In stress assessment, primary appraisal judges whether a situation is threatening; secondary appraisal evaluates what?

• A. Physiologic responses only
• B. Coping resources and available options
• C. Time since the event
• D. Personal mood state

Answer: (B)

Secondary appraisal is the evaluation of whether you have the resources and options to cope with the demand you’re facing. After recognizing a potential threat, you ask yourself what you can rely on to handle it—things like time, money, knowledge, skills, and social support, as well as which strategies you might use (solving the problem directly or managing the emotional impact). This assessment helps determine how you’ll respond and whether you feel equipped to meet the challenge, which in turn influences how intense the stress feels.

Physiologic responses are bodily reactions that can occur regardless of coping judgments, so they aren’t what secondary appraisal focuses on. Time since the event is a factual detail rather than an evaluative check of resources. Personal mood state can influence perception, but it isn’t the object of secondary appraisal itself, which centers on whether coping resources and options are available.