- Stress causes health issues like heart disease and is increasing due to lifestyle changes.
- Coping skills can be improved through education, training, and practice.
- Relaxation, meditation, and biofeedback calm the mind and body.
- Visualisation and stress inoculation help control negative thoughts.
- Exercise and simple lifestyle changes reduce stress and improve health.
Topics
Variations in Psychological Attributes
- Individual Differences in Human Functioning
- Assessment of Psychological Attributes
- Concept of Intelligence
- Theories of Intelligence
- Binet's One-Factor Theory
- Charles Spearman's Two Factor Theory
- Louis Thurstone’s Multifactor Theory
- Jensen's Hierarchical Theory of Intelligence
- Guilford's Structural Model Theory
- Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory
- Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
- PASS Model of Intelligence
- Individual Differences in Intelligence
- Assessment of Intelligence
- Mental Age
- Intelligence Quotient
- Variations of Intelligence
- Types of Intelligence Tests
- Individual Test
- Group Test
- Verbal Test
- Non-Verbal Test
- Performance Test
- Culture Bias and Culture Fair Tests
- Misuses of Intelligence Tests
- Intelligence Testing in India
- Culture and Intelligence
- New Trends in Intelligence> Emotional Intelligence
- Special Abilities
- Creativity
- Creativity and Intelligence
Self and Personality
- Self and Personality
- Concept of Self
- Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects of Self
- Culture and Self
- Concept of Personality
- Characteristics of Personality
- Personality Related Terms
- Descriptive Personality Theories
- Type Theories
- Trait Theories
- Trait Theory> Trait Theory of G. Allport
- Trait Theory> Cattell’s Concept of Personality
- Type Theory> Eysenck Concept of Personality
- Psychodynamic Approach
- Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality> Stages of Personality Development
- Neo-Freudian Theory of Personality
- Carl Jung’s Theory of Personality
- Karen Horney (1950)
- Psychodynamic Therapies> Alfred Adler's Psychodynamic Therapy
- Erich Fromm's Theory
- Erik Erikson's Theory of Psycho-Social Development
- Behavioural Approach
- Cultural Approach
- Humanistic Approach
- Measurement of Personality
- Self Report Inventories
- Projective Techniques
- Behavioural Analysis
Meeting Life Challenges
Psychological Disorders
- Concept of Psychological Disorders
- Concept of Abnormal Behaviour
- Classification of Psychological Disorders
- Factors Underlying Abnormal Behaviour
- Major Psychological Disorder> Anxiety Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Major Psychological Disorder> Trauma and Stress Related Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Dissociative Disorders
- Depressive Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Bipolar Disorder
- Major Psychological Disorder> Schizophrenia
- Major Psychological Disorder> Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Disruptive, Impulse-Control and Conduct Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Eating Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
Therapeutic Approaches
- Therapeutic Approaches in Psychology
- Concept of Psychotherapy
- Forms of Psychotherapy
- Behaviour Therapies
- Cognitive Therapy
- Humanistic-existential Therapy
- Humanistic-existential Therapy> Client Centred Therapy
- Healing Factors in Psychotherapy
- Ethics in Psychotherapy
- Alternative Therapies
- Rehabilitation of the Mentally Ill
Attitude and Social Cognition
Social Influence and Group Processes
Psychology and Life
- Introduction to Psychology and Life
- Human-environment Relationship
- Environmental Effects on Human Behaviour
- Promoting Pro-environmental Behaviour
- Psychology and Social Concerns
Developing Psychological Skills
- Introduction to Developing Psychological Skills
- Developing as an Effective Psychologist
- General Skills
- Observational Skills
- Specific Skills
- Interviewing Skills
- Counselling Skills
Estimated time: 15 minutes
- Introduction
- Stress Management Techniques
- Spiritual / Lifestyle Programme (Art of Living)
- Key Points: Stress Management Techniques
CISCE: Class 12
Introduction
Stress is called a silent killer because it plays a major role in many physical illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, diabetes, migraine and tension headaches. Due to lifestyle changes (less physical work, more competition, pressure to achieve), stress is increasing in schools, offices and communities.
CBSE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
Stress Management Techniques
1. Secondary Cognitive Appraisal (Lazarus)
- It means judging whether one’s skills and resources are enough to handle a situation.
- High threat + low coping ability → high stress; good coping ability → lower stress.
- Stress‑management techniques mainly aim to strengthen coping ability.
2. Cognitive–Behavioural Technique (Education, Training, Practice)
Focuses on changing thoughts and behaviours in stress.
Education:
- Explains what stress is and its effects on the body and mind.
- Helps people recognise their own signs and sources of stress.
Training:
- Teaches time management, social skills and relaxation methods.
- Includes setting realistic goals, using positive self‑talk and self‑reward.
Practice:
- Skills are rehearsed in real‑life situations like exams and conflicts.
- With practice, healthy coping becomes a habit.
3. Relaxation Techniques
- Active methods to reduce muscle tension and mental strain.
- Often start from the feet and move upward to relax all muscle groups.
- Deep, slow breathing is combined with muscle relaxation.
4. Meditation Procedures
- Involves learned steps to focus attention on a single object, sound or thought.
- Leads to reduced awareness of external stimuli and a calm, altered state of consciousness.
- Helps decrease anxiety and negative thoughts.
5. Biofeedback
- Uses instruments to show body functions like heart rate, blood pressure or muscle tension.
- First, the person becomes aware of these bodily responses.
- Then they learns to control them using relaxation and breathing.
- Finally, apply this control in daily stressful situations.
6. Creative Visualisation
- Uses imagination and mental images to manage stress.
- Requires setting realistic goals to build confidence.
- Works best when the mind is quiet, body relaxed, and eyes closed.
- Helps reduce distracting thoughts and support goal‑directed behaviour.
7. Stress Inoculation Training
Aim to protect people from stress by changing negative, irrational thoughts.
Assessment/conceptualisation:
- Discusses the problem and identifies stress triggers and harmful thoughts.
Skills acquisition and rehearsal:
- Teaches relaxation, self‑instruction and problem‑solving strategies.
- Skills are practised in safe conditions.
Application and follow‑through:
- Coping skills are applied to real stressful events.
- Practice continues until the new style of thinking and behaviour stabilises.
8. Exercise
- Provides an outlet for excess physiological arousal caused by stress.
- Regular exercise improves heart and lung efficiency, circulation and immune function.
- Helps lower blood pressure and reduce blood fat.
- Activities include walking, running, swimming, cycling and skipping.
- Recommended at least four times a week for about 30 minutes with warm‑up and cool‑down.
CISCE: Class 12
Spiritual / Lifestyle Programme (Art of Living)
- Uses yoga, breathing exercises, diet control and simple lifestyle changes.
- Many participants report reduced stress and better emotional balance.
CBSE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
