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According to Cox (1978, 1985) the individual becomes stressed when a discrepancy occurs between the perceived level of the stressful demands and his/her perceived ability to respond to and to cope with the demands.Cox (1985) emphasizes that the stress phases experienced by the individual involve a complex interactive process with various levels of appraisal, emotion and response, with the immediate response to a stressful situation being in the form of negative emotion, propelling the individual into flight or fighting action.The individual's ability to cope with environmental -threats?

According to Cox (1978, 1985) the individual becomes stressed when a discrepancy occurs between the perceived level of the stressful demands and his/her perceived ability to respond to and to cope with the demands. There is thus an imbalance between a perceived demand and a perceived capacity to cope. Cox (1985) notes that: The classic stressful situation is one in which the person's resources are not well matched to the level of demand and where there are constraints on coping and little social support. Stress, itself, is an individual psychological state. It is to do with the person's perception of the work environment and the emotional experience of it. Cox (1978, 1985) maintains that perception plays an important role in recognizing stressors. The individual's ability to cope with environmental ―threats‖ or adverse events is also emphasized. This view would suggest that if the individual can perceive environmental and psychological demands made on him, he can learn (for example, through counseling as a form of intervention). to recognize which are the best resources to call upon when confronted with perceived stressful demands . Cox (1985) emphasizes that the stress phases experienced by the individual involve a complex interactive process with various levels of appraisal, emotion and response, with the immediate response to a stressful situation being in the form of negative emotion, propelling the individual into flight or fighting action. Cox (1978, 1985) maintains that stress is an imbalance between a perceived demand and a perceived capability, with the demands changing at various levels of appraisal during the phases of the stress process. An appraisal of capability takes into account external resources as well as internal capabilities. In using the ―capabilities‖ the individuals makes an assessment of the social support available (external factors) and appraises his or her internal strengths or limitations in order to deal with the stressor .