Towards stress-resistant persons: a stress management approach to the treatment of anxiety

Abstract

With the reported increase in life stress in recent years, it is important to understand the relationship between such stress and health. It would be of further value if efficacious and time-limited approaches for coping with life stress were to be developed. This paper presents a brief history of the literature on stress, health, and illness. It focuses particular attention on persons who cope adequately with life stress--stress-resistant persons. It also outlines a four-step program to teach these effective copying skills to more vulnerable persons, and presents preliminary findings and the theoretical and clinical issues involved in its implementation.