Post Traumatic Stress Analysis

Stress is becoming increasingly normalised in today’s society as a result of amplified levels of daily pressures and stressors. Accepted intensified levels of stress have led to many physical and psychological effects on the body, as many people feel they have very little resources and skills to manage the stress they are experiencing (Burton & Carlson, 2010). Richard Lazarus defined stress as “a state of anxiety produced when events and responsibilities exceed one’s coping abilities” (Seaward, 2011). Perceived challenges are identified as stressors, which are any object, event or condition that an individual perceives as threatening, irrespective of the actual threat posed. Therefore, stress is individual (Bradley, Iersel, & Spackman-Williams,
Coping involves a person’s active and adaptive efforts to manage demands that he or she feels are stressful through techniques such as living with the problem, which involves relaxation and exercise (Wade & Tavris, 1998). One branch of these techniques is relaxation, which is learning to meditate by clearing one’s mind, for example through guided imagery.
Guided imagery (GI) utilises the subject’s personal images that are symbolic of his or her specific health and or life issue. The technique requires a trained professional, audio or written script to command the process for 4-8 weeks, requiring 10 mins per day (Varvogli & Darviri, 2011).
The effect of GI as a stress reduction technique can be seen in a previous study of 13 women with first stage breast cancer. In this study, the women who received relaxation training of GI during a nine-week intervention study showed no decline in their white-blood-cell count and a beneficial increase in cells that fight disease, in contrast to the control subjects (Wade & Tavris, 1998).
The aim of this study is to investigate and determine the effect of guided imagery as a stress reduction
The participant then used the stress reduction technique of GI daily. This was completed using an app called ‘Guided Mind’, by Dr Emmett Miller, who uses audio create a visualisation with meditation. After the 10 days, the participant took the CPSS test again. The results were then recorded, compared and analysed.

Variables
The independent variable (IV) of this study is the utilisation of GI as a stress reduction technique.
The dependent variable (DV) is the change in stress of the participant. In the study, the DV was the difference between the first and second score achieved CPSS compared with the second and final score.
The extraneous variables (EV) in this study were factors that influenced the results of the study. Time was an EV that was controlled by having the participant use the app at 10 pm every night. The audio was another EV and was controlled by using the same voice over at the same volume. Another EV is the environment in which the participant completed the GI. It was controlled by having the participant in a familiar, quiet location with the lights off.