Stress and anxiety - theories and realities

The selection of peer-reviewed chapters in this edition of Stress and Anxiety addresses three major areas of topical interest. In the first part, we present theoretical advances across a range of domains. For example, the evidence for social support in the old and very old, a contemporary model of decision-making and the relevance of a psychological contract for reducing workplace stress and anxiety. Part two has an educational focus, e. g. on the importance of collective efficacy and autonomy among teachers as well as the role of achievement emotions in promoting online learning. The third section refers to medical settings with respect to coworker stress in dental practices and the impact of medical clowns to reduce distress. In the final section on coping, adolescents’ coping strategies are discussed, mothers’ concerns for their children and coping strategies in response to terrorist attacks, and the coping strategies employed by families living with a child with Autism. The diversity of papers presented in this volume moves us through theoretical to empirical studies representing a range of human experiences.