Preferred Name
Kyle Green
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1220-2274
Date of Graduation
5-9-2024
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Advisor(s)
Robert Harmison
Kenn Barron
John Hathcoat
Abstract
While stress is generally framed as debilitating, past research has shown that adopting a mindset that focuses on the positive aspects of stress, referred to as a “stress is enhancing” mindset, can improve the ways in which one engages in stressful experiences. Researchers in this area have called for further investigation of the ways in which “stress is enhancing” mindsets are adopted. This study sought to explore the practice of self-distancing as a potential mechanism. It was hypothesized that participants who were instructed to write about a personally relevant future stressor from a distanced, third-person perspective would have more positive mindsets about stress relative to those who wrote about a future stressor from an immersed, first-person perspective and a control group that completed no journaling. Contrary to hypotheses, results from a one-way between subjects ANCOVA revealed no significant differences between any of the groups on scores of “stress is enhancing” mindset at the conclusion of the study. Several potential reasons, both methodological and conceptual, for these insignificant findings are discussed. While the specific hypotheses were not supported, this study emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between acute and chronic stressors in future research on mindsets about stress. Additionally, the current study encourages several lines of future research on shifting focus away from one’s self when facing challenges, which may be helpful for individuals navigating mental health challenges and daily stressors.
Recommended Citation
Green, Kyle, "Exploring the link between self-distancing and “stress is enhancing” mindsets" (2024). Masters Theses, 2020-current. 276.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/masters202029/276
Included in
Clinical Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
