Needing to clarify something... the biopsychosocial framework & stress.

[Felicity Wishes]

So is framework used to determine what factors help form a stress response?
Can someone clarify this in terms of the biological approach?
Thanks in advance. 

[shaiga95]

Fight-flight,HPA axis,GAS and allostasis

[yearningforsimplicity]

When looking at stress, you can understand the biological component of the biopsychosocial framework by talking about:
1) Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) which is the 3 stage physiological stress response that occurs regardless of the stressor that is encountered and is related to how the individual copes with the stressor at a physiological (or bodily) level. So, the GAS is non-specific (it always occurs regardless of the stressor) and is composed of ARE stages (Alarm-Reaction, Resistance, Exhaustion)
2) You might also be able to talk about the fight-flight response as a physiological response that activates in response to immediate stressors or threats and the physiological changes that occur to enable a person to either confront the stressor directly ("fight") or flee from it ("flight"). Because the fight-flight response involves activation of both the endocrine and sympathetic nervous systems through activation of bodily functions such as increased heart rate, expanding of bronchioles, increased access of glucose to muscles, and secretion of adrenaline and potentially cortisol (if the stressor is enduring).
3) Allostasis is the body's ability or extent to which it can keep its functions stable in times of stress (similar to homeostasis) and ensures that people can "bounce back" or show resilience after having encountered a stressor in their life.
4) You can also discuss the HPA axis (Hypothalamus-Pituitary Adrenal) which is the physiological reaction to stress that involves activation of the Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Adrenal glands. As soon a stressor is recognised by the individual, their hypothalamus is activated. The hypothalamus then goes on to activate the pituitary gland and this causes secretion of ACTH. This ACTH then stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and noradrenaline (which are known as the "stress hormones" and thus boost the sympathetic nervous system action (and the associated physiological functions of the fight-flight response) as well as releasing cortisol to increase metabolism and increase the level of glucose available to the muscles.

Hope this helps!

[HiddenUser]

What I'm confused with is how those 3 are different from eachother (or are they just different theories?). What I mean is, how is flight or flight response different from GAS and HPA. I always thought HPA and GAS are just ways of explaining how the body physiologically prepares and lead up to the FoF response?

[Felicity Wishes]

Thanks guys but I know what the factors are, I am just wondering if the said factors contribute to the stress response or not...? And how?

[Hermione11]

Thanks guys but I know what the factors are, I am just wondering if the said factors contribute to the stress response or not...? And how?

The biological factors listed above are apart of the stress response - they are the body's physiological responses/reactions to a stressor. So I guess they do "contribute" to the stress response but I don't think that is a good word to use to describe it.

That's all you need to know.

[Felicity Wishes]

The biological factors listed above are apart of the stress response - they are the body's physiological responses/reactions to a stressor. So I guess they do "contribute" to the stress response but I don't think that is a good word to use to describe it.

That's all you need to know.

Okay. So when asked what are the biological factors that influence stress what would you say?
Thanks. 

[HiddenUser]

The biological factors of stress are not really factors that lead to stress, rather the physiological responses the body uses to deal with them. Therefore factors that cause these responses are received from stressors that are determined from the other two factors, Psychological and Socio-cultural.

[Hermione11]

The biological factors listed above are apart of the stress response - they are the body's physiological responses/reactions to a stressor. So I guess they do "contribute" to the stress response but I don't think that is a good word to use to describe it.

That's all you need to know.

Okay. So when asked what are the biological factors that influence stress what would you say?
Thanks. 

That's a bit of an ambiguous question I guess, because GAS and the fight-flight response are the stress response, they don't really "influence" it, but I'm assuming they're referring to those factors don't you think? There's nothing really else that you could say. Did you have this question in a practice exam?

[Felicity Wishes]

The biological factors listed above are apart of the stress response - they are the body's physiological responses/reactions to a stressor. So I guess they do "contribute" to the stress response but I don't think that is a good word to use to describe it.

That's all you need to know.

Okay. So when asked what are the biological factors that influence stress what would you say?
Thanks. 

That's a bit of an ambiguous question I guess, because GAS and the fight-flight response are the stress response, they don't really "influence" it, but I'm assuming they're referring to those factors don't you think? There's nothing really else that you could say. Did you have this question in a practice exam?

The question came up in class and it confused the hell out of me. I would say that the fight-flight response helps determine the stress response because without it, there wouldn't be much of a response.

[Hermione11]

Yeah if the question was worth a few more marks you'd probably have to mention the rest of GAS, but I don't think we'll ever get anything like that though, weirdly worded

[Felicity Wishes]

Yeah if the question was worth a few more marks you'd probably have to mention the rest of GAS, but I don't think we'll ever get anything like that though, weirdly worded

Awesome, thanks for your help!

[Hermione11]

No worries!

[Felicity Wishes]

What I'm confused with is how those 3 are different from eachother (or are they just different theories?). What I mean is, how is flight or flight response different from GAS and HPA. I always thought HPA and GAS are just ways of explaining how the body physiologically prepares and lead up to the FoF response?

GAS and Fight-Flight are theories and the HPA axis explains how the body leads up the fight-flight response. GAS includes fight-flight because it is activated in the countershock stage.
Hope that makes sense, you helped me out so just repaying the favour. 

[katykins]

i did biology last year, dont hand me accountable but internal biological stressors that act to cause a stress response, could be a change in homeostasis, such as an increased body temperature, it is a biological stressor and the body must act in a way that restores internal balance. It cannot be variable in nature, and a increase or decrease causes stress, and activates a stress response. lots of stress involved haha. hope this helps, it my take on it all