ABCDS of weight loss
A common approach used by health psychologists in treating people with excess weight, including Activity increase, Behavior change, Cognitive change, Dietary change, and Social suppo
ABCs of relapse prevention
A component of substance abuse relapse prevention involving an examination by the client and the health psychologist of the events that occur before (Antecedents) and after (Consequences) consuming the substance (Behavior)
Appraisal
The way a person evaluates and perceives the stressors in their life
behavioral medicine
An area of specialization for clinical psychologists and other health professionals focused on the impact of behavior on wellness and involving the integration of knowledge from a wide variety of social sciences, including psychology, sociology, and anthropology, with knowledge from the medical disciplines
biofeedback
A type of treatment used by health psychologists for pain management clients designed to achieve control over the body via educating patients about bodily processes of which they are typically unaware
chronic pain
Pain that lasts 6 months or longer
chronic stress
Stress levels that are consistently high and unremitting
coping
The process of managing the demands of stress
cortisol
The human body’s stress hormone, the release of which is controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
detoxification
A common and important component of the treatment of substance abuse problems designed to prevent any dangerous side effects that may result from weaning the body off the substance too quickly
disease-prone personality
A personality characterized by marked anxiety, depression, and hostility that predisposes people to stress-related illnesses such as arthritis, ulcers, and coronary heart disease
Emotion-focused coping
a strategy of coping with stress that emphasizes changing the emotional reaction to the stressor
fight-or-flight response
a strategy of coping with stress that emphasizes changing the emotional reaction to the stressor
general adaptation syndrome
The hypothesis developed by Hans Selye stating that when confronted with a temporary stressor, the fight-or-flight system works effectively to provide energy for immediate fight-or-flight needs, but when faced with repeated or prolonged exposure to stress, the body eventually fails to adapt and becomes vulnerable to illness
Hans Selye
A pioneer in stress research who developed the general adaptation syndrome hypothesis
health psychology
A subdiscipline of behavioral medicine that deals specifically with how psychological processes (e.g., cognitions, moods, social networks) influence health and illness
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
A system of structures (i.e., hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal gland) that is activated by stress and controls the release of cortisol
patient-centered medical homes
A relatively new model of care, often involving health psychologists, that emphasizes primary care that is high quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, holistic, and coordinated
Problem-focused coping
A strategy of coping with stress that emphasizes changing the stressor itself
psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)
The field of study concerned with the interactions among behavior, the nervous system, and the immune system
relaxation training
The first step of systematic desensitization in which the behavior therapist teaches the client progressive relaxation techniques that induce a relaxation response incompatible with anxiety
social support
The relationships a person has with their friends, family, and others that can buffer the effects of stress
stress
The psychological and/or physiological response to difficult or demanding internal or external circumstances
tolerance
A phenomenon whereby the body requires increasing amounts of a substance to achieve the desired effect
