Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Cross-country discrepancies on public understanding of stress concepts: evidence for stress-management psychoeducational programs

Authors: Juliana Nery Souza-Talarico, Nathalie Wan, Sheila Santos, Patrícia Paes Araujo Fialho, Eliane Corrêa Chaves, Paulo Caramelli, Estela Ferraz Bianchi, Aline Talita Santos, Sonia J Lupien

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Negative effects of stress have pose one of the major threats to the health and economic well being of individuals independently of age and cultural background. Nevertheless, the term “stress” has been globally used unlinked from scientificevidence-based meaning. The discrepancies between scientific and public stress knowledge are focus of concern and little is know about it. This is relevant since misconceptions about stress may influence the effects of stress-management psychoeducational programs and the development of best practices for interventions. The study aimed to analyze stress knowledge among the Canadian and Brazilian general public and to determine the extent to which scientific and popular views of stress differ between those countries.

Methods

We evaluated 1156 healthy participants between 18 and 88 years of age recruited from Canada (n = 502) and Brazil (n = 654). To assess stress knowledge, a questionnaire composed of questions regarding stress concepts (“stress is bad” versus “stress-free life is good”) and factors capable of triggering the stress response (“novelty, unpredictability, low sense of control and social evaluative threat versus “time pressure,work overload, conflict, unbalance and children”) was used.

Results

Both Canadian and Brazilian participants showed misconceptions about stress and the factors capable of triggering a stress response. However, the rate of misconceptions was higher in Brazil than in Canada (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

These findings suggest a lack of public understanding of stress science and its variance according to a country’s society. Psychoeducational programs and vulnerability of stress-related disorder are discussed.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
National Science Board. Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding, in Science & Engineering Indicators-2012. Washington: National Science Board; 2012.
2.
American Psychological Association. Stress in America 2010 report: key findings. Stress in AmericaTM Survey; 2010.
3.
Lupien SJ, Maheu F, Tu M, Fiocco A, Schramek TE. The effects of stress and stress hormones on human cognition: implications for the field of brain and cognition. Brain Cogn. 2007;65:209–37.CrossRefPubMed
4.
Seery MD. Challenge or threat? Cardiovascular indexes of resilience and vulnerability to potential stress in humans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2011;35:1603–10.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Lazarus RS. Emotions and interpersonal relationships: toward a person-centered conceptualization of emotions and coping. J Person. 2006;74:9–46.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Mason JW. A review of psychoendocrine research on the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system. Psychosom Med. 1968;30:631–53.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Dickerson SS, Kemeny ME. Acute stressors and cortisol responses: a theorical integration and synthesis of laboratory research. Psychol Bull. 2004;130:355–91.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Sapolsky RM, Romero LM, Munck AU. How do glucocorticoids influence stress responses? Integrating permissive, suppressive, stimulatory, and preparative actions. Endocr Rev. 2000;21:55–89.PubMed
9.
Lupien SJ, McEwen BS, Gunnar MR, Heim C. Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behavior and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2009;10:434–45.CrossRefPubMed
10.
McEwen BS. Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: central role of the brain. Psysiol Rev. 2007;87:873–904.CrossRef
11.
Statistics Canada. “How healthy are Canadians? 2001 annual report.” Health Reports, Special issue (Statistics Canada, catalogue no. 82-003-XIE) 12(3).
12.
Stewart WF, Ricci JA, Chee E, Hahn SR, Morganstein D. Cost of lost productive work time among US workers with depression. JAMA. 2003;289:3135–44.CrossRefPubMed
13.
14.
15.
Beltzer ML, Nock MK, Peters BJ, Jamieson JP. Rethinking butterflies: the affective, physiological, and performance effects of reappraising arousal during social evaluation. Emotion. 2014;14:761–8.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Jamieson JP, Nock MK, Mendes WB. Changing the conceptualization of stress in social anxiety disorder: affective and physiological consequences. Clin Psychol Sci. 2013;1:363–74.CrossRef
17.
Jamieson JP, Nock MK, Mendes WB. Mind over matter: reappraising arousal improves cardiovascular and cognitive responses to stress. J Exp Psychol Gen. 2012;141:417–22.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
18.
19.
Lupien SJ. Well Stressed: Manage Stress Before it Turns Toxic. Ontario: Wiley; 2012.
20.
Monat A, Lazarus RS, Reevy G. The Praeger Handbook on Stress and Coping. Westport: Praeger Publishers; 2007.
21.
Ziman J. Public understanding of science. Sci Tech Hum Values. 1991;16:99–105.CrossRef
22.
Lewenstein BV. The meaning of ‘public understanding of science’ in the United States after World War II. Public Understan Sci. 1992;1:45–68.CrossRef
23.
Illes J, Moser MA, McCormick JB, Racine E, Blakeslee S, Caplan A, et al. Neurotalk: improving the communication of neuroscience research. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2010;11:61–9.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
24.
Edwards D, Burnard P, Owen M, Hannigan B, Fothergill A, Coyle D. A systematic review of the effectiveness of stress-management interventions for mental health professionals. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2003;10:370–1.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Gaab J, Blattler N, Menzi T, Pabst B, Stoyer S, Ehlert U. Randomized controlled evaluation of the effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management on cortisol responses to acute stress in healthy subjects. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2003;28:767–79.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Gaab J, Sonderegger L, Scherrer S, Ehlert U. Psychoneuroendocrine effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management in a naturalistic setting: a randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2006;31:428–38.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Murphy LR. Stress management in work settings: a critical review of the health effects. Am J Heal Prom. 1996;11:112–35.CrossRef
28.
Richardson KM, Rothstein HR. Effects of occupational stress management intervention programs: a meta-analysis. J Occupation Health Psychol. 2008;13:69–93.CrossRef
29.
Barrett P, Turner C. Prevention of anxiety symptoms in primary school children: preliminary results from a universal school-based trial. Br J Clin Psychol. 2001;40:399–410.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Donovan CL, Spence SH. Prevention of childhood anxiety disorders. Clin Psychol Rev. 2000;20:509–31.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Rapee RM, Wignall A, Sheffield J, Kowalenko N, Davis A, McLoone J, et al. Adolescents’ reactions to universal and indicated prevention programs for depression: perceived stigma and consumer satisfaction. Prev Sci. 2006;7:167–77.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Sheffield JK, Spence SH, Rapee RM, Kowalenko N, Wignall A, Davis A, et al. Evaluation of universal, indicated, and combined cognitive-behavioral approaches to the prevention of depression among adolescents. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2006;74:66–79.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Patton GC, Glover S, Bond L, Butler H, Godfrey C, Di Pietro G, et al. The Gatehouse Project: a systematic approach to mental health promotion in secondary schools. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2000;34:586–93.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Patton GC, Bond L, Carlin JB, Thomas L, Butler H, Glover S, et al. Promoting social inclusion in schools: a group-randomized trial of effects on student health risk behavior and well-being. Am J Public Health. 2006;96:1582–7.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
35.
Humphrey N, Ainscow M, Transition Club. Facilitating learning, participation and pyschological adjustment during the transition to secondary school. Eur J Psychol Educ. 2006;21:319–31.CrossRef
36.
Lupien SJ, Ouellet-Morin I, Trepanier L, Juster RP, Marin MF, Francois N, et al. The DeStress for Success Program: effects of a stress education program on cortisol levels and depressive symptomatology in adolescents making the transition to high school. Neuroscience. 2013;249:74–87.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Macintyre SS, Maciver S, Solomon A. Area, class and health: should we focusing on places or people. J Soc Politic Psychol. 1993;22:213–34.
38.
Troutt DD. The thin red line: how the poor still pay more. San Francisco: Consumer Union of U.S. West Coast Regional Office; 1993.
39.
40.
Coriell M, Adler NE. Social ordering and healthy. In: McEwen B, Goodman HM. Handbook of physiology: coping with the environment neural and endocrine mechanisms. New York: Oxford University Press; 2001.
41.
42.
43.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Censo Demográfico 2010: características da população e dos domicílios - resultados do universo. Rio de Janeiro: Ministério do Planejamento, Orçamento e Gestão; 2011.
44.
Andersen ML, Taylor HF. The extended family may live together for many reasons, help raise children, support for an ill relative, or help with financial problems. Understanding a diverse society: Sociology; 2007.
45.
Lohman BJ, Jarvis PA. Adolescent stressors, coping strategies, and psychological health studied in the family context. J Youth Adolesc. 2000;29:15–43.CrossRef
46.
Lupien SJ, Lecours AR, Schwartz G, Sharma S, Meaney MJ, Nair NPV. Longitudinal study of basal cortisol levels in healthy elderly subjects: evidence for subgroups. Neurobiol Aging. 1996;17:95–105.CrossRefPubMed
47.
Lupien SJ, King S, Meaney MJ, McEwen BS. Can poverty get under your skin? Basal cortisol levels and cognitive function in children from low and high socioeconomic status. Dev Psychopathol. 2001;13:653–76.CrossRef
48.
Hudziak JJ, Rudiger LP, Neale MC, Heath AC, Todd RD. A twin study of inattentive, aggressive, and anxious/depressed behaviors. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2000;39:469–76.CrossRefPubMed
49.
Angold A, Erkanli A, Silberg J, Eaves L, Costello EJ. Depression scale scores in 8-17-year-olds: effects of age and gender. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2002;43:1052–63.CrossRefPubMed
50.
Souza-Talarico JN, Plusquellec P, Lupien SJ, Fiocco A, Suchecki D. Cross-country differences in basal and stress-induced cortisol secretion in older adults. Plos One. 2014;25, e105968.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Cross-country discrepancies on public understanding of stress concepts: evidence for stress-management psychoeducational programs
Authors
Juliana Nery Souza-Talarico
Nathalie Wan
Sheila Santos
Patrícia Paes Araujo Fialho
Eliane Corrêa Chaves
Paulo Caramelli
Estela Ferraz Bianchi
Aline Talita Santos
Sonia J Lupien
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0886-6

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

BMC Psychiatry 1/2016 Go to the issue

Debate

Rethinking the service delivery system of psychological interventions in low and middle income countries

Research article

Anxiety and depression in Nepal: prevalence, comorbidity and associations

Technical advance

Dilemma-focused intervention for unipolar depression: a treatment manual

Research article

The effects of low-intensity narrow-band blue-light treatment compared to bright white-light treatment in sub-syndromal seasonal affective disorder

Research article

Examining the use of metaphors to understand the experience of community treatment orders for patients and mental health workers

Research article

Brief gatekeeper training for suicide prevention in an ethnic minority population: a controlled intervention