ABSTRACT
The term stress has become part of the lay vernacular, and is widely used as a ready explanation for a number of problems from health complaints to work “burnout” and job dissatisfaction. Stress is usually viewed as a mediator, that is, an unobservable inferred construct which is hypothesized to account for a certain observable behaviour such as health or illness differences between individuals. The early research on stress clearly documented the importance of biological bases of the stress process. The research on stress has renewed the interest in the significant influence of psychological factors in health and illness. Chronic stressors can cause neural and endocrine change that alters the normal functioning of the organism. The physiological response to stress is also accompanied by behavioural responses. Stress has direct physiological effects on the body, and the cumulative wear and tear on the system caused by recurring stress can eventually cause damage to the system.
