and effectively manage your stress – in 4 weeks!

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Stress Diary: Daily Recorder Journal A companion guide to the Stress Diary Journal in a handy size to carry about , and for you to easily record your daily stress entries. Each Stress entry is individually presented for ease of recording ‘on the go’ and to then transfer these entries to your Stress Diary Journal, or this Stress Diary: Reflection Journal, at the end of your day. Making remembering these Stress incidents/events much easier and keeping you in touch with managing your stress more effectively.

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Stress Diary: Reflection Journal This Stress Reflection Diary Journal is a companion guide to the Stress Diary/Journal and used as an additional tool to further enhance your insight and understanding of your stress. You are to choose 1 significant Stress Entry per day, from your Stress Diary Journal for the length of your 4 week programme, that you may want to elaborate and focus on. Using the guideline questions and answer spaces that are provided, and you can add your personal notes or thoughts about your day or progress. Weekly summaries of your progress are included, to advance and monitor your progress and by answering these questions and adding your own observations, you will increase your skills at understand, managing your reactions and responses to your daily stress triggers and stressors. The Reflection Journal is an easy way to record and focus on how to reflect on your experiences and how you can learn from it. Get these Stress Diary Journals at www.stressdiaries.com

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