BiopsychosociaL Approach to Stress and Coping
Response to
stressors
The Biopsychosocial Model considers how individual stressors in the overlapping biological, psychological, and social realms influence experiences and outcomes.
Physical (biological) factors
• Genetics
• Deconditioning
• Sleep
• Medication side effects
• Physical stress
Mental health (psychological) factors
• Past experiences
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Fear
• Self-efficacy
• Resilience
Social factors
• Socioeconomic status
• Financial problems
• Employment stress
• Cultural traditions
• Social support network
ADAPTIVE
higher resilience
higher self-efficacy
MALADAPTIVE
Functional Status decline
Quality of Life decline
Disability higher
is a term for what occurs when the accumulation of chronic stressors overwhelm a person’s existing coping mechanisms. The inability to cope will result in reward-seeking behaviors whether it be emotional eating, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, or succumbing to dysfunctional anxiety and depression.
ALLOSTATIC OVERLOAD
Increased PHYSICAL and/or
PSYCHOLOGICAL PAIN
(Learned & Persistent)
Research has shown that there are only two responses to stressors. Either the individual has sufficient coping skills to adapt, which results in increaesed self-efficacy and resilience or they succumb to the stressors and engage in maladaptive counterproductive behaviors.
Our goal is to help our clients modify their responses to stress by repetitively engaging in constructive and rewarding activities that can help improve self-control and one's abilifty to cope with life's stressors.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress appraisal, and coping. Springer Publishing Company.
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_215
SoCal Behavioral Medicine, Inc.
1711 Via El Prado #301
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
