Stress & Coping MCAT Practice Question
A 38-year-old man with a history of hypertension presents to his primary care physician with complaints of persistent fatigue and frequent upper respiratory infections over the past 6 months. He reports high stress at work due to frequent conflicts with his supervisor and feeling undervalued. His cortisol level is elevated at 22 μg/dL (normal fasting: 5-25 μg/dL, but upper range). After his supervisor begins implementing regular one-on-one check-ins to acknowledge his contributions and provide constructive feedback, his blood pressure normalizes, sick days decrease by 60%, and cortisol levels normalize within 8 weeks. Which of the following best explains the mechanism by which the supervisor's supportive behavior improved this patient's health outcomes?
Answer choices
- ASocial support buffered the physiological stress response by reducing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activationCorrect answer
- BThe supervisor's authority and clear directives eliminated ambiguity, reducing role strain as a primary stressor
- CPeer acceptance from colleagues increased through conformity to workplace norms
- DRegular feedback created cognitive dissonance that forced reconsideration of the patient's stress interpretation
- EImproved supervisor-employee relationship enhanced learned helplessness and acceptance of workplace demands
- FThe structured feedback sessions served as behavioral conditioning to suppress cortisol secretion through operant reinforcement
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