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rk in this area looked at the role played in illness by Major Stressful Life
Events (MSLE). This research showed the impact of MSLEs using a questionnaire entitled the Social
Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS). Each item on the scale has been given a certain number of points, with
higher numbers corresponding to more stressful events. Once a respondent has completed the scale, the
points for each item are totaled. The higher the score on the scale, the higher the stress level.
In addition to large stressful events, psychologists have recently come to believe that daily hassles may have
a larger detrimental impact on us than previously thought. Research suggests that these chronic stressors
are more predictive of physical and psychological illness than are the more acute stressors found on the
SRRS.
COPING WITH STRESSFUL EVENTS
According to Lazarus, coping is the process of attempting to manage demands that are viewed as taxing or
exceeding one’s resources. It is the process of trying to manage and master stressful events. Researchers
distinguish between two types of coping that can occur simultaneously:
. Problem-Solving Efforts, which are attempts to do something constructive to change the stressful
circumstances
. Emotion-Focused coping, which involves efforts to regulate the emotional reactions to stressful events.
What constitutes successful coping?