Health Psychology, Stress and Coping MCQs 2026

Resilience refers to what?

1. AA fixed inability to cope✓
2. BOnly high physical strength✓
3. CPositive adaptation despite adversity✓
4. DComplete absence of stress exposure✓

Secondary appraisal involves judging what?

1. AAvailable coping resources and options✓
2. BThe spelling of the diagnosis✓
3. COnly the duration of sleep✓
4. DThe final disease classification✓

An internal health locus of control means a person believes health outcomes are influenced mainly by what?

1. AOne's own actions and choices✓
2. BRandom luck alone✓
3. COnly hospital architecture✓
4. DAstrological timing✓

The placebo effect is improvement caused partly by what?

1. AA laboratory error in diagnosis✓
2. BExpectations and treatment context✓
3. CA drug's active chemical ingredient only✓
4. DPermanent genetic change✓

Catastrophizing in pain involves what?

1. ARelaxed acceptance of discomfort✓
2. BImmediate problem solving✓
3. CExaggerating the threat and helplessness associated with pain✓
4. DAccurate symptom monitoring only✓

Progressive muscle relaxation trains people to do what?

1. ASystematically tense and relax muscle groups✓
2. BIgnore all bodily sensations✓
3. CIncrease caffeine intake✓
4. DMaintain constant muscle tension✓

The coronary-prone Type A pattern includes competitiveness, time urgency, and what?

1. AHostility or anger✓
2. BLow achievement motivation✓
3. CDeep relaxation✓
4. DHigh sleep duration✓

Chronic stress may affect immunity by doing what?

1. AHaving no physiological effect✓
2. BSuppressing or dysregulating immune functioning✓
3. CGuaranteeing immunity to infection✓
4. DReplacing the need for vaccines✓

Kobasa's hardiness includes commitment, control, and what?

1. AConformity✓
2. BCompulsion✓
3. CChallenge✓
4. DCompliance✓

The stages of change model begins with which stage?

1. APrecontemplation✓
2. BMaintenance✓
3. CTermination✓
4. DRelapse prevention only✓

In the Health Belief Model, which factor often strongly prevents action?

1. APerceived barriers✓
2. BPerceived benefits only✓
3. CCues to action only✓
4. DDemographic labels alone✓

Acute stress is best defined as stress that is what?

1. AInherited from parents only✓
2. BShort-term and linked to an immediate demand✓
3. CAlways unrelated to physiology✓
4. DPresent continuously for years✓

Coping flexibility means being able to do what?

1. ARefuse all social support✓
2. BApply only one favorite coping strategy✓
3. CMatch coping strategies to the controllability of the situation✓
4. DUse avoidance for every stressor✓

Stress inoculation training typically includes education, rehearsal, and what?

1. AApplication of coping skills to stressors✓
2. BAvoidance of all practice✓
3. CMedication withdrawal without supervision✓
4. DRandom punishment✓

Illness behavior refers to how people do what?

1. AMonitor, interpret, and respond to symptoms✓
2. BDevelop only genetic diseases✓
3. CDesign hospital buildings✓
4. DCalculate medical insurance premiums✓

Gate control theory of pain proposes that pain signals can be modulated at what level?

1. AOnly by the kidneys✓
2. BA spinal gate influenced by neural and psychological factors✓
3. COnly by the liver✓
4. DOnly by bone density✓

Burnout among caregivers is most closely characterized by what?

1. AImproved immune function only✓
2. BRandom memory improvement✓
3. CEmotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy✓
4. DBrief excitement before a holiday✓

Regular physical activity reduces coronary heart disease risk partly by improving what?

1. ACardiovascular fitness and risk factors✓
2. BOnly spelling ability✓
3. CJob analysis accuracy✓
4. DRandom guessing on tests✓

The relaxation response is associated with what?

1. AParasympathetic calming and reduced arousal✓
2. BSympathetic emergency activation✓
3. CPermanent cortisol elevation✓
4. DIncreased muscle tension only✓

Problem-focused coping is generally least useful when stressors are what?

1. ASimple and skill-based✓
2. BUncontrollable or unchangeable✓
3. CSpecific and controllable✓
4. DClearly solvable by planning✓

Optimism is linked with better health adjustment partly because optimists tend to use what?

1. ANo coping strategies✓
2. BOnly magical thinking✓
3. CActive coping and positive expectations✓
4. DPersistent denial in all situations✓

Perceived stress is best described as what?

1. AA subjective appraisal that demands exceed resources✓
2. BAn objective count of hospital beds✓
3. CA disease caused only by bacteria✓
4. DA fixed personality trait with no context✓

The fight-or-flight response is primarily mediated by which system?

1. ASympathetic-adrenal-medullary system✓
2. BDigestive-rest system only✓
3. CVisual cortex alone✓
4. DSkeletal growth system✓

A chance health locus of control reflects belief that health is mainly controlled by what?

1. ADoctor instructions only✓
2. BLuck, fate, or chance✓
3. CPersonal diet alone✓
4. DMeasured self-efficacy✓

Compared with compliance, adherence is preferred because it implies what?

1. APunishment for every missed dose✓
2. BNo patient choice in treatment✓
3. CA more collaborative treatment relationship✓
4. DA more passive patient role✓

Cognitive-behavioral stress management commonly targets what?

1. AMaladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain stress✓
2. BOnly blood type classification✓
3. CSurgical technique training✓
4. DRandom dream symbols✓

The diathesis-stress model explains disorder as the result of stress interacting with what?

1. AAn underlying vulnerability✓
2. BA guaranteed cure✓
3. COnly current income✓
4. DA single healthy habit✓

Daily hassles are important because they are what?

1. AAlways pleasant events✓
2. BMinor recurrent stressors with cumulative impact✓
3. CRare catastrophic disasters only✓
4. DIdentical to major life events✓

Venting without problem solving can sometimes be unhelpful because it may do what?

1. AImprove adherence automatically✓
2. BGuarantee immune recovery✓
3. CProlong arousal and reinforce anger✓
4. DAlways remove the stressor✓

Positive reappraisal involves what?

1. AReframing a stressful event to find meaning or benefit✓
2. BPretending symptoms never happened✓
3. CIgnoring all medical advice✓
4. DIncreasing the stressor deliberately✓

Psychophysiological disorders are conditions in which physical symptoms are influenced by what?

1. APsychological and physiological interactions✓
2. BWeather reports only✓
3. CCourt decisions only✓
4. DJob salary scales✓

Activation of the HPA axis ultimately stimulates secretion of which hormone?

1. ACortisol✓
2. BInsulin✓
3. CMelatonin✓
4. DOxytocin✓

The biopsychosocial model explains health by integrating which factors?

1. ABiological, psychological, and social factors✓
2. BOnly genetic and anatomical factors✓
3. COnly hospital equipment and medicines✓
4. DOnly income and occupation✓

Primary appraisal in the transactional model of stress is the evaluation of what?

1. AWhether an event is irrelevant, benign, threatening, or challenging✓
2. BAvailable coping resources✓
3. CThe exact cortisol level in blood✓
4. DThe final medical diagnosis only✓

Problem-focused coping is most directly aimed at what?

1. ADenying that stress exists✓
2. BChanging or managing the stressor itself✓
3. CSuppressing all emotional expression✓
4. DAvoiding all decision making✓

Emotion-focused coping primarily attempts to do what?

1. ACollect objective job-analysis data✓
2. BIncrease the number of daily hassles✓
3. CRegulate emotional distress caused by stress✓
4. DRemove the external stressor immediately✓

The Type A component most consistently linked with coronary risk is what?

1. AHostility✓
2. BIntroversion✓
3. COpenness✓
4. DAgreeableness✓

Learned helplessness can develop when stressors are perceived as what?

1. AFully controllable by skill✓
2. BUncontrollable despite effort✓
3. CBrief and enjoyable✓
4. DRelevant only to physical exercise✓

The stress-buffering hypothesis states that social support does what?

1. AWorks only for infectious diseases✓
2. BIncreases physiological arousal permanently✓
3. CReduces the harmful impact of stress on health✓
4. DAlways eliminates all life stressors✓

In health psychology, adherence refers to what?

1. AThe extent to which a person follows agreed health recommendations✓
2. BThe genetic cause of a disease✓
3. CThe number of physicians in a clinic✓
4. DThe severity of symptoms only✓

The Health Belief Model includes perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and what?

1. APerceived barriers✓
2. BDream interpretation✓
3. CClassical conditioning only✓
4. DBirth order✓

Self-efficacy in health behavior means confidence in what?

1. AThe hospital's legal status✓
2. BOne's ability to perform the behavior✓
3. CThe doctor's medical degree✓
4. DThe absence of all barriers✓

Allostatic load refers to what?

1. AA single pleasant life event✓
2. BAn immediate vaccine response✓
3. CCumulative wear and tear from chronic adaptation to stress✓
4. DA temporary rise in appetite only✓

Selye's general adaptation syndrome consists of which stages?

1. AAlarm, resistance, and exhaustion✓
2. BAttention, recall, and recognition✓
3. CPreparation, action, and reward✓
4. DIntake, diagnosis, and discharge✓

Mindfulness-based stress reduction emphasizes what?

1. APresent-focused, nonjudgmental awareness✓
2. BConstant worry about future illness✓
3. CAvoidance of bodily sensations✓
4. DSuppression of all thoughts✓

Lazarus and Folkman are most associated with which view of stress?

1. AA reflex-only pain model✓
2. BThe transactional appraisal and coping model✓
3. CA purely genetic disease model✓
4. DA fixed intelligence model✓

Psychoneuroimmunology studies interactions among psychological processes, the nervous system, and what?

1. AThe legal system only✓
2. BFinancial accounting✓
3. CThe immune system✓
4. DThe education system only✓

Biofeedback helps patients by providing what?

1. AReal-time information about physiological activity for self-regulation✓
2. BA random score unrelated to the body✓
3. COnly verbal reassurance without data✓
4. DA permanent cure for every disease✓

Eustress is best described as what?

1. APositive or challenging stress that can motivate performance✓
2. BTraumatic stress with no recovery✓
3. CA chronic immune deficiency✓
4. DAn absence of any arousal✓

Avoidant coping often provides short-term relief but may do what over time?

1. AEliminate all daily hassles✓
2. BMaintain or worsen problems by delaying action✓
3. CAlways improve adherence✓
4. DIncrease perceived control in every case✓