Stressful Life Events

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews and discusses Kobasa's article about individual and group differences regarding responses to stressful life events. The paper discusses the topic, specifically examined by Kobasa, that personality is a major mediating factor in the presence of physical illness following a series of stressful life events, and then explains how Kobasa's article is designed to discover which personality factors were most significant in determining how a person reacts to stressful events.

From the Paper:

"Moreover, in accordance with current research, Kobasa defines stress as a life event that "causes changes in, and demands readjustment of, an average person's normal routine," (2). Stressful events can be "positive," such as marriage, or "negative," such as death of a loved one. Kobasa divides her hypothesis is divided into three key components, which she phrases: a) "Among persons under stress, those who have a greater sense of control over what occurs in their lives will remain healthier than those who feel powerless in the face of external forces," (Kobasa 1979, p.3); b) "Among persons under stress, those who feel committed to the various areas of their lives will remain healthier than those who are alienated," (Kobasa 1979, p. 3-4); c) "Among persons under stress, those who view change as a challenge will remain healthier than those who view it as a threat," (Kobasa 1979, p.4)."

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