Stress, Coping, and Immune Function

Bibliographic Data

ID23697001
AuthorsAngela Liegey Dougall (0000-0001-7015-0627, The University of Texas at Arlington), Minhnoi C Wroble Biglan (Pennsylvania State University), Jeffrey N Swanson (The University of Texas at Arlington), Andy Baum (0000-0002-9755-6691, The University of Texas at Arlington), Andrew Baum
Year2012
Publication date2012-09-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeOTHER
VenueHandbook of Psychology, Second Edition (JOURNAL)
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/9781118133880.hop203016
OpenAlexW3022060193
ISBN9781118133880
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited186

Stress is a fundamental process, characterizing people's interactions with their environments and responses to challenge. Appraisals of threatening or harmful challenges motivate people to take action to either eliminate these stressors or protect themselves from the stressor's negative impact. These appraisals and coping efforts elicit a series of specific and nonspecific cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses. Stress responses, in turn, promote adaptation by mobilizing catabolic energies that support coping efforts. One response system that has received considerable attention is the immune system because of its role in the detection and elimination of pathogenic agents and its apparent sensitivity to stress hormones. Repeated or protracted exposures to stress appear to suppress immune system functioning and may contribute to increased vulnerability to infection and disease. Alterations in other stress response pathways appear to provide mechanisms through which many stress-related immune changes occur. By decreasing aspects of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responding, stress reduction interventions are used to facilitate adaptation and have important implications for decreasing vulnerability to disease processes. Continued characterization of the beneficial as well as harmful effects of stress will improve our ability to identify modifiable risk factors (e.g., lifestyle, appraisal, coping, and social resources) for the negative consequences of stress and to promote adaptation.

Adaptation (eye) · Cognition · Cognitive appraisal · Computer security · Coping (psychology) · Developmental psychology · Disease · Immune system · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Stressor · Vulnerability (computing) · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Immunology · Medicine · Neuroscience · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being · Psychology · Stress Responses and Cortisol