CHAPTER 3

MEETING LIFE CHALLENGES

Value Points:

1. Stress is considered as a disease of existence. It is all around in our environment.

Changing environment demands adaptations.
2. Adjustment involves individual’s adaptive response to the demands of the environment
and maintaining a harmonious relationship with it.
3. There are 3 major types of stressors: environmental, personal, and social.
4. The effects of stress depend on personal characteristics, resources etc.
5. The GAS model of stress has three stages i.e. Alarm, Resistance and Exhaustion.
6. The response to stress may be psychological, emotional, behavioral and cognitive.
7. Positive health and well-being comes through a healthy attitude of the mind. There is also
need for spiritual health and the overall harmonious conditions in the society. Stress
should be coped with positive and healthy approaches and one must avoid escape routes
like drugs, alcohol and other socially unacceptable behaviors.
Key terms:
8. Homeostasis
9. Stress
10. General adaptation syndrome
11. Coping
12. Alarm reaction
13. Exhaustion
14. Optimism
15. Health
16. Burnout
17. Task oriented coping
18. Frustration
19. Evaluative stress
20. Pathogens
21. Appraisal
22. Psychoneuroimmunology
23. Life skills
24. Resilience
25. Eustress
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CUET BASED QUESTIONS (1 MARK)

1. Radha appeared for her job interview, but she ruined her interview due to heightened levels of
anxiety. This could be due to?
a) Eustress b) Weakened immune system
c) Evaluation Apprehension d) Negative attitude

2. Hema feels stressed at the workplace and thinks that she has no reliable professional help to
navigate her way out. She is perceiving herself to be lacking ____________ resources.

a) Physical b) Personal
c) Social d) Monetary

3. Rekha uses a sequence of learned techniques for refocusing of attention to bring about an
alternate state of consciousness. Which stress management technique does Pushpa use?

a) Biofeedback b) Cognitive Behavioural Technique

c) Meditation procedure d) Creative visualization

4. Jaya is being provided with books and uniforms by the school. Identify the kind of support
that she is receiving.

a) Informational support b) Tangible support

c) Positive support d) Social support

5. Shahid is stressed due to an allocation of last-minute project at his workplace that needs
immediate attention. However, he sits till late night in his office for the next few days, prepares a
plan and follows it through. Steve has used ___________ type of coping.
a) task oriented b) emotional oriented c) problem focused d) none of these

6. Gautam feels really stressed lately and thinks he is mentally overloaded. Gautam lost his job
due to a faulty decision he made at his workplace. He is unable to concentrate and is forgetful.
Which effect of stress is highlighted here?

a) Cognitive effect b) Emotional effect

c) Physiological effect d) None of these
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7. Indu experiences mood swings and feels that her confidence is decreasing day by day. Her
family and friends do not appreciate her behaviour in front of others. Which effect of stress is
highlighted here?

a) Emotional effect b) Physiological effect

c) Cognitive effect d) None of these

8. Jacob is a singer. Before his audition for a singing show, he felt uneasy, fidgety and called his
doctor. The doctor examined him and said that his heart rate and blood pressure is high. He also
explained that it must be due to a stressful situation. What effect of stress is highlighted here?

a) Emotional effect b) Physiological effect

c) Cognitive effect d) None of these

9. Ram lost his elder brother during the earthquake in Nepal in 2015. This vent shook him and
his entire family. Even after so many years, he still gets dreams and occasional flashbacks of the
calamity. What is the source of his stress?

a) Hassles b) Life events

c) Traumatic events d) None of these

10. Dilip experiences mood swings, and erratic feelings due to the stress he is facing. This refers
to the …...........effect of stress.
a) physiological (b) behavioural (c) cognitive (d) emotional
11. Sheetal was provided feedback about her current physiological activity. This was also
accompanied by relaxation training This procedure to monitor and reduce the physiological
aspects of stress is known as
(a) Meditation (b) Relaxation (c) Biofeedback (d) Coping
12. Reebika is experiencing stress due too noisy surroundings, commuting, quarrelsome
neighbours, electricity and water shortage. These sources of stress are:
(a) Life events (b) Hassle
(c) Traumatic events (d) Environmental events
13. Randeep puts the work-related issues under the carpet and refuses to accept or face them.
This explains that he is …..................... the task
(a) Avoiding (b) Procrastinating (c) Managing (d) Approaching
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14. Heena lost her husband in a car accident. This life event is traumatic. Which of the following
is NOT TRUE about the effects this stress can have on her?
(i) Stress can affect her behaviour in the form of eating less nutritional food, disrupted
sleep patterns, increased absenteeism, and reduced work performance.
(ii) The cognitive effects of stress will be both enhanced concentration and increased
short-term memory capacity.
(iii) In her case, stress can start a vicious circle of decreasing confidence, leading to more
serious emotional problems.
(iv) The effects of this stress will mostly be physiological in nature.
(a) (i) and (ii) (b) (ii) and (iv) (c) (ii) and (iii) d) i) (ii) and (iv)
15. Anil watches TV when he is stressed due to pending assignments in school. According to
Endler and Parker, he is using mechanism of coping
(a) Avoidance (6) Relaxation (c) Harm (d) Meditation
16. Anita becomes confused, whether to take up a job or continue her higher studies. This
important sources of psychological stress of her is known as ----
a) Life events b) hassles c) traumatic events d) none of these
17. Karim watches TV when he is stressed due to pending assignments in school. According to
Endler and Parker, he is using _______________ mechanism of coping.
a) avoidance oriented b) task oriented c) emotion focused d) problem focused
18. A student blames her/his best friend for her/his poor performance rather than devoting time
towards studies. She/he is said to be using ---- strategy to cope with stress.
a) avoidance oriented b) task oriented c) emotion focused d) problem focused
19. Rowley likes to spend quiet evenings at home, however, in peer pressure she has to be
attending parties. The social pressure she is in has been induced __________________ by
a) physical stress b) environmental stress c) psychological stress d) social stress
20. Ankita is unhappy in her personal life and is stressed. Chronic daily stress has diverted her
individual attention from caring for herself. As a result, she is the state of physical, emotional
and psychological exhaustion called ______________
 a) burn out b) environmental stress c) psychological stress d) none of these
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21. Stressed individuals may be more likely to expose themselves to which are agents causing
physical illness
(a) Cytotoxic (b) Pathogen (c) Leucocyte (d) None of these .
22.The stage where the presence of a stressor leads to activation of the adrenal-pituitary-cortex
system is known as
(a) Resistance (b) Alarm reaction (c) Exhaustion (d) Reaction
23. Poor concentration, and reduced short term memory capacity show ____________effect of
stress.
(a) Physiological (b) Emotional (c) Cognitive (d) Behavioural
24. The concept of hardiness consists is proposed by:
(a) Lazarus (b) Kobasa (c) Folkman (d) Endler
25. _________is a dynamic, situation specific reaction to stress
(a) Strain (b) Stressor (c) Coping (d) None of these
26. Who gave stress inoculation training?
(a) Meichenbaum (b) Kobasa (c) Folkman (d) Endler

27. ___________ are events that cause our body to give the stress response
(a) Strain (b) Distress (c) Eustress (d) Stressors
28. These are agents causing physical illness.
(a) Pathogens (6) Antigens (c)WBC (d) DNA
29. The major way to reduce stress is to change one's perception of time reflects which life skill?
(a) Self-care b) Time Management (c) Hardiness (d) Rational Thinking

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30. Directions: In the following questions, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed by a
statement
Reason (R). Mark the correct choice as:
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true,and Reason (R) is the correct explanation
of Assertion (A).
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true,but Reason (R) is not the correct
explanation
of Assertion (A).
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
Q. 1. Assertion (A): Problem-focused response includes taking direct action to solve the
problem.
Reason (R): It pertains to seeking information that will be relevant to the solution under
Q.2. Assertion (A): After visualising one must set oneself a realistic goal, as it helps build
confidence.
Reason (R): It is easier to visualise if one's mind is quiet, body is relaxed and eyes are closed.
Q.3. Assertion (A): People with high levels of stress but low levels of illness share three
characteristics.
Reason (R): The three characteristics are Quality Buffer and Resistance.

Very Short Type answers: (2 markers)

1. What is Stress?
2. Give the causes of environmental stress.
3. List the signs and symptoms of stress.
4. Mention the characteristics relevant to the experience of stress.
5. What are the research findings of Kobasa?
6. List the various stress management techniques.
7. State the characteristics of stress resistant personality.
8. Define Coping.
9. What is the relationship between stress and health?
10. What is meant by healthy lifestyle?
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11. What is psychoneuroimmunology?
12. Explain harm, threat and challenge.
13. Define pathogens.
14. What is strain?

15. What do you understand by creative visualization?

16. Explain the term frustration.

17. Explain biofeedback.

18. Explain behavioural effects of stress.

19. Define assertiveness.

20. Explain the nature of stress.

Short Type Answers: (3 markers)

1. Explain Task Oriented Coping & emotion-oriented coping.

2. Describe the sources of Stress.
3. What do you understand by Burnout?
4. What are the effects of stress on the psychological functioning of an individual?
5. What is the difference between Primary and secondary appraisal?
6. Mention the psychological characteristics relevant to the experience of stress.
7. Identify unhealthy habits that makes a person vulnerable to stress.
8. Explain the factors that determine the appraisal of a given stressful situation.
9. Why do life events cause different degrees of stress to people experiencing them?
10. Explain the role of social support in promoting positive health and well-being.
11. Explain the concept of stress resistant personality with suitable example.
12. What is examination anxiety?
13. What are the factors facilitating positive health?
14. In the light of COVID-19 pandemic, Zomato decided to lay off many of its employees.
With reference to secondary appraisal, suggest how would these employees evaluate this
situation?
 15. Viraj handles work from home along with domestic chores with increased workload
during the lockdown. Will task oriented coping help Viraj in his situation? Explain.
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16. Viraj handles work from home along with domestic chores with increased workload
during the lockdown. Will task oriented coping help Viraj in his situation? Explain.
17. Shabnam’s job requires her to shift cities very frequently. With reference to secondary
appraisal, suggest ways in which she will interpret the situation.

Long Type answers: (4 markers)

1. What is the difference between Eustress and Distress?
2. Stress is always harmful. Comment.
3. Explain the GAS model? On what grounds has it been criticised?
4. What are the Coping Strategies proposed by Endler and Parker?
5. Explain the concept of stress resistant personality. Give suitable examples.
6. Explain the effects of stress on the immune system.
7. Describe briefly 4 factors which facilitate development of positive health.
8. Describe the factors affecting the appraisal of the stressful events.
9. Rajneesh is in class 10th and has to take exams next week that will determine his stream
in class 11 then 12th. A day before the exam, he begins to worry excessively. Unable to
eat relax or study, Rajneesh is not able to sleep the entire night. He gets ready for school
and reaches on time. On seeing other classmates engrossed in the books, he shivers at the
thought of the exam beginning. As he sits at his desk, he feels that he has forgotten
everything. He begins to sweat and gets distracted by the slightest noise around him. His
mind is blank and is unable to attempt the paper. He begins to cry and a teacher consoles
him. What is Rajneesh is experiencing? What coping strategy is being used by Rajneesh?
What stress management technique that will be helpful to Rajneesh ? What is the source
of Rajneesh’s stress?
10. Divakar has been having a tough time. His father recently confessed about a lot of debt
that he owes to the bank and a few to local moneylenders. He is very upset with all the
fight that takes place between his parents every morning and evening. He is worried
about him and his younger brother schooling as well. However today morning he
received an e-mail about a paid work from home opportunity as a content writer. He is
glad that he will be able to contribute to household expenses. e's also spending more time
with his brother to help him study so that his tuition expenses can be reduced. Even
though Divakar is experiencing a tough time financially with his parents, he is sure that
together they can work this situation out. He is working hard at school, taking care of his
brother and assuring his parents that this tough time will be over.
 What personality character is being displayed by Divakar? What coping strategy is
Divakar using? What type of social support is Divakar providing to his family? Explain.

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11. Jacob is a singer. Before his audition for a singing show, he felt uneasy, fidgety and
called his doctor. The doctor examined him and said that his heart rate and blood pressure
is high. He also explained that it must be due to a stressful situation. What effect of stress
is highlighted here? Explain other effects of stress.
12. Ram lost his elder brother during the earthquake in Nepal in 2015. This vent shook him
and his entire family. Even after so many years, he still gets dreams and occasional
flashbacks of the calamity. What is the source of his stress? Explain the other sources of
stress.
13. Lena is a registered nurse in a busy emergency room. She deals with life and death
situations regularly at work without missing a beat. She finds that if she doesn't take time
out occasionally for herself by exercising and spending time with her family and friends,
she is not quite as effective as she would like to be. But she thinks it's really nothing to
worry about.
One day, however, she receives a phone call at work to find out that her father has had a
stroke. Initially, Lena takes it in stride and tells herself 'everything will be fine.' After
three months of physical therapy in a long-term care unit, Lena decides that her father
will have to come and live with her and her family so she can help care for him on a daily
basis.

She begins to notice that she is not sleeping as well. One day at work, she unintentionally
makes a critical mistake and gives a patient the wrong medication. She decides she needs
help to care for her father and hires an agency that provides home visits to take care of
her father four times a week.

With this small amount of extra time, Lena makes self-care a priority and begins
exercising regularly, adding in meditation and massages occasionally. After a short time,
Lena begins to feel more like herself and finds that she responds to the stress in a more
productive way. She begins to have a better relationship with her father and family and is
regaining her confidence at work as well.
 What was the source of Lena’s stress? Which stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome
model was the Lena in? Identify the coping strategy used by Lena? Explain the other
coping strategies used by individuals.

14. Gautam feels really stressed lately and thinks he is mentally overloaded. Gautam lost his
job due to a faulty decision he made at his workplace. He is unable to concentrate and is
forgetful. Which effect of stress is highlighted here? Identify the other effects of stress.

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Very Long Type Answers: (6 markers)

1. How does Selye’s Model relate prolonged stress to bodily response? Explain.
2. Explain in detail how having a healthy lifestyle can help in handling stress.
3. People with high levels of stress but low levels of illness share some characteristics.
Explain.
4. Discuss the various Stress Management techniques in detail.
5. What are the effects of stress on psychological functioning?
HOTS:
1. Describe life skills which you think will help you in meeting the challenges of school life.
2. What is meant by positive mental health? How can it be facilitated?
3. Social support is a great stress buster. Explain.
4. Enumerate the relationship between positive health and stress.
5. Critically evaluate GAS.
6. Elucidate on how cognitive appraisals can lead to perception of stress.
7. Rising instances of depression and suicide are rooted in high stress lifestyles. Suggest life
skills for students that would empower them to deal with life challenges.
8. As a psychologist you need to educate students about how to correctly appraise a
situation as a stress. Formulate your speech for the same.
9. Aswathy has been working in the covid-19 wards as a nurse for the past one year. She has
to work extremely hard risking her life everyday to serve the nation. Recently during a
regular medical checkup it was found that Aswathy and many of her colleagues have
developed diabetes, hypertension and obesity. What can be the reason for that. Explain
with reference to GAS Model of Stress.
10. Sanjay Sharma is a general category student.He applied for a seat in college but his seat
was allotted to a reserved category child instead of him.Sanjay feels very stressed. What
kind of stress is he experiencing? Explain.
ANSWERS:
 1. c) Evaluation apprehension
2. c) social
3. c) meditation procedure
4. b) Tangible support
5. a) Task oriented
6. a) cognitive effect
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7. a) emotional effect
8. b) physiological effect
9. c) traumatic events
10. d) emotional
11. c) biofeedback
12. b) hassels
13. a) avoiding
14. b) 2&4
15. a) avoidance
16. a) life events
17. a) avoidance oriented
18. c) emotional focused
19. d) social stress
20. a) burn out
21. a) cytotoxic
22. B. Alarm Reaction
23. C. cognitive
24. B. Kobasa
25. C. Coping
26. A. Meichenbaum
27. D. Stressors
28. A. Pathogens
29. B. Time management
30. 1.Ans. Option (A) is correct. 2.Ans. Option (D) is correct. 3. Ans. Option (C) is
correct
PIETA SAHA
AISMV
9599215790
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