What is a Stress-Resistant Person?

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Why do some people tend to function well, or even thrive, under multiple stressors, whereas others tend to have few positive coping strategies? Are there differences between people?

A psychologist was puzzled over these questions and compared coping styles of adult students in evening classes with their level of illness or reports of anxiety, depression, and/or physical symptoms. He found there were several coping strategies which indicated "stress-resistant persons." These four major coping strategies were:

1. They tended to maintain a reasonable personal control in their lives. If they had a problem, they would research the problem by reading, finding resources to help with it, and then try a solution. If the solution did not work, they would try another. This contrasted with the others who approached problems more passively—expecting others to solve it or take no action on their own behalf.
   
   
2. They tended to be committed to a goal of some kind. They would actively pursue that goal at least 3-6 hours a week and challenged themselves as well as had a tangible participation in life. In contrast, those who tended to become ill had little that interested them or they said that they were bored.
   
   
3. The stress-resistant persons used a minimum of "substances," which they considered as drugs or drug-like, including nicotine and caffeine. (Although this may indicate control in their lives, it appears to be an active decision.) In addition, they practiced "active relaxation" at least 15 minutes a day—whether formal (meditation) or informal (resting or knitting). They also actively engaged in aerobic exercise (80% of the sample). By contrast, others leaned on substances (caffeine, especially), stated that they had no time to relax, and seldom (only 20% of sample) were engaged in aerobic exercises.
   
   
4. The stress-resistant tended to seek out other people and to share ideas and feelings with them. Those more affected by stress tended to isolate themselves more.
   
   

Each of these characteristics can be learned, and thus the cycle of stress leading to illness can be moderated. However, it takes dedication to a different life-style to become a more stress-resistant person, and some changes are more than some people like to accomplish.

Source: Dr. Raymond B. Flannery, Jr., Psychology, Harvard Medical School, and member of the Department of Psychiatry at the Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts, "The Medical Forum: The Stress Resistant Person" in the February 1989 Harvard Medical School Health Letter, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 5-7.

Sue Meyers
Family Sociologist

Originally published in February 1989

College of Human Ecology in cooperation with the University of Minnesota Extension Service

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