stress [OFr, estrecier, to tighten] , any emotional, physical, social, economic, or other factor that requires a response or change. Examples include dehydration, which can cause an increase in body temperature, and a separation from parents, which can cause a young child to cry. Stress can be positive or negative. Ongoing chronic stress can result in physical illness. Stress has been theorized as a major contributing factor in many physical diseases, such as asthma. Stress may also be applied therapeutically to promote change, such as implosive therapy for phobic patients, in which the patient is given support while being exposed to the situation that produces anxiety and is thereby gradually desensitized. The nature and degree of stress observed in a patient are frequently evaluated by the nurse as part of the ongoing holistic nursing assessment. See also general adaptation syndrome.
