TRANSFORMATION OF DISTRESS IN EUSTRES

Abstract

Purpose. Based on a theoretical analysis of the psychology of stress resistance of the individual, the author presents his technique of working with stress issues.

Methods. Theoretical analysis of psychotherapeutic areas of work with stress issues in psychological science. Attention is paid to the integrative approach in dealing with distress: cognitive psychotherapy, gestalt approach, neurointegrative psychotherapeutic approach, bodily psychotherapy, existential psychotherapy and symbol-drama. Research of empirical indicators of efficiency of application of a new method of work with distresses: diagnostics of stress, on Max Luscher’s color cards; author’s method “Diagnosis of stress resistance of the individual”; FPI test to diagnose balance; D. Amirkhan’s method “Indicator of coping strategies”, method of research of volitional self-regulation Zverkova-Eidman, test method of research of ability to self-regulation by N.M. Peisahov.

Results. Theoretical studies of stress psychology, in particular various psychotherapeutic approaches with stress issues, provided an opportunity to integrate the methods of work of prominent scientists and practitioners and to develop their own approach. An empirical study of the problem of transformation of distress into eustress revealed that most of the participants who became subjects (a sample of more than 100 people) cannot cope with negative stress and perceive it as something unnecessary and negative phenomenon in human life. After the introduction of the author’s method of transforming distress into eustress, most participants immediately recognize the changes and re-evaluate their attitude to stress. Which is confirmed by interview and testing.

Conclusions. The results of empirical diagnostics indicate the effectiveness of the method of transformation of distress into eustress. Observations and conversations provided an opportunity to state the following: participants in stress development developed their most current stressful situations, learned skills of selftransformation of negative stress into positive; there was a change of negative programs for successful strategies of stress management, increased self-regulation, stress resistance, balance. The projective method “Color test by M. Luscher” confirmed the absence of internal conflict and the presence of healthy conditions.