Wednesday 22 July 14:05
- 15:35
Hall: 05 - Ottagonale
Chair and Presenter:
Hu Yueqin
Division: Division 8: Health Psychology
Stress is often viewed negatively, yet increasing attention is being given to its potential positive side. This symposium brings together five speakers who examine both the benefits and challenges of approaching stress from a positive perspective. Presenter 1 investigates the bidirectional link between self-compassion and stress, showing that self-compassion may be ineffective in high-stress situations and thus not uniformly beneficial. Presenter 2 analyzes internal and external processes shaping a positive stress mindset, revealing its fragility and the difficulty of cultivating such beliefs. Presenter 3 uses the transactional model of stress to demonstrate how procrastination reminders can push individuals toward desirable but less feasible actions, underscoring unintended downsides of seemingly positive behaviors.
While these talks highlight limitations of positive approaches to stress, the next two speakers offer potential pathways forward. Presenter 4 examines rumination on stressful work events, showing that not detaching from work is not always harmful; rather, intentional reflection can support recovery, learning, and well-being. The final speaker shifts to the community level, demonstrating how strong community cohesion can buffer the adverse impacts of childhood stress and promote collective well-being.
Together, these studies span individuals, workplaces, and communities, and draw on diverse methods including qualitative research, ecological momentary assessment, field experiments, and large-scale longitudinal analyses. Collectively, they offer a nuanced and integrative understanding of how positive perspectives on stress can inform more effective coping in daily life.
