CARDIAC PATIENTS' STRESS APPRAISALS, EMOTIONS, AND COPING.
Contributors: University of Minnesota.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 115
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Clinical.
Description: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the transactional model of stress and coping could explain subjects' responses during a potentially stressful experience encountered in the health care system. The research question was, "What is the differential relationship of challenge, threat, or benign appraisals to reported emotions, coping strategies, and performance during an exercise stress test (EST)". The sample consisted of 77 individuals, 46 men (61%) and 30 women (39%), who were scheduled for an EST. Prior to the EST, appraisal, moods, and demographic characteristics were measured using self-report scales. After the EST, information was collected on subjects' post-appraisal situation, moods, coping strategies, and outcomes of the test.

Forty-eight subjects (62%) reported a benign appraisal, 15 (20%) had a challenge appraisal and 13 (17%) a threatened appraisal. There were no significant differences among the groups on any demographic variable. There was no significant relationship between pre-event appraisal and moods before or after the EST. However, subjects who appraised the situation as a threat did report a significantly higher total mood disturbance score than subjects who reported either a challenge or benign appraisal. Subjects who perceived the situation as threatening reported a high positive affect and a moderately high negative affect; the subjects who perceived the situation as benign or challenging were also characterized by a high positive affect, but had a significantly lower negative affect. There were no differences among the groups on the reported coping strategies or the outcome of the test in terms of the target heart rate achieved.

The transactional model only partially explains the results of this study. The pattern of negative and positive affect is consistent with the theory if challenged subjects have already implemented coping behaviors which lowered their negative affect. However, there were no differences in the reported coping strategies among the groups, nor was there a difference in their performance during the test. Further research is needed to clarify whether the effect of personality and situation variables on coping strategies and outcomes is a direct relationship or is mediated by appraisal.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-08, Section: B, page: 4123.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, 1991.

School code: 0130.