CHAPTER  4

Stress and Adjustment Disorders

Chapter 4 begins with a detailed discussion of stress, a topic of increasing concern as modern life becomes more and more pressured. The text discusses the potential sources of stress, the functional equivalence of biological, psychological, and sociocultural sources of stress, and the general strategies for coping with stressful demands. Reactions of individuals to war, concentration camps, and civilian disasters are described and can be viewed as case studies of human functioning under levels of severe stress. The chapter describes: 1) the coping techniques used by individuals in these situations; and 2) the symptoms that arise when coping techniques fail to eliminate the stress--leading in many cases to adjustment disorders. It will seem unbelievable when reading about some of the incidents that there were any people who could cope without developing severely abnormal behavior. The practical implications of this chapter are seen in applications such as preparing people to cope more effectively when they face stressful situations.

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