By: Reema, Reeda and Gurpreet
Psychological methods of handling
stress
 There are two techniques that you can use to manage
stress psychologically:
1.
Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)
2. Hardiness Training
Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)
 People can use SIT to protect themselves from the
harmful effects of stress
 There are 3 stages which consist of:
a) CONCEPTUALISATION
b) SKILLS TRAINING
c) APPLICATION TO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS
CONCEPTUALISATION
 The therapist establishes a relationship with the client
and the client is educated about the nature and impact
of stress.
 The client is then told to identify their fears with the
therapist
SKILLS TRAINING
 Coping skills are taught and practiced primarily in the
clinic and then gradually rehearsed in real life.
 The positive coping skills that are taught to the client
include positive thinking, relaxation social skills,
methods of attention diversion, using social support
systems and time management.
APPLICATION PHASE
 Clients are given opportunities to apply the newly
learnt coping skills in different situations which
become increasing stressful
 Clients may be even asked to help train others
moreover, booster sessions are offered later on
STRENGTHS OF SIT
 Meichanbaum found that SIT works for short term and
long term stressors
 Effective
WEAKNESSES OF SIT
 Time consuming
 Requires high levels of motivation
 Need to be able to apply these techniques to real life
situations effectively
 Need to be able to remember the techniques for the
method to be successful
HARDINESS TRAINING
 The aim of hardiness training is to increase people’s
level of hardiness, self-confidence and sense of control
 There are also 3 stages of hardiness training
a) FOCUSING
b) RELIVING STRESSFUL ENCOUNTERS
c) SELF-IMPROVEMENT
FOCUSING
 The client is taught how to recognise the physiological
signs of stress, such as muscle tension, increased heart
rate and also to identify the sources of this stress
RELIVING STRESSFUL ENCOUNTERS
 The client relives stress encounters and is helped to
analyse these situations their response to them i.e.
How it could’ve turned out for the better/worse
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
 Insights gained can now be used to move forward and
learn new techniques of dealing with stress
STRENGTHS OF HARDINESS
TRAINING
 Maddi et al got 54 managers to undertake hardiness
training and found they had an increase in hardiness
and job satisfaction
 Able to control stressful aspects of daily life
WEAKNESSES OF HARDINESS
TRAINING
 Have to change components and basic aspects of your
personality
 Expensive and time consuming
 Need to be committed