Week 1 Instructor Guidance
Welcome to Week 1

Introduction
Hello class! Welcome to your first week of HWE 415 Stress Management! What do you think about when you hear the word stress? Can stress really be managed? Most people feel a negative connotation to the word stress. In the first week of class, you will have an opportunity to define stress as well as assess your own stress levels. You will also learn how chronic stress is related to illness.
Discussion
For the discussion in Week 1, the initial post has two parts. First, read Chapter 1 and then introduce yourself to the class by Day 1. In Part 1 of your introduction define distress and eustress and provide an example of each. By Day 3, watch the video Worried Sick and complete Lab 1.1 at the end of Chapter 1 in the textbook. For the second part of your initial post, provide an example of a stressor you listed in Lab 1.1 and the type of response you have to this stressor such as physiological, emotional, or social. For example, one stressor may be having an unexpected medical bill to pay. You cried when you received this bill so it resulted in an emotional reaction. As a minimum, you should cite the course text in Part 1 and Part 2 of your initial posts. By Day 7, respond to two classmates providing a healthy way to deal with stress. Use one reference in your responses to support your suggestion.
Interactive Quiz
In Week 1, you will also take the Stress and the Body’s Reactionsquiz. This is an interactive learning activity covering the types of stress and how the body reacts to stress. This quiz is not timed, but you must take it in one sitting. The quiz can be retaken as many times as you want in Week 1, but scores must be submitted by the end of week 1. Once scores are submitted, the quiz cannot be retaken. The quiz cannot be reset so do not submit scores until you are satisfied with your score.
Assignment
For the assignment in Week 1, you get to complete a fun character study. Many of you may be familiar with the holiday classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey, portrayed by Jimmy Stewart, is one stressed out individual. He encounters many stressful events throughout the show. For this assignment, you will get to analyze George’s stressors and his reaction to these stressors. Please see the weekly assignment instructions for the full details of the assignment. Due by Day 7.
Stress
What do you think when you hear the word stress? How do you feel? If you are like most Americans, you are under a great deal of stress. In 2010, the American Psychological Association (2011) stated that chronic stress was “becoming a public health crisis” (para. 1). Most Americans suffer from mild to moderate levels of stress, but 25% of the population note being under high amounts of stress (Boston Globe, 2014). In Table 1 below, you can see the top stressors of most Americans which include money, work, and the economy. Oftentimes, stress causes many physiological symptoms such as sweaty palms or an upset stomach. The most common physiological symptoms associated with stress are shown in Table 2.

Table 1: Causes of Stress (American Psychological Association, 2011, p. 2)

Table 2: Symptoms of Stress (American Psychological Association, 2011, p. 2)
Acute reactions to stress
When you are about to encounter a stressful event, your body begins to react to it known as the fight or flight response. When you perceive a threat such as a burglar about to attack you, you decide whether to stay and fight the burglar or try to run away. Any time your body perceives a stressor, it begins to react. Researcher Hans Selye discovered that the body goes through three adaptation phases when presented with a stressor.
Phase 1: Alarm reaction– the body is exposed to the stressor for the first time and a reaction occurs. Death is possible in this phase if the stressor is excessive such as being in a bad car accident (Greenberg, 2021).
Phase 2: Stage of resistance– if the individual is continuously exposed to the stressor, resistance begins. The initial response to the stressor has passed (Greenberg, 2021). People in this stage may feel they have the stressor under control as the body copes to adapt to the stressor.
Phase 3: Stage of exhaustion– If the person is exposed to a stressor long term, the body adjusts to the stressor. Yet, it reacts in an unhealthy way such as developing high blood pressure. If the stress continues, the health risk rises, such as having a stroke from the high blood pressure. The alarm reaction reemerges and consequences are irreversible and result in death (Greenberg, 2021).

As you read through the chapters in the text, think about the stressors in your life and how you are currently reacting to them. Are you in Stage 1, Stage 2, or entering Stage 3? Looking ahead, in Week 2 of this course, you will assess life situations, evaluate perceptions, and finally, prepare a personalized interventional plan for dealing with stressors.
Check out the following YouTube videos on the General Adaptation Syndrome.
References
American Psychological Association. (2011). Stressed in America. Monitor on psychology, 42, 60.
Boston Globe. (2014). Half of Americans under high stress over past year. https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-welln…
Fosbender, L. (2013). General adaptation syndrome. https://youtu.be/nNxiF7VqcCk
Greenberg, J. (2021). Comprehensive stress management (15th ed.). McGraw Hill
Required Resources
Text
Greenberg, J. S. (2021). Comprehensive stress management (15th ed.). McGraw Hill.
- Chapter 1: What Is Stress?
- Chapter 2: Stress Psychophysiology
- Chapter 3: Stress and Illness/Disease
- The full-text version of this ebook is available through the RedShelf platform. This book is a comprehensive text on how to manage stress. Chapter 1 discusses the different types of stress, Chapter 2 discusses the different types of physiological responses to stress, and Chapter 3 provides information on how chronic stress can lead to illness. Chapter 1 will assist you with your Post Your Introduction discussion forum and Chapters 1, 2, and 3 will assist you with your Stress and the Body’s Reactions Interactive learning activity and the Character Study assignment this week.
Article
Keller, A., Litzelman, K., Wisk, L. E., Maddox, T., Cheng, E. R., Creswell, P. D., & Witt, W. P. (2012). Does the perception that stress affects health matter? The association with health and mortality. American Psychological Association, 31(5), 677–684. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026743
- The full-text version of this article is available through the CINAHL Complete database in the Ashford University Library. This article reviews people’s perception of stress and its impact on health. People who perceived they were under a great amount of stress also believed it had a negative impact on their health. Perception of stress may be more of a key factor on health than the real amount of stress. It will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week.
Multimedia
Angier, J., Huntley, D., & Reinherz, L. (Directors). (2003). Worried sick [Film]. PBS.
- The full version of this video is available through the Films On Demand database in the Ashford University Library. This media film provides an overview of the physiological responses that occur due to stress. It also discusses the relationship between stress and disease. It will assist you with your Post Your Introduction discussion forum this week. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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bvon44. (2009, August 16). It’s a wonderful life (1946) – James Stewart – George Bailey’s speech to Potter and the loan board (Links to an external site.) [Video]. YouTube.
- This video provides information on George Bailey’s stressors and will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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Hoosiertown. (2014, December 6). It’s a wonderful life bank run (Links to an external site.).[Video]. YouTube.
- This video provides information on George Bailey’s stressors and will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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Murphy, C. [Chris Murphy]. (2018, January 8). “You realize what this means? It means bankruptcy and scandal and prison!” – A wonderful life (Links to an external site.). [Video]. YouTube.
- This video provides information on George Bailey’s stressors and will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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Odbody, C. [Clarence Odbody]. (2016, May 13). Your* worth more dead than alive (Links to an external site.). [Video]. YouTube.
- This video provides information on George Bailey’s stressors and will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. *Note that the published video title includes this typo. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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Scheribel, R. [Robert Scheribel]. (2011, November 17). It’s a wonderful life trailer (Links to an external site.) [Video]. YouTube.
- This video trailer introduces the 1946 Frank Capra film. It will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. This video has closed captioning.
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spcwlkr01. (2012, January 14). It’s a wonderful life – Potter’s offer.mov (Links to an external site.). [Video]. YouTube.
- This video provides information on George Bailey’s stressors and will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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theCarbonFreeze. (2016, November 15). It’s a wonderful life – “Have a hectic day?” (Links to an external site.) [Video]. YouTube.
- This video provides information on George Bailey’s stressors and will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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theCarbonFreeze. (2016, November). It’s a wonderful life| “You look about like the kinda angel I’d get”|Frank Capra. [Video]. YouTube.
- This video provides information on George Bailey’s reaction to the missing money and will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week.
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University of Arizona Global Campus. (2020). Stress and the body’s reactions [Interactive]. Canvas@UAGC. https://login.uagc.edu
- This interactive is available through your online classroom. It will provide you with an opportunity to learn more about how the body responds to stress. It will assist you with your Stress and the Body’s Reactions Interactive learning activity this week.
Wright, V., & Stubbings, G. (Directors). (2006). Seriously stressed [Series episode]. In V. Wright (Producer), The Biological Mind. TVF International.
- The full version of this video is available through the Films On Demand Database in the University of Arizona Global Campus Library. This film provides an explanation of the flight or fight syndrome which is also discussed in the text. This clip also reviews the effects of chronic stress and ways to reduce stress. It will assist you with your Character Study assignment this week. This video has closed captioning and a transcript.
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Supplemental Material
McMahon, C. (2020). HWE 415 Week 1 Assignment template. Canvas@UAGC. https://login.uagc.edu
- This template is available in your online classroom and will assist you with your Character Study assignment successfully this week.
Recommended Resources
Multimedia
Vimeo. It’s A Wonderful Life (Links to an external site.).
- This full version of the It’s A Wonderful Life movie provides the details of the stressful situations George Bailey encounters throughout his life. It may assist you with your Character Study assignment this week.
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Website
The American Institute of Stress (Links to an external site.). (n.d.). http://www.stress.org
- This website provides an overview of stress, the effects of stress, workplace stress, and stress management. It may assist you with your Post Your Introduction discussion forum and your Character Study assignment this week.
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Stress and the Body’s Reactions Interactive
[WLOS: 1, 2, 3] [CLOS: 1,2, 6]
Prior to beginning work on this learning activity, read Chapter 1: What Is Stress, Chapter 2: Stress Psychophysiology, and Chapter 3: Stress and Illness/Disease in the course text. This week you will complete the Stress and the Body’s Reactions interactive in your classroom, an activity on the different types of stress and how the body reacts to stressors. The learning activity contains seven questions and is worth 10% of your course grade. This learning activity is not timed, but it must be taken in one sitting. You may retake the learning activity as many times as you want in the first week, but once you submit your scores, you can no longer retake the learning activity.