Person–Work Mismatch, Retirement Context, and the Progression of Depressive Symptoms Over Mid-Later Years: A Dyadic Analysis of Couples in Enduring Marriages

Objectives: This study investigates how person–work mismatch (PWM) and subsequent pre-retirement work circumstances lead to poor mental health in later years for husbands and wives in enduring marriages. Methods: Data from 224 dual-earner couples in enduring marriages who participated over 27 years (1991–2015) in their middle to their later years were used to test the conceptual model. Results: PWM was related to depressive symptoms in middle years, which continued into later years (a cumulative pathway). In addition, PWM contributed to a stressful pre-retirement work context, which, in turn, influenced depressive symptoms in later years (a stress proliferation pathway). Partner effects were also noted between husbands and wives. Discussion: The present study enhances knowledge about how middle-aged couples’ PWM is related to their mental health in later years through their stressful pre-retirement work context with implications for national- and state-level policies.

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Perfectionism in the transition to university: Comparing diathesis-stress and downward spiral models of depressive symptoms

10.31234/osf.io/5fdr8 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Shelby L. Levine ◽

Marina Milyavskaya

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

First Year ◽

First Year Students ◽

Personal Standards ◽

Downward Spiral ◽

Personal Standards Perfectionism ◽

Spiral Model ◽

Diathesis Stress Model

Transitioning to university may be especially difficult for students who expect perfection from themselves. Self-critical perfectionism has consistently been linked to poor mental health. The current study compares a diathesis-stress and a downward spiral model, to determine why self-critical perfectionism is detrimental for mental health during this transition. First-year students (N=658) were recruited prior to beginning university in August and contacted again in October, January, and April. Participants completed measures on perfectionism, stress and depressive symptoms. Evidence was found for a downward spiral model with self-critical perfectionism, but not a diathesis-stress model. Students higher in self-critical perfectionism were more likely to experience increased stress and depressive symptoms in a circular and additive manner. Conversely, students higher in personal standards perfectionism experienced less stress and subsequent depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical model for why self-critical perfectionism is related to poor mental health outcomes which become sustained over time.

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Shame Mediates the Relationship Between Pain Invalidation and Depression

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.743584 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Brandon L. Boring ◽

Kaitlyn T. Walsh ◽

Namrata Nanavaty ◽

Vani A. Mathur

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Social Withdrawal ◽

Well Being ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Future Research ◽

Internalized Shame ◽

Self Worth ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

The experience of pain is subjective, yet many people have their pain invalidated or not believed. Pain invalidation is associated with poor mental health, including depression and lower well-being. Qualitative investigations of invalidating experiences identify themes of depression, but also social withdrawal, self-criticism, and lower self-worth, all of which are core components of shame. Despite this, no studies have quantitatively assessed the interrelationship between pain invalidation, shame, and depression. To explore this relationship, participants recounted the frequency of experienced pain invalidation from family, friends, and medical professionals, as well as their feelings of internalized shame and depressive symptoms. As shame has been shown to be a precursor for depression, we further explored the role of shame as a mediator between pain invalidation and depressive symptoms. All sources of pain invalidation were positively associated with shame and depressive symptoms, and shame fully mediated the relationship between each source of pain invalidation and depression. Relative to other sources, pain invalidation from family was most closely tied to shame and depression. Overall, findings indicate that one mechanism by which pain invalidation may facilitate depression is via the experience of shame. Future research may explore shame as a potential upstream precursor to depression in the context of pain. Findings provide more insight into the harmful influence of pain invalidation on mental health and highlight the impact of interpersonal treatment on the experiences of people in pain.

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Depressive Symptoms, Help-Seeking, and Barriers to Mental Healthcare Among Healthcare Professionals in Lithuania

Acta medica Lituanica ◽

10.15388/amed.2020.28.1.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 3

Author(s):

Daniel Rogoža ◽

Robertas Strumila ◽

Eglė Klivickaitė ◽

Edgaras Diržius ◽

Neringa Čėnaitė

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Health Problems ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Work Related ◽

Patient Health

Background: Previous research suggests that healthcare professionals (HCPs) experience high levels of work-related psychological distress, including depressive symptoms. Due to the stigma of mental health problems and other barriers, HCPs are likely to be hesitant to seek appropriate mental healthcare. We aimed to explore these phenomena among HCPs in Lithuania.Methods: A web survey inquiring about depressive symptoms, help-seeking, and barriers to mental healthcare was conducted. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). 601 complete questionnaires were included in the analyses. The barriers to help-seeking were identified using the inductive content analysis approach. Descriptive, non-parametric, and robust statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software.Results: Most of the respondents have reported depression-like symptoms over the lifetime, although only about a third of them sought professional help. Of those, roughly half preferred a private specialist. The stigma and neglect of mental health problems were the most common barriers to help-seeking. Around half of the HCPs believed that seeking mental healthcare can imperil their occupational license. About a quarter of the HCPs screened positive for clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Statistically significant differences in the PHQ-9 score were found between categories of healthcare specialty, marital status, religious beliefs, workplace, and years of work as a HCP. Fewer years of work and younger age were associated with the higher PHQ-9 score.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HCPs in Lithuania may be inclined not to seek appropriate mental healthcare and experience poor mental health, although stronger evidence is needed to verify these findings.

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Changes in millennial adolescent mental health and health-related behaviours over 10 years: a population cohort comparison study

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyz006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (5) ◽

pp. 1650-1664 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Praveetha Patalay ◽

Suzanne H Gage

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Birth Cohorts ◽

Health Related ◽

Self Harm ◽

Social Behaviours

Abstract Background There is evidence that mental health problems are increasing and substance use behaviours are decreasing. This paper aimed to investigate recent trends in mental ill health and health-related behaviours in two cohorts of UK adolescents in 2005 and 2015. Methods Prevalences in mental health (depressive symptoms, self-harm, anti-social behaviours, parent-reported difficulties) and health-related behaviours (substance use, weight, weight perception, sleep, sexual intercourse) were examined at age 14 in two UK birth cohorts; Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, N = 5627, born 1991–92) and Millennium Cohort Study (MCS, N = 11 318, born 2000–02). Prevalences and trend estimates are presented unadjusted and using propensity score matching and entropy balancing to account for differences between samples. Results Depressive symptoms (9% to 14.8%) and self-harm (11.8% to 14.4%) were higher in 2015 compared with 2005. Parent-reported emotional difficulties, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems were higher in 2015 compared with 2005 (5.7–8.9% to 9.7–17.7%). Conversely, substance use (tried smoking, 9.2% to 2.9%; tried alcohol, 52.1% to 43.5%, cannabis, 4.6% to 3.9%), sexual activity (2% to 0.9%) and anti-social behaviours (6.2–40.1% to 1.6–27.7%) were less common or no different. Adolescents in 2015 were spending less time sleeping (<8 h 5.7% to 11.5%), had higher body mass index (BMI) (obese, 3.8% to 7.3%) and a greater proportion perceived themselves as overweight (26.5% to 32.9%). The findings should be interpreted bearing in mind limitations in ability to adequately harmonize certain variables and account for differences in attrition rates and generalizability of the two cohorts. Conclusions Given health-related behaviours are often cited as risk factors for poor mental health, our findings suggest relationships between these factors might be more complex and dynamic in nature than currently understood. Substantial increases in mental health difficulties, BMI and poor sleep-related behaviours highlight an increasing public health challenge.

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Prevalence and Correlates of Mental Health Outcomes During the SARS-Cov-2 Epidemic in Mexico City and Their Association With Non-adherence to Stay-At-Home Directives, June 2020

International Journal of Public Health ◽

10.3389/ijph.2021.620825 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 66 ◽

Author(s):

Mario H. Flores-Torres ◽

Audrey R. Murchland ◽

Priscilla Espinosa-Tamez ◽

Jocelyn Jaen ◽

Marion Brochier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Mexico City ◽

Health Impact ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

City Government ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

General Anxiety ◽

At Home

Objectives: To describe the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and perceived negative mental health impact during the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic in Mexico City and evaluate their association with adherence to stay-at-home directives.Methods: Baseline data from a cohort study of 2,016 Mexico City government employees were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models.Results: Among participants, 17.2% had clinically significant depressive symptoms, 21.6% had probable GAD, and 15.2% reported that the pandemic has had a major impact on their mental health. Factors including the presence of COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolation, and economic difficulties were associated with poor mental health. The presence of depressive symptoms and general anxiety were associated with non-adherence to public health directives, particularly among those who might have experienced these symptoms for the first time during the pandemic.Conclusion: Our study is one of the first to document the population mental health burden during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Mexico and to provide evidence of the potential role of mental health in the adherence to public health measures.

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Does Getting Stigma Under the Skin Make It Thinner? Emotion Regulation as a Stress-Contingent Mediator of Stigma and Mental Health

Clinical Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/2167702618755321 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 590-600 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Charles L. Burton ◽

Katie Wang ◽

John E. Pachankis

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Indirect Effect ◽

Social Distance ◽

Life Stress ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Adverse Impact ◽

Cultural Stigma

Emotion regulation deficits may link stigma to poor mental health, yet authors of existing studies have relied on self-reported stigma and have not considered contextual factors. In the present research, we examined associations among cultural stigma (i.e., objective devaluation of one’s stigmatized status), emotion regulation deficits, and poor mental health. In Study 1, we created an index of cultural stigma by asking members of the general public and stigma experts to indicate desired social distance toward 93 stigmatized attributes. In Study 2, emotion regulation deficits mediated the association between cultural stigma and adverse mental health outcomes, including depressive symptoms and alcohol use problems, among individuals endorsing diverse stigmatized identities. The indirect effect of cultural stigma, via emotion regulation, on these outcomes was stronger among those reporting more life stress. These findings highlight the adverse impact of cultural stigma on mental health and its role in potentiating stigmatized individuals’ susceptibility to general life stress.

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Perfectionism in the Transition to University: Comparing Diathesis-Stress and Downward Spiral Models of Depressive Symptoms

Clinical Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/2167702619865966 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 52-64

Author(s):

Shelby L. Levine ◽

Marina Milyavskaya ◽

David C. Zuroff

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

First Year ◽

First Year Students ◽

Personal Standards ◽

Downward Spiral ◽

Personal Standards Perfectionism ◽

Spiral Model ◽

Diathesis Stress Model

Transitioning to university may be especially difficult for students who expect perfection from themselves. Self-critical perfectionism has consistently been linked to poor mental health. The current study compares a diathesis-stress and a downward-spiral model to determine why self-critical perfectionism is detrimental for mental health during this transition. First-year students ( N = 658) were recruited before beginning university in August and contacted again in October, January, and April. Participants completed measures on perfectionism, stress, and depressive symptoms. Evidence was found for a downward-spiral model with self-critical perfectionism but not a diathesis-stress model. Students higher in self-critical perfectionism were more likely to experience increased stress and depressive symptoms in a circular and additive manner. Conversely, students higher in personal-standards perfectionism experienced less stress and subsequent depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical model for why self-critical perfectionism is related to poor mental-health outcomes that become sustained over time.

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Unintended Birth and Children’s Long-term Mental Health

Journal of Health and Social Behavior ◽

10.1177/0022146517717037 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 58 (3) ◽

pp. 357-370 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jessica Houston Su

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Early Adulthood ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Pregnancy Intentions ◽

Unintended Birth ◽

Unintended Pregnancies

Research has examined the proximate effects of unintended birth on infants and young children, but we know relatively little about the longer-term effects. Given that unintended birth is associated with several childhood risk factors, it might set the stage for poor mental health in adulthood. Drawing on rich intergenerational survey data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 ( N = 3,742), this study used a variety of statistical techniques to examine whether maternal pregnancy intentions are associated with children’s depressive symptoms during early adulthood. Results from ordinary least squares regression suggest that children resulting from unintended pregnancies experienced more depressive symptoms in their 20s than children resulting from intended pregnancies, controlling for a host of characteristics. Results from propensity-weighted and sibling fixed-effects models suggest that there is little to no causal relationship, however. Much of the initial association between maternal fertility intentions and children’s depressive symptoms is attributed to the mother’s sociodemographic characteristics.

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Short-Term Mental Health Sequelae of Bereavement Predict Long-Term Physical Health Decline in Older Adults: U.S. Health and Retirement Study Analysis

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbaa044 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Benjamin W Domingue ◽

Laramie Duncan ◽

Amal Harrati ◽

Daniel W Belsky

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Physical Health ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Health And Retirement Study ◽

Spousal Death ◽

Health Decline ◽

Retirement Study

Abstract Objectives Spousal death is a common late-life event with health-related sequelae. Evidence linking poor mental health to disease suggests the hypothesis that poor mental health following death of a spouse could be a harbinger of physical health decline. Thus, identification of bereavement-related mental health symptoms could provide an opportunity for prevention. Methods We analyzed data from N = 39,162 individuals followed from 1994 to 2016 in the U.S. Health and Retirement Study; N = 5,061 were widowed during follow-up. We tested change in mental and physical health from prebereavement through the 5 years following spousal death. Results Bereaved spouses experienced an increase in depressive symptoms following their spouses’ deaths but the depressive shock attenuated within 1 year. Bereaved spouses experienced increases in disability, chronic-disease morbidity, and hospitalization, which grew in magnitude over time, especially among older respondents. Bereaved spouses were at increased risk of death compared to nonbereaved respondents. The magnitude of depressive symptoms in the immediate aftermath of spousal death predicted physical-health decline and mortality risk over 5 years of follow-up. Discussion Bereavement-related depressive symptoms indicate a risk for physical health decline and death in older adults. Screening for depressive symptoms in bereaved older adults may represent an opportunity for intervention to preserve healthy life span.

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The Influence of Masculine Norms and Mental Health on Health Literacy Among Men: Evidence From the Ten to Men Study

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988319873532 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 155798831987353 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Allison Milner ◽

Marissa Shields ◽

Tania King

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

P Value ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Conformity To Masculine Norms ◽

Masculine Norms

Background: Adherence to masculine norms, such as self-reliance, has been thought to predict lower health literacy. Additionally, males with poor mental health may have low health literacy. Using two waves of the Ten to Men cohort, the current study examined whether masculinity and depressive symptomology explained three aspects of health literacy among men. Methods: Three subscales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire were used as the outcomes: Ability to find good health information; Ability to actively engage with healthcare providers, and Feeling understood and supported by healthcare providers. Exposures were masculine norms, measured by the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI-22), and depressive symptoms, measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). We controlled for confounders of the relationship between exposure and outcome. Ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the CMNI and depressive symptoms (measured in Wave 1) on health literacy (measured in Wave 2). Results: Across all three health literacy scales, increased global conformity to masculine norms was associated with a decrease in health literacy. Moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were likewise associated with a decrease in health literacy on all three scales, with the effects particularly strong for “Ability to engage with healthcare providers” (coef. −1.54, 95% CI [−1.84, −1.24], p value < .001). Conclusions: The results of this article highlight that both conformity to masculine norms and depressive symptoms may be predictors of health literacy among men. The results of this study suggest the need for health literacy media campaigns that address the complexities of gendered help-seeking behaviors. Trial registration: Not applicable.

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