Stress Inoculation Therapy
Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 14.1.12
Stress Inoculation Therapy
Because people who perceive a lack of control are more susceptible to stressors, some methods for managing stress focus on giving individuals control over the biological and cognitive responses to stress.
Stress inoculation therapy
- Stress inoculation therapy (SIT) aims to manage stress through cognitive processes.
- Individuals are encouraged to alter the way they think about stress. The hypothesis is that this can decrease negative/irrational thoughts and reduce anxiety.
- There are three stages to SIT: conceptualisation, acquisition and rehearsal, and application and follow-through.
Conceptualisation
- In conceptualisation, the therapist and patient identify stressors and how they can be minimised. They aim to reduce negative catastrophising and see changes as an opportunity for positive skill development.
Acquisition and rehearsal
- In acquisition and rehearsal, the patient learns new strategies for anxiety management from the therapist.
Application and follow-through
- In real life application and follow-through, the patient puts the new strategies into practice through role-play or virtual reality, and later through seeking out fearful situations.
Evaluation of Stress Inoculation Therapy
Stress inoculation therapy (SIT) aims to manage stress through cognitive processes. There are pros and cons to SIT.
Pros of stress inoculation therapy
- SIT is very flexible so can be tailored to each patient’s needs.
- The focus on inoculation means the effects are more likely to last for a long time and the techniques are learned and understood.
Cons of stress inoculation therapy
- SIT may not benefit all individuals because it involves high motivation to tackle stressors and complete all three steps.
- SIT takes a long time and is not an easy fix.
- SIT was first developed on a specific group of middle-class white people and as such cannot definitely be generalised across all populations.
Test yourself on Stress Inoculation Therapy
Which of these is NOT an advantage of stress inoculation therapy (SIT)?