How is the distribution of psychological distress changing over time? Who is driving these changes? Analysis of the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts

Abstract Aims The main objective of this study was to investigate distributional shifts underlying observed age and cohort differences in mean levels of psychological distress in the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts. Methods This study used data from the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts (n = 24,707). Psychological distress was measured by the Malaise Inventory at ages 23, 33, 42 and 50 in the 1958 cohort and 26, 34, 42 and 46–48 in the 1970 cohort. Results The shifts in the distribution across age appear to be mainly due to changing proportion of those with moderate symptoms, except for midlife (age 42–50) when we observed polarisation in distress— an increase in proportions of people with no symptoms and multiple symptoms. The elevated levels of distress in the 1970 cohort, compared with the 1958 cohort, appeared to be due to an increase in the proportion of individuals with both moderate and high symptoms. For instance, at age 33/34 42.3% endorsed at least two symptoms in the 1970 cohort vs 24.7% in 1958, resulting in a shift in the entire distribution of distress towards the more severe end of the spectrum. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the importance of studying not only mean levels of distress over time, but also the underlying shifts in its distribution. Due to the large dispersion of distress scores at any given measurement occasion, understanding the underlying distribution provides a more complete picture of population trends.

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How is the distribution of psychological distress changing over time? Who is driving these changes? Analysis of the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts.

10.1101/2021.05.31.21257562 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dawid Gondek ◽

Praveetha Patalay ◽

David G Blanchflower ◽

Rebecca Lacey

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Birth Cohort ◽

Population Level ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Underlying Distribution ◽

Measurement Occasion ◽

Cohort Differences ◽

Demographic Subgroups ◽

Distributional Shifts ◽

Over Time

Aims Despite the large variance in distress, most research investigating lifecourse development and cross-cohort trends have focused on its mean levels at the population level. The main objective of this study is to investigate distributional shifts underlying observed age and cohort differences in mean levels of psychological distress in the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts. Further, we examine whether observed distributional shifts are driven by specific socio-demographic subgroups, according to gender, parental social class at birth, and highest achieved qualification by age 30/33. Finally, we compare cohort and age differences in the distribution of individual symptoms of psychological distress. Methods This study used data from the 1958 National Child Development Study and 1970 British birth cohort. Our analytical sample (n=24,707) included those who had at least one measure of distress, were still alive and were not permanent emigrants from Britain by age 50 in the 1958 birth cohort (n=13,250) and by age 46-48 in the 1970 birth cohort (n=11,457). Psychological distress was measured by the Malaise Inventory at ages 23, 33, 42 and 50 in the 1958 cohort and 26, 34, 42 and 46-48 in the 1970 cohort. Results The shifts in the distribution across age appear to be mainly due to changing proportion of those with moderate symptoms, except for midlife (age 42-50) when we observed polarisation in distress, with increased proportions of people with no or multiple symptoms. The elevated levels of distress in the 1970 cohort, compared with the 1958 cohort, appeared to be due to an increase in the proportion of individuals with both moderate and high symptoms. For instance, at age 33/34 34.2% experienced no symptoms in 1970 compared with 54.0% in the 1958 cohort, whereas 42.3% endorsed at least two symptoms in the 1970 cohort vs 24.7% in 1958. These observed shifts were driven to some extent by a larger proportion of men and individuals with high qualification in the moderate and high distress groups in the more recent cohort. Fatigue, nervousness, and tension were particularly prevalent in this life phase and all examined symptoms were more prevalent in the younger cohort. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the importance of studying not only mean levels of distress over time, but also the underlying shifts in its distribution. Due to the large dispersion of distress scores at any given measurement occasion, understanding the underlying distribution provides a more complete picture of population trends.

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Patterns of opioid use (codeine, morphine or meperidine) in the Canadian population over time: analysis of the Longitudinal National Population Health Survey 1994–2011

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029613 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. e029613

Author(s):

Mayilee Canizares ◽

J Denise Power ◽

Y Raja Rampersaud ◽

Elizabeth M Badley

Keyword(s):

World War Ii ◽

Generation X ◽

Baby Boom ◽

National Population Health Survey ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

World War ◽

Cohort Differences ◽

Period Effects ◽

Over Time

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate cohort effects in selected opioids use and determine whether cohort differences were associated with changes in risk factors for use over time.DesignThis study presents secondary analyses of a longitudinal survey panel of the general population that collected data biannually.SettingData from the Canadian Longitudinal National Population Health Survey 1994–2011.PopulationThis study included 12 542 participants from the following birth cohorts: post-World War I (born 1915–1924), pre-World War II (born 1925–1934), World War II (born 1935–1944), Older Baby Boom (born 1945–1954), Younger Baby Boom (born 1955–1964), Older Generation X (born 1965–1974) and Younger Generation X (born 1975–1984).Main outcomeResponses to a single question asking about the use of codeine, morphine or meperidine in the past month (yes/no) were examined.ResultsOver and above age and period effects, there were significant cohort differences in selected opioids use: each succeeding recent cohort had greater use than their predecessors (eg, Gen Xers had greater use than younger baby boomers). Selected opioids use increased significantly from 1994 to 2002, plateauing between 2002 and 2006 and then declining until 2011. After accounting for cohort and period effects, there was a decline in use of these opioids with increasing age. Although pain was significantly associated with greater selected opioids use (OR=3.63, 95% CI 3.39 to 3.94), pain did not explain cohort differences. Cohort and period effects were no longer significant after adjusting for the number of chronic conditions. Cohort differences in selected opioids use mirrored cohort differences in multimorbidity. Use of these opioids was significantly associated with taking antidepressants or tranquillisers (OR=2.52, 95% CI 2.27 to 2.81 and OR=1.60, 95% CI 1.46 to 1.75, respectively).ConclusionsThe findings underscore the need to consider multimorbidity including possible psychological disorders and associated medications when prescribing opioids (codeine, morphine, meperidine), particularly for recent birth cohorts. Continued efforts to monitor prescription patterns and develop specific opioid use guidelines for multimorbidity appear warranted.

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Increases in Risky Drinking During the COVID-19 Pandemic Assessed via Longitudinal Cohort Design: Associations With Racial Tensions, Financial Distress, Psychological Distress and Virus-Related Fears

Alcohol and Alcoholism ◽

10.1093/alcalc/agab019 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

William V Lechner ◽

Natasha K Sidhu ◽

Jackson T Jin ◽

Ahmad A Kittaneh ◽

Kimberly R Laurene ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

High Risk ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Financial Distress ◽

Daily Life ◽

Drinking Patterns ◽

Risky Drinking ◽

Factors Associated ◽

High Risk Drinking ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has created disruptions to daily life resulting in wide-spread unemployment and psychological distress. Recent studies have reported high rates of alcohol use during this time; however, longitudinal data remain scarce and factors associated with increases in high-risk drinking observed over time are unknown. Aims The current study examined changes in high-risk drinking patterns across four 7-day observation periods, prior to and following a university wide campus closure. Additionally, factors associated with changes in alcohol use patterns were examined including financial distress, psychological distress, impact of racial tensions and virus-related fears. Method Students (N = 1001) in the Midwestern USA completed repeated assessments between March and June 2020. Each survey included a timeline follow-back measure of alcohol use. Pandemic-related distress spanning several factors was assessed at the final follow-up. Results Risky drinking patterns increased significantly over time. Overall, psychological distress and impact of racial tensions were associated with higher rates of risky drinking, whereas COVID-19-related fears were associated with lower rates. However, only financial-related distress was associated with an increase in risky drinking patterns over time. Conclusions Increased risky drinking patterns observed in the current study may signal problems that are likely to persist even after the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily life ends. Individuals experiencing financial distress may represent a particularly high-risk group. Interventions targeting the cross-section of job loss, financial stress and problematic alcohol use will be important to identify.

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Visualizing Belief in Meritocracy, 1930–2010

Socius Sociological Research for a Dynamic World ◽

10.1177/2378023118811805 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 237802311881180 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonathan J. B. Mijs

Keyword(s):

Survey Data ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Western World ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Popular Belief ◽

Time Period ◽

Level Data ◽

Two Measures ◽

Time Periods ◽

Over Time

In this figure I describe the long trend in popular belief in meritocracy across the Western world between 1930 and 2010. Studying trends in attitudes is limited by the paucity of survey data that can be compared across countries and over time. Here, I show how to complement survey waves with cohort-level data. Repeated surveys draw on a representative sample of the population to describe the typical beliefs held by citizens in a given country and period. Leveraging the fact that citizens surveyed in a given year were born in different time-periods allows for a comparison of beliefs across birth cohorts. The latter overlaps with the former, but considerably extends the time period covered by the data. Taken together, the two measures give a “triangulated” longitudinal record of popular belief in meritocracy. I find that in most countries, popular belief in meritocracy is (much) stronger for more recent periods and cohorts.

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Profiles and predictors of the course of psychological distress across four years after heart transplantation

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291705004563 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 35 (8) ◽

pp. 1215-1227 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

MARY AMANDA DEW ◽

LARISSA MYASKOVSKY ◽

GALEN E. SWITZER ◽

ANDREA F. DiMARTINI ◽

HERBERT C. SCHULBERG ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Heart Transplantation ◽

Social Supports ◽

Psychological Needs ◽

Physical Impairment ◽

Transplant Recipients ◽

Post Transplant ◽

High Distress ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Over Time

Background. Like individuals exposed to other life stressors, patients undergoing organ transplantation typically show elevated psychological distress initially post-transplant, with improvement thereafter. However, this ‘average’ pattern may conceal subgroups with differing profiles of psychological response. We sought to identify unique temporal distress profiles, and their predictors, after heart transplantation.Method. A total of 156 transplant recipients (refusal rate, 6%) were enrolled and assessed at 2, 7, 12, 36, and 42 months post-transplant. Cluster analysis was used to identify distinct distress profiles over time. Multivariate analyses examined health and psychosocial predictors of the profiles.Results. Five groups were identified, with either: (a) low distress at all time-points (45% of the sample), (b) high, clinically significant distress at all times (21%), (c) high distress over several years with low distress only at final assessment (12%), (d) high distress during the first several months with decline thereafter (6%), or (e) fluctuating distress levels (16%). Patients showing any distress (versus none) were more likely to have a pre-transplant psychiatric history, poorer social supports and more physical impairment early post-transplant, and continued physical impairment over time. Among distressed patients, those with persistent (versus declining) distress were most likely to be female, waited more briefly for transplant, and were most physically impaired early post-transplant. While persistently distressed patients had better social supports early post-transplant, these supports subsequently worsened.Conclusions. Individuals differ in whether and when psychological distress abates after heart transplantation. Findings regarding distress profiles and their predictors may inform the design of interventions to address each transplant recipient's unique psychological needs.

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Influence of maternal excess weight before pregnancy on breastfeeding and weaning: pooled analyses of four population-based cohorts born between 1982-2015

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114521003019 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Thaynã Ramos Flores ◽

Gregore I Mielke ◽

Alicia Matijasevich ◽

Iná S Santos ◽

Mariângela Freitas da Silveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽

Post Partum ◽

Population Based ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Excess Weight ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Pregnancy Weight ◽

Recent Cohort ◽

Weight Excess ◽

Over Time

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the associations of maternal excess weight before pregnancy with (1) weaning at age 3mo, (2) duration of exclusive breastfeeding at age 6mo, (3) duration of any breastfeeding at age 12mo; and (4) to compare the magnitude of these associations over four decades. Methods: Data were from participants in the Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohorts born in 1982 (N=5,334), 1993 (N=1,442), 2004 (N=4,092) and 2015 (N=4,102). Maternal pre-pregnancy weight was collected after the delivery and breastfeeding status was assessed when children were three and 12 months old. Results: Only in the most recent cohort (2015), women with excess weight [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2) before pregnancy had higher risk of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding within the first six months post-partum than women with normal weight [HR= 1.22 (95%CI 1.15; 1.30)]. Duration of any type of breastfeeding until 12 months of age was not affected by pre-pregnancy weight. Conclusion: Excess weight before pregnancy is associated with exclusive breastfeeding only in the most recent birth cohort coinciding with increases in weight excess and breastfeeding over time.

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Caregiving in quarantine: Humor styles, reframing, and psychological well-being among parents of children with disabilities

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/02654075211043515 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026540752110435

Author(s):

Heidi L. Fritz

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Social Interactions ◽

Children With Disabilities ◽

Well Being ◽

Family Satisfaction ◽

The United States ◽

Future Research ◽

Humor Styles ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Over Time

Prior research links adaptive humor styles (affiliative and self-enhancing) with enhanced psychological well-being and maladaptive humor styles (aggressive and self-defeating) with worse psychological well-being, primarily through humor styles’ influence on individuals’ social interactions and efforts to positively reframe stressors. The present study examined the unique relation of each humor style with psychological well-being with a focus on understanding mechanisms of adjustment under highly stressful conditions. Ninety-nine parents of children with disabilities were surveyed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in March 2020, and 79 parents completed follow-up surveys in July 2020. As predicted, at T1, self-enhancing humor was associated with less psychological distress and greater family satisfaction, self-defeating humor was associated with greater distress, and aggressive humor was associated with lower family satisfaction. Moreover, affiliative humor predicted decreased psychological distress over time, whereas self-defeating humor predicted increased psychological distress and decreased family satisfaction over time. Relations were largely mediated by caregiver positive reappraisal, family efforts to reframe daily disability-related challenges, and negative social interactions. Future research should further examine the influence of caregiver humor styles on family dynamics, family reframing norms, and caregiving efficacy.

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Type and timing of first union formation in Québec and the rest of Canada: Continuity and change across the 1930–79 birth cohorts

Canadian Studies in Population ◽

10.25336/p66590 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 43 (3-4) ◽

pp. 234 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura Wright

Keyword(s):

Regional Differences ◽

Union Formation ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Continuity And Change ◽

Age At Marriage ◽

First Union ◽

Over Time

Trends in age at marriage have been well documented, but less is known about age at first union among recent cohorts of Canadians. Using the 2011 GSS, I document changes in the type and timing of first union formation among Canadians born over five decades, and examine how regional differences in partnering behaviours have changed over time. The trend away from entering marriage directly has continued among Canadians born in the 1970s, but Québec-Canada differences have narrowed. The trend towards later marriage has continued, but age at first union has not changed across the five cohorts under study.Les tendances en ce qui a trait à l’âge au mariage ont été bien documentées, mais moins est connu quant à l’âge à la première union chez les dernières cohortes de Canadiens. À partir de données provenant de l’ESG de 2011, je documente les changements au niveau du type et du moment de la formation de premières unions auprès de Canadiens nés au cours de cinq décennies et j’examine en quelle mesure les différences régionales quant aux comportements liés au partenariat ont changé au fil du temps. La tendance à délaisser l’entrée directe au mariage a continué chez les Canadiens nés dans les années 1970, mais l’écart Québec-Canada a diminué. La tendance vers le mariage plus tardif a continué, mais l’âge à la première union n’a pas changé à travers les cinq cohortes à l’étude.

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From Aristocratic to Ordinary: Shifting Modes of Elite Distinction

American Sociological Review ◽

10.1177/0003122420912941 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 85 (2) ◽

pp. 323-350 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sam Friedman ◽

Aaron Reeves

Keyword(s):

Nineteenth Century ◽

Twentieth Century ◽

Fine Arts ◽

Cultural Practice ◽

Late Nineteenth Century ◽

Cultural Participation ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Elite Culture ◽

Late Nineteenth ◽

Over Time

How do elites signal their superior social position via the consumption of culture? We address this question by drawing on 120 years of “recreations” data ( N = 71,393) contained within Who’s Who, a unique catalogue of the British elite. Our results reveal three historical phases of elite cultural distinction: first, a mode of aristocratic practice forged around the leisure possibilities afforded by landed estates, which waned significantly in the late-nineteenth century; second, a highbrow mode dominated by the fine arts, which increased sharply in the early-twentieth century before gently receding in the most recent birth cohorts; and, third, a contemporary mode characterized by the blending of highbrow pursuits with everyday forms of cultural participation, such as spending time with family, friends, and pets. These shifts reveal changes not only in the contents of elite culture but also in the nature of elite distinction, in particular, (1) how the applicability of emulation and (mis)recognition theories has changed over time, and (2) the emergence of a contemporary mode that publicly emphasizes everyday cultural practice (to accentuate ordinariness, authenticity, and cultural connection) while retaining many tastes that continue to be (mis)recognized as legitimate.

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Individual quality of life in spousal ALS patient-caregiver dyads

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes ◽

10.1186/s12955-020-01551-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Miriam Galvin ◽

Tommy Gavin ◽

Iain Mays ◽

Mark Heverin ◽

Orla Hardiman

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Health Care ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Caregiver Burden ◽

Life Quality ◽

Individual Quality ◽

Care Providers ◽

Individual Quality Of Life ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background Quality of life is a basic goal of health and social care. The majority of people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are cared for at home by family caregivers. It is important to recognize the factors that contribute to quality of life for individuals to better understand the lived experiences in a condition for which there is currently no curative treatment. Aim To explore individual quality of life of people with ALS and their informal caregivers over time. Methods Over three semi-structured home interviews, 28 patient-caregiver dyads provided information on a range of demographic and clinical features, psychological distress, caregiver burden, and individual quality of life. Quality of life data were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods with integration at the analysis and interpretation phases. Results Individual Quality of Life was high for patients and caregivers across the interviews series, and higher among patients than their care partners at each time point. Family, hobbies and social activities were the main self-defined contributors to quality of life. The importance of health declined relative to other areas over time. Friends and finances became less important for patients, but were assigned greater importance by caregivers across the illness trajectory. Psychological distress was higher among caregivers. Caregiver burden consistently increased. Conclusion The findings from this study point to the importance of exploring and monitoring quality of life at an individual level. Self-defined contributory factors are relevant to the individual within his/her context. As an integrated outcome measure individual quality of life should be assessed and monitored as part of routine clinical care during the clinical encounter. This can facilitate conversations between health care providers, patients and families, and inform interventions and contribute to decision support mechanisms. The ascertainment of self-defined life quality, especially in progressive neurodegenerative conditions, mean health care professionals are in a better position to provide person-centred care.

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