Multiple dimensions of stress vs. genetic effects on depression

AbstractMany psychiatric disorders including depression involve complex interactions of genetics and environmental stressors. Environmental influence is challenging to measure objectively and account for in genetic studies because the necessary large population samples in these studies involve individuals with varying cultures and life experiences, clouding genetic findings. In a unique population with relative sociocultural homogeneity and a narrower range of types of stress experiences, we quantitatively assessed multiple stress dimensions and measured their potential influence in biasing the heritability estimate of depression. We quantified depressive symptoms, major lifetime stressors, current perceived stress, and a culturally specific community stress measure in individuals with depression-related diagnoses and community controls in Old Order Amish and Mennonite populations. Results showed that lifetime stressors measured by lifetime stressor inventory (R2 = 0.06, p = 2 × 10−5) and current stress measured by Perceived Stress Scale (R2 = 0.13, p < 1 × 10−6) were both associated with current depressive symptoms quantified by Beck Depression Inventory in community controls, but current stress was the only measure associated with current depressive symptoms in individuals with a depression diagnosis, and to a greater degree (R2 = 0.41, p < 1 × 10−6). A novel, culturally specific community stress measure demonstrated internal reliability and was associated with current stress but was not significantly related to depression. Heritability (h2) for depression diagnosis (0.46 ± 0.14) and quantitative depression severity as measured by Beck Depression Inventory (0.45 ± 0.12) were significant, but h2 for depression diagnosis decreased to 0.25 ± 0.14 once stressors were accounted for in the model. This quantifies and demonstrates the importance of accounting for environmental influence in reducing phenotypic heterogeneity of depression and improving the power and replicability of genetic association findings that can be better translated to patient groups.

Download Full-text

Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms among Pregnant Black Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Western Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/01939459211043937 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 019394592110439

Author(s):

Carmen Giurgescu ◽

Ana Carolina Wong ◽

Brooke Rengers ◽

Sarah Vaughan ◽

Alexandra L. Nowak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Black Women ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Support Groups ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Depression Diagnosis

We explored the associations among perceived stress, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic; and differences in perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and social support prior to the pandemic and during the pandemic among pregnant Black women. A sample of 33 pregnant Black women who participated in the Biosocial Impact on Black Births (BIBB) and were still pregnant in May–June 2020 were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences during the pandemic. Fifteen women responded very much or somewhat to experiencing stress and anxiety because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight women had CES-D scores ≥23, which have been correlated with depression diagnosis. Women who reported higher levels of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic also reported higher levels of perceived stress and depressive symptoms and lower levels of social support during the pandemic. Women who reported lower levels of social support during the pandemic also reported higher levels of perceived stress and depressive symptoms during the pandemic. There were no changes in perceived stress, depressive symptoms, or social support prior to the pandemic and during the pandemic. Clinicians should assess for signs of loneliness and depressive symptoms for pregnant women and offer recommendations for therapy and support groups.

Download Full-text

Adverse and Benevolent Childhood Experiences Predict Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

10.31234/osf.io/vr5jd ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jenalee Doom ◽

Kathryn Fox

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Current Stress ◽

Adult Mental Health

Background. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poorer adult mental health, and benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) are associated with better adult mental health. Objective. To test whether ACEs and BCEs predict adult mental health beyond current stress and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants and Setting. We analyzed data from undergraduate and graduate students (N = 502) at an urban private university in the western United States. Methods. An online survey was conducted to assess ACEs and BCEs, current stress and social support, depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and loneliness in May 2020. Results. Higher levels of ACEs were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, β = 0.45, p = .002. Higher levels of BCEs were associated with lower depressive symptoms, β = -0.39, p = .03, lower perceived stress, β = -0.26, p = .002, and less loneliness, β = -0.12, p = .04. These associations held while controlling for current stress, social support, and socioeconomic status. Conclusions. Childhood experiences are associated with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. BCEs should be considered an important promotive factor, independent of ACEs, for psychological well-being during a global public health crisis. BCEs should be included along with ACEs in future research and screening with distressed and vulnerable populations.

Download Full-text

Supplemental Material for Improvements in Emotion Regulation Following Mindfulness Meditation: Effects on Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Stress in Younger Breast Cancer Survivors

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology ◽

10.1037/ccp0000186.supp ◽

2017 ◽

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Mindfulness Meditation

Download Full-text

Co-Rumination and Perceived Stress As Predictors of Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e586372013-001 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Tracy Ludlow

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

Download Full-text

Perceived stress and suicidal behaviors in college students: Conditional indirect effects of depressive symptoms and mental health stigma.

Stigma and Health ◽

10.1037/sah0000125 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 98-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jameson K. Hirsch ◽

Jessica Kelliher Rabon ◽

Esther E. Reynolds ◽

Alison L. Barton ◽

Edward C. Chang

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Indirect Effects ◽

Mental Health Stigma ◽

Suicidal Behaviors ◽

Conditional Indirect Effects

Download Full-text

The impact of preschool child and maternal attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms on mothers’ perceived chronic stress and hair cortisol

Journal of Neural Transmission ◽

10.1007/s00702-021-02377-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Szép ◽

Nadine Skoluda ◽

Susan Schloß ◽

Katja Becker ◽

Ursula Pauli-Pott ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Chronic Stress ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Depressive Symptomatology ◽

Adhd Symptoms ◽

Hair Cortisol ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Child Adhd ◽

Maternal Adhd

AbstractProviding care for a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with parenting stress. Moreover, adults with elevated ADHD symptoms report increased perceived stress. Despite this, it has rarely been examined whether and how child and maternal ADHD symptoms may affect maternal perceived stress and the stress-sensitive hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. This study therefore investigated the possible impact of child and maternal ADHD symptoms on mothers' perceived chronic stress and hair cortisol concentration (HCC), while simultaneously considering the effects of child oppositional defiant/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) and maternal depressive symptomatology. In total, 124 mothers (35.96 ± 5.21 years) of preschool children were included. Maternal perceived stress, ADHD and depressive symptoms were assessed using self-report measures. Child ADHD symptoms were assessed using an interview and questionnaires completed by mothers and teachers. Additionally, mothers provided information about their children’s ODD/CD symptoms. Hair samples were taken from mothers to assess HCC. Child and maternal ADHD, child ODD/CD, and maternal depressive symptoms accounted for 50% of the variance in perceived chronic stress (F(4, 119) = 30.24; p < 0.01), with only maternal ADHD (β = 0.52, p < 0.01) and depressive symptoms (β = 0.49, p < 0.01) being uniquely significant. Maternal ADHD symptoms did not moderate the relationship between child ADHD symptoms and maternal perceived chronic stress (b = − 0.01; SE b = 0.17; t(5, 118) = − 0.05; p = 0.96). Mother’s age became the only significant predictor of maternal HCC (β = 0.29; p < 0.01). Based on these findings, practitioners are advised to be aware of and take into account possible maternal ADHD and depressive symptomatology and perceived chronic stress when treating children diagnosed with ADHD.

Download Full-text

Stress in obstructive sleep apnea

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-91996-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jasmine L. Wong ◽

Fernando Martinez ◽

Andrea P. Aguila ◽

Amrita Pal ◽

Ravi S. Aysola ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Obstructive Sleep Apnea ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Sleep Apnea ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Psychological Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

General Anxiety Disorder ◽

Obstructive Sleep

AbstractPeople with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often have psychological symptoms including depression and anxiety, which are commonly treated with anti-depression or anti-anxiety interventions. Psychological stress is a related symptom with different intervention targets that may also improve mental state, but this symptom is not well characterized in OSA. We therefore aimed to describe stress in relation to other psychological symptoms. We performed a prospective cross-sectional study of 103 people, 44 untreated OSA (mean ± s.d. age: 51.2 ± 13.9 years, female/male 13/31) and 57 healthy control participants (age: 46.3 ± 13.8 years, female/male 34/23). We measured stress (Perceived Stress Scale; PSS), excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale; ESS), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9), and anxiety symptoms (General Anxiety Disorder; GAD-7). We compared group means with independent samples t-tests and calculated correlations between variables. Mean symptom levels were higher in OSA than control, including PSS (mean ± s.d.: OSA = 15.3 ± 6.9, control = 11.4 ± 5.5; P = 0.002), GAD-7 (OSA = 4.8 ± 5.0, control = 2.1 ± 3.9; P = 0.02), PHQ-9 (OSA = 6.9 ± 6.1, control = 2.6 ± 3.8; P = 0.003) and ESS (OSA = 8.1 ± 5.3, control = 5.0 ± 3.3; P = 0.03). Similar OSA-vs-control differences appeared in males, but females only showed significant differences in PHQ-9 and ESS, not PSS or GAD-7. PSS correlated strongly with GAD-7 and PHQ-9 across groups (R = 0.62–0.89), and moderately with ESS. Perceived stress is high in OSA, and closely related to anxiety and depressive symptoms. The findings support testing stress reduction in OSA.

Download Full-text

Perceived stress and depressive symptoms not neuropsychiatric symptoms predict caregiver burden in Alzheimer’s disease: a cross-sectional study

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-021-02136-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Manee Pinyopornpanish ◽

Kanokporn Pinyopornpanish ◽

Atiwat Soontornpun ◽

Surat Tanprawate ◽

Angkana Nadsasarn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Caregiver Burden ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background Caregiver burden affects the caregiver’s health and is related to the quality of care received by patients. This study aimed to determine the extent to which caregivers feel burdened when caring for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and to investigate the predictors for caregiving burden. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. One hundred two caregivers of patients with AD at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, a tertiary care hospital, were recruited. Assessment tools included the perceived stress scale (stress), PHQ-9 (depressive symptoms), Zarit Burden Interview-12 (burden), Clinical Dementia Rating (disease severity), Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaires (neuropsychiatric symptoms), and Barthel Activities Daily Living Index (dependency). The mediation analysis model was used to determine any associations. Results A higher level of severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms (r = 0.37, p < 0.01), higher level of perceived stress (r = 0.57, p < 0.01), and higher level of depressive symptoms (r = 0.54, p < 0.01) were related to a higher level of caregiver burden. The direct effect of neuropsychiatric symptoms on caregiver burden was fully mediated by perceived stress and depressive symptoms (r = 0.13, p = 0.177), rendering an increase of 46% of variance in caregiver burden by this parallel mediation model. The significant indirect effect of neuropsychiatric symptoms by these two mediators was (r = 0.21, p = 0.001). Conclusion Caregiver burden is associated with patients’ neuropsychiatric symptoms indirectly through the caregiver’s depressive symptoms and perception of stress. Early detection and provision of appropriate interventions and skills to manage stress and depression could be useful in reducing and preventing caregiver burden.

Download Full-text

Maternal stress and depressive symptoms and adolescents’ body mass index: a prospective study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10721-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Maaike Koning ◽

Jacqueline Vink ◽

Tommy L. S. Visscher ◽

Junilla Larsen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Prospective Study ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Maternal Stress ◽

Maternal Mental Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Domain Specific ◽

General Stress ◽

Adolescent Offspring

Abstract Background Growing evidence suggests that maternal mental health issues are associated with (young) children’s weight outcomes. However, most studies have been limited by cross-sectional designs and have been aimed at (younger) children. The current prospective study focuses on the link between maternal mental health (i.e., psychological stress and depressive symptoms) and adolescents’ zBMI development. Methods The participants in the present study were part of wave 1 and 2 of a longitudinal study on Dutch adolescents’ and their parents’ health behavior. Adolescents (aged 10–14) and their parents were recruited through six secondary schools in the South and the East of the Netherlands. For this study, we only included biological mothers and their adolescent children who participated in both waves, with data on the main measures in both waves, leaving a final sample of 336 biological mother-child dyads. Adolescents height and weight were measured, and both parents and adolescents filled in validated questionnaires on perceived stress and depressive symptoms and answered additional questions concerning domain-specific stress. Regression analyses were performed in R to examine longitudinal links between maternal stress and depressive symptoms at baseline (T1) and adolescents’ BMI standard deviation scores (zBMI) 6 months later (T2), corrected for baseline zBMI and covariates. Results Maternal general perceived stress (β = .20, p = .002) at T1 preceded higher adolescents’ zBMI at T2, after controlling for baseline zBMI and other covariates, whereas maternal depressive symptoms at T1 (β = −.05, p = .44) and other domain-specific stress did not (maternal financial stress, maternal stress at work, maternal stress at home). Additionally, lower educational level among adolescents (β = .16, p = .001) and adolescent depressive symptoms (β = .16, p = .001) was associated with a higher zBMI at T2. Conclusions Results suggest that maternal general stress, but not depressive symptoms, may influence adolescents’ weight development. Our findings warrant future investigation on whether and how general stress among mothers may predict weight increases of their adolescent offspring.

Download Full-text