The new edition of this bestselling textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on stress and health, moving beyond the former deficit model to a resource growth model. It examines all aspects of the topic, from how the external world and the impact of technology makes demands upon individuals, through biological and psychological processes, to outcomes in terms of health and well-being. The process is set within a dynamic, multilevel systems and developmental lifespan perspective.
The book includes a history of the evolution of stress research and the biological systems and immune responses that translate external pressures into health outcomes. It considers the role of personality and cognition in terms of appraisal and coping strategies set within a social ecology of power and support. The role of positive psychology in terms of resilience, psychological capital, and self-compassion brings the area up to date in considering the benefits as well as the threats of stress on health and well-being. An integration of issues of importance in stress research is provided with some suggested guidelines for both research and practice. Issues around prevention and intervention are discussed to reduce stress and increase resilience in families, schools, workplaces and communities, and suggestions for the future development of the field are presented.
With an engaging style, the book is equally accessible to the layperson and the scientist, the practitioner and the academic. Providing a basis for further exploration of the vast area of stress and health, it is valuable reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students and those working in organisations with an interest in understanding and preventing or alleviating stress.