Negative harmful stress that impairs functioning and well-being.

• A. Chronic Stress
• B. Distress
• C. Eustress
• D. Acute Stress

Answer: (B)

The concept here is distinguishing between stress that is harmful and stress that is beneficial. Distress refers to the negative, harmful form of stress that impairs functioning and well-being. It’s the kind of stress you feel overwhelmed by, anxious about, or unable to cope with, and it can show up as worry, fatigue, or physical symptoms. This contrasts with eustress, which is positive stress that can motivate you and enhance performance.

Duration terms like chronic stress and acute stress describe how long the stress lasts, not necessarily its impact. Chronic stress means long-lasting stress, and acute stress means a brief surge; both can be distress if they’re experienced as aversive, but the prompt specifies the negative, impairing kind, which is captured by distress.