Stress Physiology & Coping Flashcards
7 cards from real HCC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Stress Physiology & Coping flashcards as text
Which physiological system is most directly suppressed during acute stress to conserve energy for immediate survival?
Answer: Digestive system
The digestive system is downregulated during the fight-or-flight response because digestion is non-essential for immediate survival and would divert blood flow from muscles.
In Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress, 'secondary appraisal' involves:
Answer: Assessing one's available coping resources
Secondary appraisal is the process of evaluating what coping options are available and whether they are adequate to handle the perceived stressor.
The freeze response to stress is neurobiologically driven by:
Answer: Parasympathetic dorsal vagal shutdown
According to Polyvagal Theory, the freeze response is mediated by the dorsal vagal complex, the evolutionarily oldest branch of the vagus nerve, which causes immobilization.
A coaching client who journals about their stress to gain perspective is using which type of coping?
Answer: Cognitive reappraisal
Journaling to shift one's interpretation of a stressful event is a form of cognitive reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that changes the meaning assigned to a situation.
Which of the following best describes 'eustress'?
Answer: Stress resulting from positive life events that is still adaptive and motivating
Eustress, coined by Selye, refers to positive stress that enhances performance, motivation, and growth, such as excitement before a presentation.
Which heart rate variability (HRV) pattern is associated with healthy stress recovery and vagal tone?
Answer: High HRV with flexible beat-to-beat variation
High HRV reflects strong parasympathetic (vagal) activity and indicates the nervous system's capacity to flexibly adapt to changing demands, a marker of resilience.
The phenomenon where a past trauma causes a disproportionate stress response to a minor current trigger is called:
Answer: Sensitization or trauma activation
Sensitization occurs when prior traumatic experience lowers the activation threshold of the stress response, causing minor triggers to elicit intense reactions.