A client diagnosed with emphysema has severe shortness of breath and needs portable oxygen when leaving home.

Recently the client has reduced activity because of fear that breathing difficulty will occur.

A nurse suggests using guided imagery.

Which image should the client be encouraged to visualize?

Choice A rationale

Mild anxiety is a normal, everyday type of stress that helps individuals stay alert and focused. It is characterized by slight restlessness and increased sensory awareness, and it can motivate problem-solving. However, the reported difficulty of immigration suggests a more significant level of stress than mild anxiety, which is typically a temporary response to a minor challenge.

Choice B rationale

Generalized anxiety is a chronic, persistent state of worry and tension that is not tied to a specific trigger. It involves physical symptoms like fatigue and muscle tension, and it can last for months or years. The stress described here is directly linked to the specific, significant life event of immigration, which is not consistent with the pervasive nature of generalized anxiety.

Choice C rationale

Distress is a negative, debilitating type of stress that can lead to physical and psychological harm. It is often caused by difficult life events, such as immigration, which involves major changes and potential trauma. The family member's statement, "The immigration to America has been very difficult," directly indicates a negative and challenging experience, which is the definition of distress.

Choice D rationale

Eustress is a positive type of stress that can motivate and energize an individual. It is often associated with positive life events, like a promotion or a new relationship, and can lead to growth and increased performance. The family member's description of immigration as "very difficult" signifies a negative experience, which is the opposite of eustress.

Choice A rationale

While questionnaires are used in stress research, Selye's primary contribution was not creating a specific questionnaire. His work was foundational in defining the physiological response to stress itself, regardless of the individual's perception. His model, the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), describes the body's non-specific physiological response to any stressor, detailing a three-stage process that is a fundamental concept in the study of stress.

Choice B rationale

The development of scales to measure stressful life events is a significant area of stress research, often attributed to other researchers like Holmes and Rahe with their Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Selye's contribution was a physiological model of stress response rather than a psychological one focused on individual perceptions. The GAS describes an involuntary, biological response to any stressor, not an individual's subjective rating of it.

Choice C rationale

Dr. Hans Selye's groundbreaking work described the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), a three-stage physiological response to stress. The stages are alarm reaction (the initial "fight-or-flight" response), resistance (where the body attempts to cope with the stressor), and exhaustion (where the body's resources are depleted, leading to potential illness or death). This model is a cornerstone of modern stress theory.

Choice D rationale

Selye's resistance stage describes the body's attempt to adapt to the stressor and return to homeostasis. It is a period of sustained effort to cope, not the use of psychological defense mechanisms. While defense mechanisms are a psychological response to stress, Selye's model is a physiological one. The exhaustion stage follows when the body's resources for resistance are depleted, not when defense mechanisms are used.