LIFE EVENT Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Objective: To examine the significance of neonatal risk factors from the individual, family, social, and parenting behavior domains of the ecological model of child maltreatment in predicting maltreatment reports in the first 4 years of... more

Objective: To examine the significance of neonatal risk factors from the individual, family, social, and parenting behavior domains of the ecological model of child maltreatment in predicting maltreatment reports in the first 4 years of life, and to examine the extent to which the interactions of life event stress and social support modify those risk factors. Method: Mothers of 708 predominantly at-risk infants were interviewed in their homes soon after their infants' discharge from the hospital. State child abuse and neglect central registry data were tracked every 6 months until the infants reached their fourth birthdays. Results: The incidence of maltreatment reports was higher in households where the mothers were depressed, complained of psychosomatic symptoms, had not graduated from high school, consumed alcohol, participated in public income support programs, cared for more than one dependent child, or were separated from their own mothers at age 14 years (p Ͻ .1). In interaction models including these seven predisposing variables, there were significant interactions (p Ͻ .01) between social support, as measured by the social well-being index after the birth of the index child, and depression, and between social well-being and stress, as measured by an increase in total life events. Conclusion: Some predisposing risk factors measured soon after birth continue to be significant predictors of child maltreatment reports through the fourth year of life. In general, families with low levels of social support had a higher risk of a maltreatment report. For families with lower levels of maternal depression and/or life event stress, low social support significantly increased the risk of a maltreatment report by as much as a factor of four.

Bipolar disorder has been conceptualized as an outcome of dysregulation in the behavioral activation system (BAS), a brain system that regulates goal-directed activity. On the basis of the BAS model, the authors hypothesized that life... more

Bipolar disorder has been conceptualized as an outcome of dysregulation in the behavioral activation system (BAS), a brain system that regulates goal-directed activity. On the basis of the BAS model, the authors hypothesized that life events involving goal attainment would promote manic symptoms in bipolar individuals. The authors followed 43 bipolar I individuals monthly with standardized symptom severity assessments (the Modified Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Rating Scale). Life events were assessed using the Goal Attainment and Positivity scales of the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule. As hypothesized, manic symptoms increased in the 2 months following goal-attainment events, but depressed symptoms were not changed following goal-attainment events. These results are congruent with a series of recent polarity-specific findings. Bipolar disorder exacts a devastating toll from affected individuals. Most strikingly, this disorder leads to suicide in almost one out of every five diagnosed individuals (Isometsa, 1993). With adequate blood serum levels of lithium, one third of bipolar individuals relapse within 3 years (Keller et al., 1992), but in naturalistic studies with varied levels of patient compliance, two thirds of patients relapse within 2 years (Silverstone, McPherson, Hunt, & Romans, 1998). Given these high rates of relapse and the sustained unemployment rates following each episode of mania (Harrow, Goldberg, Grossman, & Meltzer, 1990), it is not surprising that bipolar disorder has been ranked as the sixth leading cause of disability among both physical and psychiatric disorders worldwide (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Fiscal costs for adult Americans with the disorder were estimated in 1991 at $45 billion (Wyatt & Henter, 1995). Although the modal course is severe, bipolar individuals experience substantial heterogeneity in symptom expression. For instance, as many as 25% of bipolar I individuals will never experience a depressive episode (Goodwin & Jamison, 1990). Further,

This study presents an initial computational model of shared situation awareness (SA) based upon data collected from a simulated training exercise, designed to mimic real life events in a military personnel recovery center. Situation... more

This study presents an initial computational model of shared situation awareness (SA) based upon data collected from a simulated training exercise, designed to mimic real life events in a military personnel recovery center. Situation awareness was measured during the exercise using the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT). Our initial model examined how well five factors (social network distance, physical distance, rank similarity, branch similarity, and experience similarity) predicted shared SA. Overall, regression analyses highlighted the significant influence of geographical distribution (physical distance) on the development of shared SA and frequency of communications amongst team members. The discussion centers on the need for developing useful technological tools and techniques for supporting communication and collaboration among distributed teams.

Background: Stressful life events increase the probability of depressive problems in early adolescence. Several genetic and environmental risk factors may change individual sensitivity to the depressogenic effect of these events. We... more

Background: Stressful life events increase the probability of depressive problems in early adolescence. Several genetic and environmental risk factors may change individual sensitivity to the depressogenic effect of these events. We examined modification by parental depression and gender, and mediation of the former by temperament and family environment. Methods: Data were collected as part of a longitudinal cohort study of (pre)adolescents (n = 2127). During the first assessment wave at approximately age 11, we assessed parental depression, family functioning, perceived parenting behaviours, and temperamental frustration and fearfulness. At the second wave, about two and a half years later, stressful life events between the first and second assessment were assessed. Depressive problems were measured at both waves. Results: Adolescents with parents who had a (lifetime) depressive episode were more sensitive to the depressogenic effect of stressful events than adolescents without depressed parents. Furthermore, girls are more sensitive to these effects than boys. The modifying effect of parental depression was not mediated by temperament, family functioning and perceived parenting. Limitations: Life events were assessed without consideration of contextual information. Depressive problems were measured by questionnaires that did not directly represent DSM-IV criteria. The measure of parental depression was unspecific regarding severity and timing of depressive episodes. Conclusion: The results suggest that gender and parental depression are associated with increased sensitivity to depression after experiencing stressful life events during adolescence.

Although a number of studies suggest that stressful life events play a role in bipolar disorder, methodological flaws impose serious limitations on this literature. Nonetheless, better designed studies indicate that life events influence... more

Although a number of studies suggest that stressful life events play a role in bipolar disorder, methodological flaws impose serious limitations on this literature. Nonetheless, better designed studies indicate that life events influence the course of bipolar disorder. Little is known, however, about the nature of events that are of particular importance to this disorder. Given the strong biological vulnerability and the unique clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, certain forms of stress may have stronger interactions with vulnerability characteristics. Three major biological theories of bipolar disorder are discussed, with particular attention to their implications for investigations of life events. Although tenuous, these models suggest that greater attention needs to be paid to particular dimensions of life events and the course of disorder.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly... more

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

The present study aimed to analyze differences between aggressive and nonaggressive rejected students in four sets of variables: personal, family, school, and social. Participants in the study were 843 Spanish adolescents ranging in age... more

The present study aimed to analyze differences between aggressive and nonaggressive rejected students in four sets of variables: personal, family, school, and social. Participants in the study were 843 Spanish adolescents ranging in age from 11 to 16 years old, of whom 47% were boys. Results indicated that these two subgroups of rejected students show a different profile. Aggressive rejected students informed of lower levels of family self-esteem, less parental support, higher levels of aggression between their parents at home, and a more offensive parent-child communication in comparison with nonaggressive rejected adolescents. Moreover, aggressive rejected students showed lower levels of academic self-esteem, a more negative attitude toward school and studies, poorer relationships with teachers, and more academic difficulties than did adolescents in the nonaggressive rejected subgroup. Finally, aggressive rejected students indicated the presence of more undesirable life events and changes in their lives and, in general, higher levels of perceived stress.

Objectives. The main objective of this paper was to explore the associations between life-events and primary appraisals (threat, challenge and loss) controlling for depression. It was predicted that speci®c associations between... more

Objectives. The main objective of this paper was to explore the associations between life-events and primary appraisals (threat, challenge and loss) controlling for depression. It was predicted that speci®c associations between life-events and primary appraisals would remain once depression had been partialled. A subgoal of this paper was to develop a content analytic coding frame for student life-events.

Several studies have shown that physical and/or sexual abuse during childhood may lead to the development of obesity later in life. Despite these consistent findings, the mechanism for the increased risk of obesity following developmental... more

Several studies have shown that physical and/or sexual abuse during childhood may lead to the development of obesity later in life. Despite these consistent findings, the mechanism for the increased risk of obesity following developmental trauma is unknown. It has been suggested that psychological dysfunction, including the presence of disordered eating behavior, may account for the added risk of adult obesity. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the prevalence and severity of different types of early traumatic life events, assessed the presence of coexisting psychiatric disorders and measured adult attachment style in a sample of 200 subjects including nonobese healthy volunteers and obese participants undergoing a psychiatric assessment to determine suitability for bariatric surgery. Participants who scored higher on a scale measuring the severity of traumatic events experienced during the first 15 years of their lives were more likely to be obese at the time of testing. The exclusion of the participants who experienced physical and/or sexual abuse did not change the results of statistical analysis. Severity of early trauma remained a significant predictor of adult obesity when the influence of psychiatric diagnosis and anxious attachment was taken into account. These findings suggest that: (1) not only sexual or physical abuse but also less severe forms of early-life stress are linked to the development of obesity later in life; and (2) psychological dysfunction is not the only mechanism mediating the elevated risk of obesity in persons exposed to early-life trauma.

The Psychoticism (P) scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was originally proposed as a measure of the predisposition to psychotic breakdown, however, subsequent research has suggested that the P-scale is measuring a... more

The Psychoticism (P) scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was originally proposed as a measure of the predisposition to psychotic breakdown, however, subsequent research has suggested that the P-scale is measuring a thoughtless and reckless personality. This study aims to further examine the construct of P, its relation to the experience of adversity and the development of depression. One hundred and eight depressed probands and their nearest aged siblings were compared to 105 control probands and their nearest aged siblings. All were interviewed using the Schedule for the Clinical Assessment of Neuropsychiatry and the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule . Subjects also completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the EPQ at the time of interview. It was found that four factors underlie the P-scale, namely Cruel/ Hostile, Anti-social, Impulsiveness, Recklessness/Fecklessness. The P-scale is familial and scores correlate positively with severe and threatening life events and BDI score at the time of interview. It is concluded that high P-scale scorers are predisposed to personality traits that are associated with an excess of severe and threatening life events, which in turn can lead to the development of depression. #

Évaluation du potentiel suicidaire chez les adolescents : lien entre fréquence, satisfaction et moyens utilisés par différents intervenants en pédopsychiatrie Assessment of risks of attempted suicides by adolescents: The relationship... more

Évaluation du potentiel suicidaire chez les adolescents : lien entre fréquence, satisfaction et moyens utilisés par différents intervenants en pédopsychiatrie Assessment of risks of attempted suicides by adolescents: The relationship between frequency, satisfaction and means used by different caregivers in the field of adolescent psychiatry

Stressful life events can increase the risk for developing a variety of physical disorders and emotional problems. A biopsychosocial approach can help mental health professions to better understand and more effectively treat disorders... more

Stressful life events can increase the risk for developing a variety of physical disorders and emotional problems. A biopsychosocial approach can help mental health professions to better understand and more effectively treat disorders that are related to severe negative life events. Biological approaches focus on suppressing emotional reactions, usually through a reliance on psychopharmacological interventions. Psychological approaches usually focus on the cognitive processes that translate stress into distress. Psychological interventions focus on changing the negative attitudes and maladaptive behaviors that aggravate most stressful situations. Social interventions focus on improving social support and involvement with agencies to confront limited finances, unemployment, and housing problems. In these times of economic crisis and severe financial hardship, psychological and social intervention strategies appear more useful than biological treatments.

With a large and diverse sample of children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the role of infant-mother attachment security as a protective factor against... more

With a large and diverse sample of children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the role of infant-mother attachment security as a protective factor against the development of children's anxious and aggressive behaviors at first grade was examined. When child's sex, family income, maternal sensitivity, and prior levels of anxiety and aggression were controlled for, attachment security at 15 months of age was found to moderate the effects of negative life events families experienced, thereby protecting children from experiencing symptoms of anxiety, but not aggression, at 4.5 years of age. Children classified as insecurely attached at 15 months of age who experienced many stressful life events exhibited more anxiety symptoms in first grade than children classified as securely attached who similarly experienced many negative life events. These findings are interpreted within attachment theory, which predicts that early attachment security has a unique role in children's anxiety experiences later in childhood.

>This article reviews the ways "life cycle position" has been used as an independent variable in marketing research. In the United States today most households pass through an orderly progression of stages: 1. The bachelor stage; young,... more

>This article reviews the ways "life cycle position" has been used as an independent variable in marketing research. In the United States today most households pass through an orderly progression of stages: 1. The bachelor stage; young, single people. 2. Newly married couples; young, no children. 3. The full nest I; young married couples with dependent children. a. youngest child under six. b. youngest child six or over. 4. The full nest II; older married couples with dependent children. 5. The empty nest; older married couples with no children living with them. a. head in labor force. b. head retired. 6. The solitary survivors; older single people. a. in labor force. b. retired. Adapted from [5, 6 and 9]. These stages are so obviously related to important changes in purchasing behavior that they have sometimes been used along with, or in place of, chronological age in analyzing survey data. This article reviews the uses of the life cycle concept and reasserts the value of using life cycle as an independent variable. LIFE CYCLE DESCRIPTIONS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR Although the life cycle concept is relatively new in marketing research, it is not new in sociology. It is to be found in the Systematic Source Book in Rural Sociology published in 1931 [16], and in several other studies published in the 193O's [8, 10, 17]. More recently, it has appeared in Duvall's Family Development [2] and Glick's American Families [4]. These descriptions and discussions of the life cycle do not focus on consumer behavior, but are helpful because they fill the life cycle categories with people and events. They therefore provide the background for more market-oriented work.

To determine the frequency and correlates of nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts in 12–14 year olds, a two stage epidemiologic survey with a self-administered questionnaire (N=3283) followed by a psychiatric interview of a subsample... more

To determine the frequency and correlates of nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts in 12–14 year olds, a two stage epidemiologic survey with a self-administered questionnaire (N=3283) followed by a psychiatric interview of a subsample of the adolescents and their parents (N=444) was used. Prevalence estimates of interview validated nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts were 2.46% in males and 2.79% in females. Significant relationships were found between nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts and suicidal ideation, major depression and undesirable life events. Data suggest that physically self-damaging acts occur at substantial rates during early adolescence. The strong correlation between nonsuicidal self-destructive acts and both suicidal ideation and major depression clarifies prior conflicting reports in the literature and suggests that a history of self-damaging acts should be taken into consideration when evaluating for possible depression and suicide risk.

Background The underlying mechanisms of delayedonset PTSD are yet to be understood. This study examines the role of stressful life events throughout the life cycle in delayed-onset PTSD following combat. Methods 675 Israeli veterans from... more

Background The underlying mechanisms of delayedonset PTSD are yet to be understood. This study examines the role of stressful life events throughout the life cycle in delayed-onset PTSD following combat. Methods 675 Israeli veterans from the 1982 Lebanon War, 369 with antecedent combat stress reaction (CSR) and 306 without CSR were assessed prospectively, 1, 2 and 20 years after the war. Veterans were divided into four groups, according to the time of first PTSD onset (first onset at 1983, 1984, and 2002 and no PTSD onset). They were assessed for post-, peri-and pre-traumatic life events, as well as military and socio-demographic characteristics. Results Our findings indicate that shorter delays in PTSD onset were associated with a higher risk for CSR, a higher number of pre-and post-war life events, more severe subjective battle exposure, greater perceived danger during combat and a more stressful military position. CSR was found to be the most powerful predictor of PTSD onset. A recency effect was also found, with more recent life events proving to be stronger predictors of PTSD onset. Conclusions First, our findings validate the existence of delayed-onset PTSD, as it was found among a substantial number of participants (16.5%). Second, post-, peri-and pretraumatic life events are associated with the time of PTSD onset. Thus, practitioners and researchers are encouraged to examine not only the original trauma, but also the stressful experiences throughout the survivors' life cycle. In particular, identification of antecedent CSR may help mental help professionals in targeting high-risk populations.

This study explored whether behavior problems and anxiety in primary school children are related to daily experiences with school. A differentiated view of daily experiences was proposed to examine the relationship between hassles and... more

This study explored whether behavior problems and anxiety in primary school children are related to daily experiences with school. A differentiated view of daily experiences was proposed to examine the relationship between hassles and uplifts in different areas: peers, teachers, schoolwork, and home-school issues. Self-report data from 256 Australian students in grades 3 and 4 underwent correlation and multiple regression analyses. Reports of hassles with school were related to major negative life events as well as anxiety and conduct problems. Hassles with peers and hassles with teachers made unique contributions to the prediction of anxiety and conduct problems, respectively. Overall, reports of uplifts were neither related to major life events nor to reports of hassles or anxiety or conduct. However, the interaction of peer hassles and uplifts contributed significantly to the prediction of conduct problems. The results are discussed in relation to prior research, different conceptualizations of stress, and possible implications for prevention and intervention.

A number of studies have supported the hypothesis that negative attributional styles may confer vulnerability to the development of depression. The goal of this study was to explore factors that may contribute to the development of... more

A number of studies have supported the hypothesis that negative attributional styles may confer vulnerability to the development of depression. The goal of this study was to explore factors that may contribute to the development of negative attributional styles in children. As hypothesized, elevated levels of depressive symptoms and hopelessness at the initial assessment predicted negative changes in children's attributional styles over the 6-month follow-up period. In addition, elevated levels of verbal victimization occurring between the 2 assessments, as well as that occurring in the 6 months preceding the initial assessment, prospectively predicted negative changes in children's attributional styles over the follow-up. Further, initial depressive symptoms and verbal victimization during the follow-up continued to significantly predict attributional style change even when the overlap among the predictors was statistically controlled. Contrary to the hypotheses, however, neither parentreported levels of overall negative life events nor parents' attributions for their children's events predicted changes in children's attributional styles.

A battery of self-report psychosocial measures was mailed to 116 patients who had been referred for clinical management (clinic attenders) or laboratory diagnosis (non-clinic attenders) to the London Supraregional Assay Service Centre for... more

A battery of self-report psychosocial measures was mailed to 116 patients who had been referred for clinical management (clinic attenders) or laboratory diagnosis (non-clinic attenders) to the London Supraregional Assay Service Centre for Porphyria over the past decade and who tested positive for porphyria. Usable replies were received from 81 (70%) patients. Our interest focused on the prevalence of psychosocial symptoms in acute porphyrias and the perceived effects of porphyria on quality of life and patient experience. Research questions examined included (i), lifestyle factors; (ii) life events; (iii) mental health; (iv) general health; and (v) perceptions of illness of patients receiving specialist clinical management compared to respondents referred for diagnostic investigations, between patients with latent or manifest symptomology and between patients with different types of porphyria. Patients with porphyria have an impaired quality of life, particularly manifest cases, com...

When children in foster care are reunified with their families of origin they encounter changes that may influence their well-being in both positive and negative ways. We examined the effects of reunification among 218 children in foster... more

When children in foster care are reunified with their families of origin they encounter changes that may influence their well-being in both positive and negative ways. We examined the effects of reunification among 218 children in foster care to test an integrative model of the effects of reunification using structural equation modeling. We hypothesized that reunification would exert indirect effects on subsequent child adjustment via changes in adverse life events, perceived social isolation, and mental health service utilization. Results indicated no direct effect of reunification on subsequent internalizing problems, but reunification was related to increased adverse life events that, in turn, were related to elevated symptoms. Second, reunification was negatively associated with mental health service use. Finally, reunification was associated with decreased child perceptions of social isolation. In summary, reunification with biological parents is associated with multiple environmental changes, with most but not all effects indicating negative consequences.

This study examines the relationship between the experience of a traumatic event, that is, a bankrobbery, and its psychological consequences. Two groups of employees of a major commercial bank in the Netherlands participated in this... more

This study examines the relationship between the experience of a traumatic event, that is, a bankrobbery, and its psychological consequences. Two groups of employees of a major commercial bank in the Netherlands participated in this study. One group (n ϭ 310) consisted of subjects who had experienced a bankrobbery and worked in high-frequency bankrobbery areas; the other matched control group (n ϭ 214) consisted of nonrobbed employees from banks in the same area. Victimized subjects displayed more signs of psychological distress than the control subjects, but distress decreased over time. The main findings of this study are that a depressive/avoidant coping style, strong threat perception during the robbery, and additional life events were positively related to posttraumatic distress as assessed by the Impact of Event Scale and the Symptom Check List (SCL-90), and self-esteem was negatively associated with the SCL-90 only.

Stressful life events can increase the risk for developing a variety of physical disorders and emotional problems. A biopsychosocial approach can help mental health professions to better understand and more effectively treat disorders... more

Stressful life events can increase the risk for developing a variety of physical disorders and emotional problems. A biopsychosocial approach can help mental health professions to better understand and more effectively treat disorders that are related to severe negative life events. Biological approaches focus on suppressing emotional reactions, usually through a reliance on psychopharmacological interventions. Psychological approaches usually focus on the cognitive processes that translate stress into distress. Psychological interventions focus on changing the negative attitudes and maladaptive behaviors that aggravate most stressful situations. Social interventions focus on improving social support and involvement with agencies to confront limited finances, unemployment, and housing problems. In these times of economic crisis and severe financial hardship, psychological and social intervention strategies appear more useful than biological treatments.

Objective: Clinical experience suggests an association between stressful life events and fluctuations in symptom severity of tic disorder patients. The aim of the present study was to examine this possible relationship in a prospective... more

Objective: Clinical experience suggests an association between stressful life events and fluctuations in symptom severity of tic disorder patients. The aim of the present study was to examine this possible relationship in a prospective longitudinal design. Methods: Two groups of tic disorder patients were included in this study, a pediatric group between 7 and 16 years (N=25; 24 of whom completed the study) and an adult group of 18 years and older (N=32; 28 of whom completed the study and reported at least one life event). During a 12 weeks' period, participants were asked to weekly fill out self-questionnaires regarding the occurrence of small life events and self-rating of tic severity. Results: In the adult group as a whole, we found a weak but statistically significant correlation between negative small life events and tic severity during the same week (r=0.268, p<0.001). However, only a minority of individual pediatric (21%) and adult patients (18%) demonstrated significant relationships between the frequency of small life events and tic severity in the same week or 1 week later, with undesirable small life events positively associated with tic severity in some patients, and negatively associated with tic severity in other patients. Conclusion: Contrary to traditional views, in general, life events do not account for changes in tic severity. Only in a minority of tic disorder patients, fluctuations in symptom severity appear to be associated with possibly stressful small life events.

Undetected lies of prospective or current employees cost business billions of dollars annually. The ability to detect these lies would be of immense benefit. Several recent reports have called for research on new, theoretically based... more

Undetected lies of prospective or current employees cost business billions of dollars annually. The ability to detect these lies would be of immense benefit. Several recent reports have called for research on new, theoretically based methods of lie detection. In response, we tested the Activation-Decision-Construction Model of lying according to which response time is a cue to deception. Participants were tested person-to-person. In Experiment 1, half lied to questions probing recent episodic memories. The other half answered honestly. Liar-truth teller response time differences were observed between subjects. Discriminant analyses demonstrated the value of response time for uncovering deceit. Those highest in social skills were the quickest liars. In Experiment 2, lying was shown to take longer than truth telling within subjects, and within-subject response time standard deviations were shown to be converging cues to deception. Based on these data and the ADCM, a Time-Restricted Integrity Confirmation (Tri-Con) framework for lie detection is proposed that might one day provide cost effective lie detection for business.

The acknowledgment of the existence of age-specific posttraumatic stress symptoms in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers points to the urgent need for standardized assessment tools for violence exposure and trauma symptoms in young... more

The acknowledgment of the existence of age-specific posttraumatic stress symptoms in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers points to the urgent need for standardized assessment tools for violence exposure and trauma symptoms in young children. The authors review the assessment measures currently available for the evaluation of potentially traumatic events (PTE) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in children less than 6 years old. Each measure is described and its strengths and weaknesses discussed in a developmental context, while also considering the specific difficulties inherent to the assessment of young children. Recommendations for further test development are given.

Maternal postpartum mental health is influenced by a broad range of risk and protective factors including social circumstances. Forty percent of Australian women resume employment in the first year postpartum, yet poor quality employment... more

Maternal postpartum mental health is influenced by a broad range of risk and protective factors including social circumstances. Forty percent of Australian women resume employment in the first year postpartum, yet poor quality employment (without security, control, flexibility or leave) has not been investigated as a potential social determinant of maternal psychological distress. This paper examines whether poor quality jobs are associated with an increased risk of maternal postpartum psychological distress. Data were collected from employed mothers of infants ≤12 months (n=1,300) participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Logistic regression analyses estimated the association between job quality and maternal psychological distress, adjusting for prior depression, social support, quality of partner relationship, adverse life events and sociodemographic characteristics. Only 21% of women reported access to all four optimal job conditions. After adjustment for known risk factors for poor maternal mood, mothers were significantly more likely to report psychological distress (adjusted OR=1.39, 95% CI 1.09, 1.77) with each reduction in the number of optimal employment conditions. Interventions for maternal post-partum affective disorders are unlikely to be successful if major risk factors are not addressed. These results provide strong evidence that employment conditions are associated with maternal postpartum mood, and warrant consideration in psychosocial risk assessments and interventions.

Prenatal maternal stress has been linked to multiple adverse outcomes. Researchers have used a variety of methods to assess maternal stress. The purpose of this study was to explore and compare factors associated with stress in pregnancy... more

Prenatal maternal stress has been linked to multiple adverse outcomes. Researchers have used a variety of methods to assess maternal stress. The purpose of this study was to explore and compare factors associated with stress in pregnancy as measured by perceived stress and stressful life events. We analyzed data from the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey. A randomly selected sample of 8,542 women who had recently given birth was drawn from the 2006 Canadian Census. Women were eligible if they were at least 15 years of age, had delivered a live, singleton infant, and were living with their infant at the time of the interview (5-14 months postpartum). Prevalence estimates and odds ratios were calculated using sample weights of the survey and their variances were calculated using bootstrapping methods. Bivariate analyses identified statistically significant factors associated with each stress measure. Backward stepwise multivariate logistic regression models were constructed. A total of 6,421 women (78%) participated in the computer assisted telephone interview. Twelve percent of women experienced high levels of perceived stress and 17.1% reported having three or more stressful life events in the year prior to the birth of their baby. In the final model, psychosocial variables were associated with both outcomes, whereas demographic factors were associated only with life event stress. Different factors contributed to perceived stress and life event stress, suggesting that these concepts measure different aspects of stress. These findings can inform routine psychosocial risk assessment in pregnancy.

In this paper, it is shown that multilevel methods are particularly well-suited for the analysis of relations in personal networks and the changes in these relations. Justice is done to the hierarchical nested structure of the data and... more

In this paper, it is shown that multilevel methods are particularly well-suited for the analysis of relations in personal networks and the changes in these relations. Justice is done to the hierarchical nested structure of the data and the resulting dependence between observations ''within egos''. Multilevel techniques can also give more specific insight on why personal networks change: they allow to distinguish between the influence of individual and of tie characteristics on the stability of personal networks as a whole and of specific ties within a personal network. This is illustrated by an application to changes in networks of four Dutch samples experiencing different life events. q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

The development and validation of a general measure of well-being: the BBC well-being scale ABSTRACT Purpose: The concept of maximising well-being, as opposed to merely treating mental disorder, is a powerful current theme in the area of... more

The development and validation of a general measure of well-being: the BBC well-being scale ABSTRACT Purpose: The concept of maximising well-being, as opposed to merely treating mental disorder, is a powerful current theme in the area of mental health. Clearly this emphasises the need for appropriate valid and reliable measures of general well-being. This paper examines the appropriateness of a number of measures in this area and concludes that existing assessment tools fail to address the full range of aspects of personal well-being. This paper therefore presents the psychometric properties, validity and reliability of a new measure of well-beingthe BBC Well-being Scale. Methods: A total of 1940 participants completed the new measure, the Goldberg scales of anxiety and depression, the 'List of Threatening Experiences" life events scale, a modified version of the Response Styles Questionnaire and a modified version of the Internal, Personal and Situational Attributions Questionnaire presented via the internet. Results: Exploratory factor-analysis suggested a three-factor solution including themes of psychological wellbeing, physical health and well-being and relationships. The total 24-item scale had good internal consistency (α = 0.935) and correlated significantly with key demographic variables and measures of concurrent validity. Conclusions: The new measure-the BBC Well-being Scale-is recommended for research and clinical purposes.

This study examined the frequency of reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms most often associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among 45 persons with social anxiety disorder and 30 nonanxious controls in response... more

This study examined the frequency of reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms most often associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among 45 persons with social anxiety disorder and 30 nonanxious controls in response to an extremely stressful social event (which did not satisfy DSM-IV's PTSD Criterion A). Avoidance and hyperarousal in response to reminders of socially stressful events were common among patients; more than one-third would have met criteria for PTSD if these events satisfied DSM-IV PTSD Criterion A. Frequency of this PTSD-like symptom pattern did not differ among patients who did and did not experience another event that did satisfy PTSD Criterion A. Implications of these findings for the treatment of social anxiety disorder are discussed. #

This study evaluated a theoretically and empirically based model of the progression of acute neck and back pain to chronic pain and disability, developed from the literature in chronic pain, cognition, and stress and trauma. Clinical... more

This study evaluated a theoretically and empirically based model of the progression of acute neck and back pain to chronic pain and disability, developed from the literature in chronic pain, cognition, and stress and trauma. Clinical information and standardized psychosocial measures of cumulative traumatic events exposure (TLEQ), depressed mood (CES-D), pain (DDS), physical disability (PDI), and pain beliefs (PBPI) were collected at baseline from 84 acute back pain patients followed at an Acute Back Clinic over 3 months. Path analysis was used for the longitudinal prediction of perceived pain and disability. The predictive model accounted for 26% of the variance in persistent pain intensity and 58% of the variance in perceived physical disability at 3 months. Greater exposure to past traumatic life events and depressed mood were most predictive of chronic pain; depressed mood and negative pain beliefs were most predictive of chronic disability. More cumulative traumatic life events, higher levels of depression in the early stages of a new pain episode, and early beliefs that pain may be permanent significantly contribute to increased severity of subsequent pain and disability. Replication in a larger sample is desirable to confirm these paths. Early detection of elevated depressive symptoms and high trauma exposure may identify individuals at greater risk for developing chronic pain syndromes who may benefit from early multidisciplinary intervention. Ó

Background: This randomized clinical trial compared 16-week interventions with interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy, and supportive psychotherapy with imipramine for human immunodeficiency... more

Background: This randomized clinical trial compared 16-week interventions with interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy, and supportive psychotherapy with imipramine for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with depressive symptoms. Methods: Subjects (N = 101; 85 male, 16 female) with known HIV seropositivity for at least 6 months were randomized to 16 weeks of treatment. Inclusion criteria were 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score of 15 or higher, clinical judgment of depression, and physical health sufficient to attend outpatient sessions. Therapists were trained in manualized therapies specific for HIVpositive patients. Treatment adherence was monitored.

Investigated whether three self-system beliefs, fear of abandonment, coping efficacy, and self-esteem, mediated the relations of stressors and caregiver-child relationship quality with concurrent and prospective internalizing and... more

Investigated whether three self-system beliefs, fear of abandonment, coping efficacy, and self-esteem, mediated the relations of stressors and caregiver-child relationship quality with concurrent and prospective internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of children who had experienced parental death in the previous 2.5 years. The cross-sectional sample consisted of 340 children ages 7-16 and their surviving parent/current caregiver; the longitudinal analyses employed a subset of this sample that consisted of 100 children and their parents/caregivers who were assessed at three time points. A multirater, multimethod measure of caregiver-child relationship quality and a multirater measure of children's mental health problems were used. The cross-sectional model supported a mediational relation for fear of abandonment, coping efficacy, and self-esteem. The three-wave longitudinal model showed that fear of abandonment at Time 2 mediated the relation between stressors at Time 1 and internalizing and externalizing problems at Time 3. Implications of these findings for understanding the development of mental health problems in parentally bereaved children and designing interventions for this at-risk group are discussed.

Кресан О.Д. Переживання та усвідомлення життєвих подій у процесі їх наративізації // Ракурси психологічного благополуччя особистості : збірник тез доповідей всеукраїнського науково-практичного семінару "Ракурси психологічного благополуччя... more

Кресан О.Д. Переживання та усвідомлення життєвих подій у процесі їх наративізації // Ракурси психологічного благополуччя особистості : збірник тез доповідей всеукраїнського науково-практичного семінару "Ракурси психологічного благополуччя особистості", 9 червня 2017 р., Ніжин. / Ред. кол.: Титаренко Т.М. (гол.ред) та ін. – Ніжин : НДУ ім. М.Гоголя, 2017. – 177 с. – С.80–84.

Locus of control and self-esteem were examined as moderators of links between negative life events and psychological symptoms in 238 young people 8 to 16 years old. Results indicated that locus of control buffered the effects of stressors... more

Locus of control and self-esteem were examined as moderators of links between negative life events and psychological symptoms in 238 young people 8 to 16 years old. Results indicated that locus of control buffered the effects of stressors on psychological symptoms, and the pattern of buffering did not differ by age or gender. Self-esteem buffered the link between stressors and symptoms, but only for girls. Further analyses with girls only revealed a conjunctive moderation effect of locus of control and self-esteem: When faced with many negative life events, girls who have both an external locus of control and low esteem show the highest psychological maladjustment.

Although the presence of psychological stress factors in the evolution of conversion symptoms forms an important criterion for the DSM-IV diagnosis of conversion disorder, little is known about the nature and timing of these stress... more

Although the presence of psychological stress factors in the evolution of conversion symptoms forms an important criterion for the DSM-IV diagnosis of conversion disorder, little is known about the nature and timing of these stress factors. Fifty-four patients with conversion disorder and 50 control patients with an affective disorder were screened for life events experienced in the year before the symptom onset. Conversion patients did not differ from control patients in the number or severity of life events, but showed a significant relation between the recent life events and the severity of conversion symptoms. Especially life events with respect to work and relationships contributed to this effect. These results remained when controlling for the previously found effects of childhood traumatization on the severity of conversion symptoms. The findings imply that conversion symptoms may be elicited by a complex of early and later negative life events and that traditional unifactorial trauma-theories of conversion disorder should be replaced by multifactorial stress models.

It is widely believed that social norms govern the timing of major life events, such that events experienced off time are considerably more stressful than events experienced on time. Experiencing life events either earlier or later than... more

It is widely believed that social norms govern the timing of major life events, such that events experienced off time are considerably more stressful than events experienced on time. Experiencing life events either earlier or later than one's peers presumably reduces opportunities for social support and may also invite social disapproval. Relatively few empirical studies have investigated these ideas, however, and those that have suffer from several limitations. The present study made use of a general population survey to investigate the effects of normative versus nonnormative timing of major life events on psychological functioning, interpersonal resources, and interpersonal tensions. Desirable and undersirable events were examined separately, as were the effects of departures from perceived versus statistical age norms. The results of the study offered only limited support for social clock theory. Implications for further research and for the relevance of the theory in a less age-differentiated society are discussed. Numerous recommendations have been offered in recent years for increasing the sophistication of research on the relationship between stressful life events and psychological functioning (e.g.

Resumen: El estudio de la relación entre depresión y aprovechamiento escolar en adolescentes no ha sido totalmente esclarecida dado que se emplean diferentes instrumentos para la evaluación de la depresión y diversos parámetros para... more

Resumen: El estudio de la relación entre depresión y aprovechamiento escolar en adolescentes no ha sido totalmente esclarecida dado que se emplean diferentes instrumentos para la evaluación de la depresión y diversos parámetros para estimar el aprovechamiento académico. Por otra parte cabe señalar que aunque se ha analizado la influencia de la dinámica familiar en la depresión y en el rendimiento académico ésto ha sido de manera independiente.

The nature of individual coping responses to stressful life events was explored in a representative adult community sample. Two approaches to the classification of coping strategies were operationalized. Using these measures, small but... more

The nature of individual coping responses to stressful life events was explored in a representative adult community sample. Two approaches to the classification of coping strategies were operationalized. Using these measures, small but significant gender and contextual differences in coping were identified. Mood and symptom levels were related to coping responses and to quantitative and qualitative measures of social resources. Measures of coping and social resources attenuated the relationship between undesirable life events and personal functioning.

Physical activity (PA) patterns are likely to change in young adulthood in line with changes in lifestyle that occur in the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether key life events... more

Physical activity (PA) patterns are likely to change in young adulthood in line with changes in lifestyle that occur in the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether key life events experienced by young women in their early twenties are associated with increasing levels of inactivity.This was a 4-year follow-up of 7281 participants (aged 18 to 23 years at baseline) in the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health, with self-reported measures of PA, life events, body mass index (BMI), and sociodemographic variables.The cross-sectional data indicated no change in PA between baseline (57% “active”) and follow-up (56% “active”). However, for almost 40% of the sample, PA category changed between baseline and follow-up, with approximately 20% of the women changing from being “active” to “inactive,” and another 20% changing from being “inactive” to “active.” After adjustment for age, other sociodemographic variables, BMI, and PA at baseline, women who reported getting married, having a first or subsequent child, or beginning paid work were more likely to be inactive at follow-up than those who did not report these events.The results suggest that life events such as getting married, having children, and starting work are associated with decreased levels of PA in young adult women. Strategies are needed to promote maintenance of activity at the time when most women experience these key life-stage transitions.

The significant life events of 10 Canadian adolescents are compared to the ordeals of the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel. This comparison serves to uncover some of the current dominant discourse of our Western culture, including... more

The significant life events of 10 Canadian adolescents are compared to the ordeals of the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel. This comparison serves to uncover some of the current dominant discourse of our Western culture, including strongly preserved traditional discourses, within which these adolescents are embedded. The voices of the adolescents reveal their precarious, contradictory and in-process identities as

n Abstract Life history theory offers evolutionary explanations for the timing of life events, with a particular focus on age-schedules of fertility and mortality and growth. Traditional models examine trade-offs between current and... more

n Abstract Life history theory offers evolutionary explanations for the timing of life events, with a particular focus on age-schedules of fertility and mortality and growth. Traditional models examine trade-offs between current and future reproduction and quality versus quantity of offspring. These models can be used to understand questions concerning time of gestation, age of weaning, juvenile mortality profiles, age at maturation, adult body size, fertility rates, senescence, menopause, and the length of the life span. The trajectory of energy acquisition and its allocations is also an important part of life history theory. Modifications of these models have been developed to examine the period of learning, postweaning parental investment, and patterns of development. In this article, we combine energetic and demographic approaches in order to examine the human life course from an optimality perspective. The evolved life history solves related problems across two generations. The first set of decisions concerns how to maximize own lifetime net energy production that can be used for reproduction. The second set of decisions concerns how to maximize total offspring energy production (summed over all offspring).