Physiology of Stress and Regeneration in Job Related Cardiovascular Illness

Karasek, Robert; Russell, Roly; Theorell, Töres

doi:10.1080/0097840x.1982.9936844

Cited by 165 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 115 publications

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“…It is no longer assumed that there is a simple relation between the degree of challenge or demand in a job and unhealthy responses; current research indicates that only in the context of low job discretion or control does high job demand lead to exhaustion, psychosomatic illness, and/or depression (Karasek, Russell & Theorell, 1982;Thorsrud, 1983).…”

Section: Occupational Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If it were effective, modifying the amount of challenge in our lives may be diffi cult because we are often confi ned by limiting life circumstances and occupations. Some research (which should be considered preliminary) by Karasek et al (1982) has suggested that high levels of occupational demands in combination with high control (an adequate "challenge" defi nition) may lead to many of the physiological changes (e.g., lower arousal base rates) associated with toughness.…”

Section: Life-style Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Arousal and physiological toughness: Implications for mental and physical health.

Dienstbier

1989

Psychological Review

796

585

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From W. B. Cannon's identification of adrenaline with "ftght or flight" to modern views of stress, negative views of peripheral physiological arousal predominate. Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) arousal is associated with anxiety, neuroticism, the Type A personality, cardiovascular disease, and immune system suppression; illness susceptibility is associated with life events requiring adjustments. "Stress control" has become almost synonymous with arousal reduction. A contrary positive view of peripheral arousal follows from studies of subjects exposed to intermittent stressors. Such exposure leads to low SNS arousal base rates, but to strong and responsive challenge-or stressinduced SNS-adrenal-medullary arousal, with resistance to brain catecholamine depletion and with suppression of pituitary adrenal-cortical responses. That pattern of arousal defines physiological toughness and, in interaction with psychological coping, corresponds with positive performance in even complex tasks, with emotional stability, and with immune system enhancement. The toughness concept suggests an opposition between effective short-and long-term coping, with implications for effective therapies and stress-inoculating life-styles.Confrontations with stressors and challenges evoke central and peripheral physiological arousal. Characterizations of that peripheral arousal traditionally have been negative, but some modern views are more positive. After providing some definitions, I discuss the apparent contradictions between literatures whose basis is an assumption of the harmfulness of peripheral physiological arousal and those whose basis is not. DefinitionsAccording to Folkman and Lazarus (1985), the term stress implies "a relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as relevant to his or her well-being and in which the person's resources are taxed or exceeded" (p. 152). As components of stress, Folkman and Lazarus described threat as "potential for harm or loss," challenge as "potential for growth," and harm-loss as "injury already done" (p. 152). However, because I often emphasize the differences between challenge, on the one hand, and threat and loss, on the other, I use the term challenge separately, using stress to capture only the components of the concept associated with threat and harm/loss.

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Section: Occupational Stressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Life-style Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arousal and physiological toughness: Implications for mental and physical health.

Dienstbier

1989

Psychological Review

796

585

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that, rather than merely buffering the negative effects of stress, positive psychological states may produce positive physiological outcomes (Cousins, 1976). Similarly, some research workers indicate that individuals who successfully cope with demanding situations may experience physiological growth and regeneration (Karasek et al 1982). The prospect that the appraisal of situations or events as positive, or that successfully coping with stress may improve health, is an intriguing possibility, and future research should include measures which allow for the detection of these positive health outcomes.…”

Section: Positive Health Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research in stress, coping, and health: theoretical and methodological issues

Edwards¹,

Cooper²

1988

Psychol. Med.

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“…Additionally, if both demands and control are low, a job is defined as "passive," which means the job provides little opportunity for its incumbent to cope directly with job demands. Karasek, Russell, and Theorell (1982) described the mediating physiological processes (identified in animal studies) that make demands and control particularly related to cardiovascular functions such as blood pressure.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%