Conceptualizing stress to study effects on health: Environmental,perceptual, and emotional components

Abstract

Stress has been operationalized in numerous ways across studies of physical and mental health, raising questions about the appropriate definition of stress and the construct validity of stress measures. The present paper discusses the theoretical and operational strengths of three prominent approaches to stress definition and then attempts to integrate them into a comprehensive and robust multidimensional definition of stress. In a study of socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant women, structural equation modelling techniques were used to test whether a single latent construct underlies environmental, perceptual, and response-based indicators of stress. Results suggested a two-factor, rather than a single-factor, model of stress. Stress perception and emotion were part of a single underlying latent factor, a phenomenological stress construct, whereas environmental conditions in the form of major life events represented a second and distinct component of stress. Failure to find a single latent stress construct is interpreted as evidence for the importance of individual perception or appraisal as a mediator of response to difficult environmental conditions. The findings suggest that multidimensional models of stress are theoretically justified and that enhancement of stress measurement in this manner may enable researchers to better identify health effects of stress.     

Verbally Expressed Wishes of Children and College Women Students

This research examined the relationship between locus of control and two academic-related variables: study habits and attitudes, and college academic performance. Subjects were administered (a) the Brown-Holtzman Survey of Study Habits and Attitudes and (b) the Levenson Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance scales, the latter providing separate measures of two external control dimensions. Results indicated that internal control was related positively to effective study habits and attitudes and to college academic success, while the opposite was true for powerful others and chance control. Additional findings demonstrated significant differences between powerful others and chance control as related to study habits and attitudes and to college grade-point averages.     

Mothers' Psychological Adjustment Following Disaster Affecting Their Children

The authors investigated the psychological adjustment of 37 British women whose adolescent children survived the cruise ship Jupiter's sinking in 1988, about 6 years previously. They compared these women with a group of widows (N = 18) and a group of women who had suffered no major negative life event (N = 15). Psychological adjustment of the 37 women was assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Lifetime Version (SADS-L; R. L. Spitzer & J. Endicott, 1975) and various standard questionnaires. The women whose children had been involved in the disaster were found to have suffered a greater number of incidents of psychological distress in the period since the disaster than the women who had suffered no major negative life events but fewer incidents of psychological distress than the widows. The significance of these findings and clinical implications are discussed.     

Mechanisms of change in adolescent life satisfaction: A longitudinal analysis

This study explored the psychosocial mechanisms of change associated with differences in levels and linear change of adolescents' global life satisfaction across a 2-year time period. Based on a theoretical model proposed by Evans (1994), this study tested the relations between selected personality (i.e., extraversion and neuroticism) and environmental (stressful life events) variables and global life satisfaction when mediated by internalizing and externalizing problems. The results suggested support for internalizing problems as a mediator of the relationship of personality and environmental variables with life satisfaction. Pathways mediated by internalizing problems significantly predicted levels and linear change of life satisfaction across a 2-year time span. Furthermore, pathways mediated by externalizing problems significantly predicted the level but not the linear change of life satisfaction. Thus, behavior problems and their antecedents appear to relate significantly to adolescents' perceptions of their quality of life. Implications for adolescent mental health promotion were discussed.     

Life Events and Prosocial Behaviors Among Young Adults: Considering the Roles of Perspective Taking and Empathic Concern

The authors examined the altruism born of suffering model in a culturally diverse sample of young adults. They hypothesized that major life events would interact with perspective taking to predict empathic concern, which would predict multiple types of prosocial behaviors among young adults. The sample included 202 young adults (M age = 20.94?years; 76.5% girls; 36.5% White, 50.5% Latino) who reported on their exposure to major life events, perspective taking and empathic responding, and tendency to engage in six forms of prosocial behaviors. Life events indirectly, positively predicted prosocial behaviors via empathic concern. Empathic concern and perspective taking also interacted to predict empathic responding. The results demonstrated links that support the altruism born of suffering model, suggesting that life stressors might not always be negative and might promote resilience and social connection among young adults under specific conditions.     

Gains without pains? Growth after positive events

While past research suggests that people experience positive psychological changes after adverse events, little is known about psychological changes that happen after positive events. Adult participants (N?=?605) went online to complete a new self-report instrument measuring positive psychological changes linked to positive events, changes that I provisionally call post-ecstatic growth. Factor analysis indicated that this growth happens in four domains: deeper spirituality, increased meaning and purpose in life, improved relationships, and greater self-esteem. Participants were particularly likely to report growth after events that evoked feelings of inspiration and meaning, and events that led them to see new opportunities.     

生活事件对情感和行为的影响：理论比较与启示

关于生活事件对个体情感反应和行为选择的影响研究, 均试图从不同生活事件和行为决策关系的角度对个体的影响机制进行解释, 但不同理论之间存在争议。行为/经济理论认为人“绝对理性”, 而平均/累加模型、峰-终定律和心理账户认为人“有限理性”。详细比较发现, 各理论在解释的视角、研究方法的选择、生活事件的界定等方面均有不同。未来研究应围绕理论之间的鉴别与整合、生活事件属性与个体属性之间的交互影响以及研究方法的多元化等方面展开。     

大学生压力事件与网络游戏成瘾:逃避动机的中介效应*

以472名男大学生网络游戏玩家为被试,考察了压力事件、网络游戏逃避动机和网络游戏成瘾的关系。结果发现:(1)大学生压力事件、网络游戏逃避动机和成瘾之间存在显著正相关。(2)压力事件除了对网络游戏成瘾有直接影响,还通过网络游戏逃避动机的中介作用对网络游戏成瘾产生间接影响。     

Mental health in retired professional football players: 12-month incidence,adverse life events and support

ObjectivesThe primary aim was to explore the incidence of symptoms of common mental disorders (CMD; distress, sleep disturbance, anxiety/depression, adverse alcohol use) in retired professional football players and to explore the association between adverse life events and the onset of symptoms of CMD. The secondary aim was to get an insight into the views and needs of retired professional football players on medical support related to symptoms of CMD.DesignAn observational prospective cohort study with three measurements over a follow-up period of twelve months was conducted among retired professional football players.MethodThe data for symptoms of CMD and adverse life events was collected by using validated questionnaires. The views and needs were explored by means of five questions.ResultsThe 12-month incidence of symptoms of CMD (self-reported and not clinically diagnosed) ranged from 11 to 29%. Retired professional football players with one or two life events were 1.7 times more likely to report distress than retired football players with no life events. The risk with three or more recent life events on sleep disturbance was more than 4.5 times higher than with no recent life events.ConclusionsThe 12-months incidence of symptoms of CMD in retired professional football players seems high compared to the general population. More life events showed a higher risk of experiencing distress and sleep disturbance in retired professional football players. The views and needs showed that there is a need for support for current and former professional football players.     

品牌负面事件的溢出效应及影响因素述评

文章通过对品牌负面事件溢出效应文献的系统梳理,提出了目前研究主要从品牌组合或品牌联盟内部、竞争品牌或品类、品牌原产国及该国其他品牌三个视角出发展开,并据此详细解读了基于这三种视角的溢出效应的影响因素。文章还进一步对溢出效应的产生机制以及应对策略相关文献加以述评,进而提出未来研究的发展方向。