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Learning Objectives 6-1: Identify examples of stressors, stress processes, and stress reactions.

Learning Objectives 6-2: Describe different coping styles and their impacts on the adjustment process.

Learning Objectives 6-3: Identify strategies that are found to be effective in reducing stress.

Learning Objectives 6-4: Differentiate between good stress and bad stress.

Gomes, A. R., Faria, S., & Lopes, H. (2016). Stress and Psychological Health: Testing the Mediating Role of Cognitive Appraisal. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 38(11), 1448-1468. doi:10.1177/0193945916654666

Description: This study tested the mediating role of primary (e.g., threat and challenge perceptions) and secondary (e.g., coping potential and control perception) cognitive appraisal in the relationship between occupational stress and psychological health. This mediation was tested using a cross-sectional study based on self-reported measures. The total sample consisted of 2,302 nurses, 1,895 females (82.3%) and 407 males (17.7%), who completed an evaluation protocol with measures of occupational stress, cognitive appraisal, and psychological health. To test the mediating role of cognitive appraisal in the relationship between cognitive appraisal and psychological health, we used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results confirmed that primary and secondary cognitive appraisals partially mediated the relationship between occupational stress and psychological health; however, the direct effects of stress on psychological health cannot be ignored. The findings indicated that cognitive appraisal is an important underlying mechanism in explaining adaptation at work.

Questions to Consider:

1. Why is cognitive appraisal an important mechanism in adapting to stress?
    
2. ________________ is the concept that when a stressful situation occurs, a person assesses the situation for relevance to his or her well-being, and only personally relevant events will cause stress.
   
   1. Cognitive appraisal (Correct answer)
   2. Event appraisal
   3. Stress-relevance appraisal
   4. Social-cognitive appraisal
       
3. After personal relevance is established for a stressful event, _________ processes of cognitive appraisal occur.
   
   1. Two (Correct answer)
   2. Three
   3. Four
   4. There are no further processes