Transactional Model of Stress and Coping in Intravenous Drug Users

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping
Concepts of Primary and Secondary Appraisal
Coping Efforts
Coping Outcomes
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Stress is an inevitable event that most people deal with on a day-to-day basis. It may also be viewed as a rejoinder, impetus, or transaction. Consequently, an individual’s reaction to stress is determined by their conceptualization of the event. The purpose of this paper is to explain how the transactional model of stress and coping can be used to explain and assess the process of coping in a group of intravenous users at risk of contracting hepatitis C.

The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping

The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping was put forth by Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman to explain why stress is a pervasive occurrence in many people (Biggs, Brough, & Drummond, 2017). The theory proposes that stress is the outcome of a transaction between an individual and their surroundings. As a result, stress can be faced or avoided depending on the level of demands and available resources to deal with the burdens. For intravenous drug users, the urge to use drugs together with the risk of contracting hepatitis C is their prevalent stresses.

Concepts of Primary and Secondary Appraisal

The initial step in the model is a primary appraisal during which a person tries to determine whether or not a particular situation affects them directly. The mind will consider whether or not the problem at hand is substantial enough to cause stress. Three outcomes are likely: the event is trivial, has a positive effect, or the event is threatening. In this case, the risk of hepatitis C is real in injection drug users (Zibbell et al., 2018). Therefore, the problem is potentially life-threatening. Furthermore, intravenous drugs have other adverse health outcomes.

A secondary appraisal is the second step in the transactional model of stress and coping. During this phase, a person attempts to handle the situation in the best way possible to avoid negative outcomes. The person determines whether they have adequate resources to address their challenges. Drug users can determine whether they can ensure they use a new, sterile needle every time they inject drugs. They can also find out whether they have adequate resources to undergo rehabilitation and quit using drugs.

Coping Efforts

Two coping strategies are possible: problem-based and emotional coping. In the first coping strategy, the affected people have control over impending dangers and have ways of dealing with the problem to achieve positive outcomes. For example, the availability of financial resources to use sterile needles, willingness to quit drug use, or a supportive family to help with the rehabilitation process. Emotional-based coping happens when one realizes that they have little control over the situation. It may manifest in several ways, including avoiding or escaping from specific situations, accepting responsibility, and looking for emotional support from other people. Examples coping efforts include creating meaningful associations, turning to religion, looking for support from secular or faith-based groups. Negative coping strategies are avoidance and isolation.

Coping Outcomes

People struggling with addiction tend to withdraw from meaningful, healthy relationships and gravitate more towards people who share similar self-destructive lifestyles. Healthy relationships can improve an addict’s sense of belonging, self-worth, and awareness, which will be useful in helping them to take precautionary measures as they work towards quitting drug use. Religiousness is a source of hope, motivation, and emancipation, which promotes a sense of accountability in drug users, hence easing the road to recovery (Krause, Pargament, Ironson, & Hill, 2017).

Conclusion

Before understanding how people cope with stress, it is necessary to be cognizant of the various conceptualizations of stress. The transactional model of stress and coping is a valuable theory that is useful in helping intravenous drug users at risk of hepatitis C. Through this model, it is possible to devise appropriate coping strategies based on the victim’s understanding of stress.

References

Biggs, A., Brough, P., & Drummond, S. (2017). Lazarus and Folkman’s psychological stress and coping theory. In C. Cooper & J.C. Quick (Eds.), The handbook of stress and health: A guide to research and practice (pp. 349-364). Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons.

Krause, N., Pargament, K. I., Ironson, G., & Hill, P. (2017). Religious involvement, financial strain, and poly-drug use: Exploring the moderating role of meaning in life. Substance Use & Misuse, 52(3), 286-293.

Zibbell, J. E., Asher, A. K., Patel, R. C., Kupronis, B., Iqbal, K., Ward, J. W., & Holtzman, D. (2018). Increases in acute hepatitis C virus infection related to a growing opioid epidemic and associated injection drug use, United States, 2004 to 2014. American Journal of Public Health, 108(2), 175-181.

Click Here To Order Now!