Social support, neuropsychological performance, and depression in HIV infection

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
VANESSA J. HONN ◽  
ROBERT A. BORNSTEIN

The present study was designed to examine the impact of neuropsychological performance on the relationships between stress, social support, and depression in 217 HIV-infected men. Using path analysis, the contributions of four domains of cognitive functioning (memory, attention, executive function, and psychomotor speed), IQ, and relevant psychosocial variables to depression were evaluated. In the model which best fit the data, cognitive domains did not contribute directly to depression, but contributed significantly to psychosocial variables which affected levels of depression. Attention and executive function contributed to reduced illness-related disability; while higher IQ was associated with fewer stressful life events. Number of stressful life events and level of illness-related disability were associated with depressive symptoms. Higher IQ led to greater numbers of social contacts, which was associated with fewer reported symptoms of depression. These findings suggest that better neuropsychological performance may lead to reduced stress and perceived disability, and more available social contacts. By these multiple paths, different domains of cognitive ability contribute indirectly to ameliorating depression in HIV-infected men. (JINS, 2002, 8, 436–447.)

1992 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M. Jennison

This article is an analysis of stressful life events, the buffering hypothesis, and alcohol use in a national sample of 1,418 respondents 60 years of age and over. The results indicate that older adults who experience stressful losses are significantly more likely to drink excessively than those who have not experienced such losses or who have experienced them to a lesser extent. Increased drinking among older adults may therefore be a reaction to life circumstances in which alcohol represents an attempt to cope with traumatic loss, personal as well as within the kinship network. Supportive resources of spouse, family, friends, and church appear to have a stress-buffering effects that reduces the excessive-drinking response to life crisis. Data suggest, however, that older persons are vulnerable to the magnitude of losses experienced as they grow older and lose more of their family, friends, and peers. These stressors appear to seriously impact their drinking behavior and are not effectively buffered. Respondents report that drinking may increase during periods of prolonged exposure to emotionally depleting life change and loss, when supportive needs may exceed the capacities of personal and social support resources.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Johnson ◽  
Shelly Volsche

Abstract This research explores the impact of government-imposed social isolation orders on homes with companion animals. Data were collected April through May 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of 234 Americans observing social isolation orders included demographic questions; questions about relationships to other persons and companion animals within the home; and Likert-scale questions designed to probe the complexities of these relationships and their influences on perceived stress and isolation. We hypothesized that the presence of companion animals helps to mitigate stressors related to observing social isolation orders, with those living alone experiencing more benefit and homes with children experiencing less. The results suggest that the presence of companion animals alleviates stress and isolation by providing attachment figures and activities on which to focus one’s energy. These results support that companion animals are increasingly viewed as members of one’s family and provide social support during stressful life events.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. S106-S108
Author(s):  
Beverly Yu ◽  
Maria J. Marquine ◽  
Raeanne C. Moore ◽  
Averria S. Martin ◽  
David Yassai-Gonzalez ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 437-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Broeren ◽  
Carol Newall ◽  
Helen F. Dodd ◽  
Ruth Locker ◽  
Jennifer L. Hudson

AbstractThe current study investigated the longitudinal relationships among behavioral inhibition (BI), life events, and anxiety in a sample of 102 BI children and 100 behaviorally uninhibited (BUI) children aged 3 to 4 years. Children's parents completed questionnaires on BI, stressful life events, and anxiety symptoms, and were administered a diagnostic interview three times in a 5-year period. In line with our hypotheses, negative life events, particularly negative behavior-dependent life events (i.e., life events that are related to the children's own behaviors), and the impact of negative life events were predictive of increases in subsequent anxiety symptoms, the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder, and increased number of anxiety diagnoses over the 5-year follow-up period. Experiencing more positive, behavior-independent life events decreased the risk of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Furthermore, differences were found in life events between BI and BUI children. That is, BI children experienced fewer positive and specifically positive behavior-dependent life events, and the impact of these positive life events was also lower in BI children than in BUI children. However, BI did not interact with life events in the prediction of anxiety problems as hypothesized. Therefore, this study seems to indicate that BI and life events act as additive risk factors in the development of anxiety problems.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e87653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. Tamers ◽  
Cassandra Okechukwu ◽  
Alex A. Bohl ◽  
Alice Guéguen ◽  
Marcel Goldberg ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Amelia Díaz ◽  
Eugenia Infanzón ◽  
Ángela Beleña

In this work we study the impact of relinquishment and the adoption process in posttraumatic symptoms and stressful life events in a group of 55 adults that were adopted as children after the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The effects of institutionalization, maltreatment and traumatic revelation of the adopted status have also been studied. No significant differences were found between institutionalized and non-institutionalized adoptees in posttraumatic symptomatology and stressful life events frequency. However, maltreated adoptees scored significantly higher in intrusion, arousal and stressful life events frequency than non-maltreated. Similar differences were found in the comparison between adoptees with and without traumatic revelation; those adoptees who suffered traumatic revelation presented significantly higher intrusion, arousal and stressful life events frequency than those who did not suffer traumatic revelation. Traumatic revelation, alone or in association with maltreatment, seems to play an important role in posttraumatic symptoms in the sample studied.


SAGE Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401882238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minna Lyons ◽  
Kate Evans ◽  
Samuli Helle

Stressful life events have a major impact on adverse mental health outcomes, although not all individuals are equally affected. According to the buffering hypothesis, there may be personality traits that protect individuals against mental distress in the face of adversity, playing thus a moderating role between life stressors and mental distress. In the present online study ( N = 574), Dark Triad of personality (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) were investigated as moderators between cumulative stressful life events and mental distress (i.e., psychosis, anxiety, and depression). Those who experienced more stressful events during lifetime, and scored higher in Machiavellianism, had higher scores on a psychosis instrument. Narcissism buffered the impact of stressful events on psychosis and depression. The results are discussed in terms of unique profiles associated with each of the traits.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Roca ◽  
Sonia Panadero ◽  
Sara Rodríguez-Moreno ◽  
Rosa María Martín ◽  
José Juan Vázquez

Objectives.- To analyse the impact of different variables on repeated episodes of homelessness. Method.- The study was conducted based on data obtained from a representative sample of homeless people in Madrid (Spain) (n = 188). Results.- Suffering from a serious or chronic illness has an effect on the revolving door to homelessness, which is mediated by a highly negative subjective perception of the individual's own health, which is in turn mediated by suffering from a disability. Excessive alcohol consumption has an effect on the revolving door to homelessness, mediated by access to treatment for problems caused by alcohol consumption. Suffering from a serious or chronic illness correlates with having problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Experiencing multiple stressful life events has a direct effect on the revolving door to homelessness. Conclusions.- To prevent the revolving door to homelessness, it is necessary to remove the barriers that hinder access to normal health resources which are experienced by people suffering from social exclusion, while implementing ongoing support programmes for homeless people or those at risk of homelessness, which primarily deal with health issues.


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