Which theory emphasizes stress as a process including internal and external demands and resources?

Which theory emphasizes stress as a process including internal and external demands and resources?

• A. Stress as stimulus (Holmes and Rahe)
• B. Stress as transaction (Lazarus)
• C. Stress as response (Selye)
• D. Stress as process including internal and external demands and resources (Pearlin)

Answer: (D)

This item is testing the idea that stress is a dynamic process shaped by the demands placed on a person and the resources available to meet them. Pearlin’s stress process model describes stress as an ongoing interaction where internal demands (like personal roles and expectations) and external demands (such as work, caregiving, or family strains) create stressors, while resources (coping skills, social support, finances) help buffer or mediate their impact. How a person appraises these demands and uses resources to cope influences health and well-being over time, which is why this theory best fits the description of stress as a process involving internal and external demands and resources. In contrast, the stimulus view treats stress as a count of life events, the transaction view centers on appraisal of the situation, and the response view focuses on physiological reactions to stressors, rather than the ongoing resource-mediated process.

This item is testing the idea that stress is a dynamic process shaped by the demands placed on a person and the resources available to meet them. Pearlin’s stress process model describes stress as an ongoing interaction where internal demands (like personal roles and expectations) and external demands (such as work, caregiving, or family strains) create stressors, while resources (coping skills, social support, finances) help buffer or mediate their impact. How a person appraises these demands and uses resources to cope influences health and well-being over time, which is why this theory best fits the description of stress as a process involving internal and external demands and resources. In contrast, the stimulus view treats stress as a count of life events, the transaction view centers on appraisal of the situation, and the response view focuses on physiological reactions to stressors, rather than the ongoing resource-mediated process.