title: A multidimensional model of the antecedents of stress and coping appraisals: an approach to studying patients' perceptions of post cardiac surgery pain and their coping strategies.
abstract: Lazarus' stress and coping theory has been recognized as a valued conceptual framework for nursing scholars who are interested in studying their client's experiences of stress and coping. However, little data provide in-depth critiques in concepts, availability and limitations of employing Lazarus' theory in nursing phenomena in Taiwan, nor did data provide culturally sensitive propositions for Taiwanese nursing scholars to better understand their clients' stress experience such as post cardiac surgery pain. In order to help Taiwanese critical care nurses better understand the process of theoretical development while assessing their clients' perceptions of post cardiac surgery pain, the historical perspective of the concept of stress and the core components of Lazarus' theory are examined. Following is a critical critique of Lazarus' theory as a conceptual framework with which to study how patients perceive post cardiac surgery pain as a stressor. A multidimensional model of the antecedents of stress and coping appraisals for nurses to assess their clients' perceptions of pain and the resulting coping behaviors is further developed based on the aforementioned critiques. Finally, suggestions for testing theoretical propositions related to this phenomenon, as well as implications for nursing practice, research, as theory are delineated and discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Republic of China.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000523:psychology*