Stress-related illness:
Cardiovascular and Psychiatric
disorders
Research task
• Work in 4 different groups and Powerpoint
prepare a presentation different illnesses and
how research show types of stress can cause
these.
A. Please explain briefly what the illness is and
what it does to your body.
B. Please ensure you describe the link between
stress and your illness
C. Include RESEARCH and findings to support this.
D. Include evaluation points that include research
(blue and yellow boxes).
Groups and Topics
• Group 1 – Cardiovascular disorders and anger
(acute stressor).
• Group 2 - Cardiovascular disorders and workrelated stress (chronic stressor).
• Group 3 – Stress and depression.
• Group 4 – stress and other disorders.
Group 2 - Cardiovascular disorders and
work-related stress (chronic stressor).
• AO1 - Russek (1962) – looked at two types of
doctors.
• GP’s and anesthetists vs pathologists and
dermatologists
• Cardiovascular disease was highest for GP’s and
lowest for dermatologists.
• A02 – Exposure to stress are based on self report
questionnaires. People tend to remember more
negative things and so might effect how much
people report these and link them to stress.
Group 4 – stress and other disorders.
• Ao1 – Vietnam war veterans. MacNair 2002 –
found soldiers who fought in the war had
PTSD as well as those with chronic stressors
like poverty and abuse.
• PTSD – creates a loss of faith of safety or
predictability.
Group 1 – Cardiovascular disorders
and anger (acute stressor).
• Williams et al (2000) investigate anger and
heart disease.
• 13,000 people completed anger
questionnaire.
• 6 years later those who had a high score on
the anger questionnaire were x2.5 more likely
to have a heart attack.
Group 3 – Stress and depression.
• Brown and Harris (1978) found women with
chronic stress conditions were more likely to
develop depression.
• Working-class women were more at risk than
middle class women.
• Melchior et al (2007) survey of 1000 people in
NZ. 15% in high stress jobs had suffered
clinical depression compared with 8% in low
stress jobs.
Main AO2 points Heart Disease
• Exposure to stress are based on self report
questionnaires. People tend to remember
more negative things and so might effect how
much people report these and link them to
stress.
• Sympathetic branch of the ANS in some is
more reactive than others (Rozanski et al
1999) This means some people are more at
risk from stress than others.
Main Ao2 points - depression
• Are stressful events the cause of depression or
do they happen BECAUSE of the depression.
What comes first?
• Retrospective – Recall of events in the past
can be unreliable.
• The effect of stress on depression appears to
be small.
Diathesis model – AO2
• According to this model if a person develops a
disease or illness it will be because they are
genetically vulnerable to a disease or illness
for it to develop.
• Any stress that happens in their life can trigger
this genetic vulnerability.
• This explains why some people can adapt to
stress better than others.
Cardiovascular disorders
and anger (acute stressor).
Ao1
Ao2/3
Cardiovascular disorders
and work-related stress
(chronic stressor).
Ao1
Ao2/3
Stress and depression.
Ao1
Ao2/3
stress and other disorders.
Ao1
Ao2/3
Exam practice
Jane
• Jane recently has been diagnosed with coronary
heart disease and has had to make significant
changes to her lifestyle to reduce her blood
pressure.
• Jane has spent the last 20 years working in a
prison in west London. She often has to deal with
dangerous inmates and works long hours which
makes her frequently angry.
• Using your knowledge of Psychological research
explain why Jane may have developed CHD
Possible answers
• Williams et al (2000) linking anger with heart
disease through Questionnaires.
• Russek (1962) study of medical professionals
(low and high stress).
• Jane has a highly stressful job leading to
chronic stress. This has made her angry.
Answer
• 2 (a) The graph indicates a fairly strong,
positive correlation between scores on a
stress questionnaire and days off through
illness. The following can all receive a mark:
direction, strength and a description of their
relationship. Credit can also be given for
mentioning the flattening of the graph at
higher stress levels.
Exam questions
• Outline and evaluate research into stressrelated illness (12 Marks)
AO1 points
AO2 points
AO1 points
AO2 points
Williams et al (2000)
Individual differences
Russek (1962)
Retrospective data
Brown and Harris (1978) – stress and
depression
Cause or symptom?
Diathesis model
Melchior et al (2007) – NZ high stress
work and depressions
MacNair (2002)
Homework
• Complete the 12 mark essay.
Peer assessment
• Compare answers.
• Ao1 and Ao2 point?
• What would you give them out of 12?
Plenary
• Write down 1 thing you have learnt.