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CAIE A-Level Psychology Measures of Stress

Practise Type A and life-event questionnaires alongside salivary cortisol, describing procedures and evaluating objective, subjective and ethical measurement.

Syllabus
2028–2030
Course
Psychology 9990
Level
A2

Exam points

  • contrast Type A behaviour items with Holmes-Rahe life-event scores and their assumed stress load
  • outline timed saliva collection and cortisol assay as an objective physiological stress indicator
  • evaluate questionnaires and cortisol through response bias, timing, confounds and child-friendly consent

3.4.2—Measures of stress question 1

[Maximum number: 8]

Stress can be measured using sample tests for salivary cortisol, e.g. in the study by Evans and Wener (2007).

Question (a)

(a)

Outline the procedure of one study that measured stress using salivary cortisol.

[ 2 ]

Question (b)

(b)

Collecting saliva to test from some groups of participants, such as children, can be difficult.

Suggest how salivary cortisol tests could be conducted with children. Your suggestion must be ethical.

[ 2 ]

Question (c)

(c)

Explain two strengths of using a biological measure, such as salivary cortisol, to measure stress.

[ 4 ]
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