Key Terms

adaptation

the ongoing changes within the body in response to stress

allostasis

the ongoing changes within the body in response to stressors

allostatic load

the collective burden of chronic stressful events.

anxiety

an overwhelming feeling of apprehensiveness, nervousness, and worry about real or perceived events that have an uncertain outcome

coping

an adaptive mechanism for managing stress

crisis

an inability to cope with a stressful situation

distress

negatively perceived stress, or stress that causes a negative response

eustress

positively perceived stress, or stress that initiates a positive response

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

theory involving stress as the cause of a three-stage syndrome of events resulting in either adaptation or exhaustion

homeostasis

the process by which the human body maintains balance by adjusting to internal and external stimuli

maturational

events that happen in a person’s life

psychophysiological stress model (PSM)

the relationship between the mental and physical reactions and adaptations to stress

Roy’s adaptation model (RAM)

holistic approach to the art and science of nursing structured as a science, model, and practice discipline containing various elements

stress

the physiological response by the body to a stimulus, or stressor

stress-response theory

the identification of the body’s nonspecific reaction to a threat or stressor

stressor

the stimulus or cause of the stress response