Research summary
There is no question that we are a stressed society—but not all stress is bad. Small amounts of stress can have a positive effect on performance and well-being. However, when people assume that all stress is negative, they can begin to fear it, leading them to produce high levels of stress hormones when they anticipate stress.
As Canada Research Chair in Human Stress, Dr. Sonia Lupien aims to better understand the origins of negative stress mindsets and develop approaches that will decrease people’s fear of stress, with a particular emphasis on children and teenagers. She and her research team are assessing the type of cues that people use to determine whether they are stressed. They will then develop stress protocols that allow for a better representation of the positive effects of stress. Their overall goal is to decrease the fear of stress in people of all ages.