Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model of stress posits that stress results from an imbalance between the demands of an event and a person's resources to cope with those demands. A person appraises a potential stressor through primary appraisal, evaluating whether it poses a threat, harm, or challenge. They then engage in secondary appraisal to assess their coping options and resources to determine if they can effectively manage the potential stressor. The interaction between the person's appraisals and coping abilities determines the level of stress experienced.

1. Transactional & Interactional
Model

2. Lazarus & Folkman’s Transactional
model of stress (1984)
• Transaction (interaction) occurs between a person & the
environment
• Stress results from an imbalance between (a) demands & (b)
resources
• Thus we become stressed when demands (pressure) exceeds
our resources (our ability to cope & mediate stress)
• Thus the interpretation of the stressful event is more
important than the event itself

3. Primary Appraisal
• Considers whether the person has a personal
stake in encounter (are their goals thwarted)
• Evaluates the significance of the encounter –
which either
1. Has no significance for person
2. Is a benign-positive encounter (desirable)
3. Harmful/ threatening/ challenging

4. Primary Appraisal
Stressful situations are appraised as involving
1. Harm/ loss - that has occurred (so far)
2. Threats – i.e. potential future harm
3. Challenges – i.e. how can we learn/ gain confidence from
this experience
Primary appraisal –
concerns relevance
to our well-being

5. Secondary Appraisal
• Individual will then
engage in secondary
appraisal to work out how
we can best deal with
situation & change
undesirable conditions
• Evaluate internal/
external coping options as
well as more specifically
resources to create a more
positive environment.
1. Internal options – e.g.
will power, inner
strength
2. External options – peers,
professional health
• Thus it may become a
reappraisal of stressor
and our coping resources
Secondary appraisal
– concerns coping
options

6. The Interactional Model of Stress (1982).
• In this model, stress as seen as interaction
between environment and the individual’s
perception of it.
• It suggests that the appraisal of the event and of
your resources for dealing with it are important
in determining the level of stress experienced.

7. In this model, stress depends on the individual’s
appraisal of :-
• A. How threatening an event could be.
• B. Whether or not he/she is able to cope
with it.

8. A. How threatening an event could be
• In this process Individual analyses the severity
of the Event.
• Example, a life event, an exam i.e. Some may see
an exam as very threatening and some may see it
a challenge, a way to show what they know

9. B. Whether or not he/she is able to
cope with it.
• Primary appraisal- 'Is this a threat?’
• Secondary appraisal - ‘Have I some control and
can I cope?’
• Decreasing the threat- increasing coping strategy e.g. stress
management may help here. Boosting social support can
increase self-efficacy, “of course, you can do it”. Also,
increasing information may decrease if a threat is
perceived as a result of appraisal and you can cope then the
event (threat) is not stressful.
• If you cannot cope and have no resources then the threat is
stressful.

10. Secondary Appraisal
• Individual will then
engage in secondary
appraisal to work out how
we can best deal with
situation & change
undesirable conditions
• Evaluate internal/
external coping options as
well as more specifically
resources to create a more
positive environment.
1. Internal options – e.g.
will power, inner
strength
2. External options – peers,
professional health
• Thus it may become a
reappraisal of stressor
and our coping resources
Secondary appraisal
– concerns coping
options