Seasonality, negative life events and social support in a community sample

BackgroundSeasonal affective disorder (SAD) is now a well-described form of depressive disorder. However, relatively little research has focused upon psychosocial factors and SAD.AimsTo determine the association between demographic/psychosocial factors and increased reported seasonal patterns of mood disorder (seasonality) and SAD in a community sample in the UK.MethodA total of 1250 people, aged between 18 and 64 years, randomly selected from a primary care database were screened for SAD. Those above cut-off underwent diagnostic interview and completed several self-report questionnaires. Multivariate analysis was conducted to determine which variables were significantly associated with increased seasonality.ResultsFour factors (having experienced more numerous negative life events, having low levels of social support, being a woman and being non-native) were predictive of higher seasonality Being a woman was predictive of being diagnosed as a case of SAD.ConclusionsA new association has been identified between increased seasonality, negative life events and social support. Future research should assess the psychosocial causes or consequences of SAD while continuing to examine the biology of the condition.

Download Full-text

Negative Life Events, Social Support, and Self-Efficacy in Anxious Adolescents

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/0033294117699820 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 120 (4) ◽

pp. 609-626 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Solfrid Raknes ◽

Ståle Pallesen ◽

Jon Fauskanger Bjaastad ◽

Gro Janne Wergeland ◽

Asle Hoffart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Life Events ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Elevated Level ◽

School Health ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Community Sample ◽

Female Gender ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Purpose To examine the prevalence and correlates of anxiety in a community sample of adolescents. Knowing the prevalence and characteristics of anxious adolescents is valuable to improve anxiety prevention strategies and interventions. Design Cross-sectional data about anxiety were collected via a school survey from a community sample of Norwegian adolescents aged 12–17 ( N = 1719). Methods Based on scores from the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, the adolescents were categorized as not anxious or anxious. Logistic regression analysis was performed to access the impact of each factor on the likelihood that participants would report an elevated level of anxiety. Results A total of 22% of the adolescents were categorized as anxious. Female gender, experienced negative life events, low social support, and low self-efficacy were associated with elevated level of anxiety. Conclusions The high prevalence of anxiety in adolescents demonstrates the importance of improved prevention interventions targeting anxious adolescents. We argue that addressing is the responsibility of not only the individual adolescents and their families but also schools, school health services, and policy makers. School-based interventions that increase social support and self-efficacy would probably be particularly beneficial for anxious adolescents.

Download Full-text

Social support and delusional-like experiences: a nationwide population-based study

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences ◽

10.1017/s2045796011000862 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 203-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

S. Saha ◽

J. Scott ◽

D. Varghese ◽

J. McGrath

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

General Population ◽

Community Sample ◽

Composite International Diagnostic Interview ◽

Population Based ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Confounding Factors ◽

Poor Social Support ◽

Physical Disorders ◽

The Relationship

Background.Population-based studies have identified that delusional-like experiences (DLEs) are common in the general population. While there is a large literature exploring the relationship between poor social support and risk of mental illness, there is a lack of empirical data examining the association of poor social support and DLEs. The aim of the study was to explore the association between social support and DLEs using a large, nationally representative community sample.Methods.Subjects were drawn from a national multistage probability survey of 8841 adults aged between 16 and 85 years. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to identify DLEs, common psychiatric disorders and physical disorders. Eight questions assessed various aspects of social support with spouse/partners and other family and friends. We examined the relationship between DLEs and social support using logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounding factors.Results.Of the sample, 8.4% (n = 776) positively endorsed one or more DLEs. Individuals who (a) had the least contact with friends, or (b) could not rely on or confide in spouse/partner, family or friends were significantly more likely to endorse DLEs. The associations remained significant after adjusting for a range of potential confounding factors.Conclusions.DLEs are associated with impoverished social support in the general population. While we cannot exclude the possibility that the presence of isolated DLEs results in a reduction of social support, we speculate that poor social support may contribute in a causal fashion to the risk of DLEs.

Download Full-text

Longitudinal investigation of the role of temperament and stressful life events in childhood anxiety

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579413000989 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 437-449 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Suzanne Broeren ◽

Carol Newall ◽

Helen F. Dodd ◽

Ruth Locker ◽

Jennifer L. Hudson

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Life Events ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Childhood Anxiety ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Positive Behavior ◽

Stressful Life ◽

The Impact

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.

Download Full-text

Perceived social support as a moderator between negative life events and depression in adolescence: implications for prediction and targeted prevention

The EPMA Journal ◽

10.1007/s13167-017-0095-5 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 237-245 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Lence Miloseva ◽

Tatjana Vukosavljevic-Gvozden ◽

Kneginja Richter ◽

Vladimir Milosev ◽

Günter Niklewski

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Life Events ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Targeted Prevention

Download Full-text

Factors influencing cognitive reactivity among young adults at high risk for depression in China: a cross-sectional study

10.21203/rs.2.18838/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Fei Fei Huang ◽

Zhi Peng Wen ◽

Qi Li ◽

Bin Chen ◽

Wen Jie Weng

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Young Adults ◽

Life Events ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cognitive Reactivity ◽

Self Compassion ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Chinese Young Adults

Abstract BackgroundUnderstanding the factors influencing cognitive reactivity (CR) may help identify individuals at risk for first episode depression and relapse, and facilitate routine access to preventative treatments. However, few studies have examined CR to depression in Asian countries. This study was performed to ascertain the current status of CR among Chinese young adults and explore the factors that influence their CR. MethodsA national cross-sectional online study using convenience sampling was conducted among 1637 healthy young adults in China (96.29%). ResultsThe mean CR score was 1.73±0.64. Binary logistic regression showed that a low level of CR was associated with the following factors: high self-compassion, high social support, high resilience, high monthly household income, and living in a rural area, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0.14 to 0.70. Young adults in full-time employment, experiencing poor sleep, with high neuroticism, who reported frequent sad mood, and who had a high intensity of negative life events had increased CR to depression, with ORs ranging from 1.18 to 6.66. The prediction probability of these factors was 75.40%. Any causal relationships among the influencing factors and CR cannot be established. ConclusionsThe self-reported CR levels among Chinese young adults were moderate. Enhancing self-compassion, resilience, and social support for young adults and reducing negative life events, neuroticism, and poor sleep may facilitate reducing CR. These findings may help healthcare providers or researchers determine how to cultivate and improve the CR of young adults by establishing documented policies and/or improving intervention efficacies.

Download Full-text

Social support, negative life events, and depressive symptoms in early adolescence

The Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association ◽

10.4992/pacjpa.76.0_1amc18 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 76 (0) ◽

pp. 1AMC18-1AMC18

Author(s):

Mami TANAKA

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Life Events ◽

Early Adolescence ◽

Negative Life Events

Download Full-text

Assessment of Undergraduates’ Real-World Outcomes of Critical Thinking in Everyday Situations

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/0033294117701906 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 120 (4) ◽

pp. 707-720 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Amanda R. Franco ◽

Patrício S. Costa ◽

Heather A. Butler ◽

Leandro S. Almeida

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Life Events ◽

Real World ◽

Cognitive Skills ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Self Report ◽

First Year Students ◽

Portuguese Version ◽

Original Proposal ◽

The Impact

Critical thinking is a kind of “good” thinking that integrates a set of cognitive skills and dispositions to use those skills with knowledge to increase the chances of success in academic settings, job market, and daily life. The impact of critical thinking on life events, in face of everyday decisions and challenges, is still unclear, and further research is needed. In this exploratory study, a sample of 230 first-year students of a Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s Degree in Portugal completed an experimental Portuguese version of the Real-World Outcomes, a self-report inventory measuring everyday negative life events that are mediated by a lack of critical thinking. Based on exploratory factor analysis results and theoretical premises, changes were made to the Portuguese version of the inventory that was administered, and items were aggregated into six dimensions, creating a new version that is more familiar to Portuguese young adults in college. This original proposal of the inventory presents six types of negative life events resulting from a lack of critical thinking: health neglect, mismanagement, slackness, poor impulse control, academic negligence, and rashness. Both limitations and future potentialities of this version are presented.

Download Full-text

Abstract P542: Association of Psychosocial Factors With Heart Rate Variability: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.141.suppl_1.p542 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 141 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Anish Shah ◽

Alvaro Alonso ◽

Eric A Whitsel ◽

Elsayed Z SOLIMAN ◽

Viola Vaccarino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Psychosocial Factors ◽

Community Sample ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities ◽

Vital Exhaustion ◽

Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality ◽

Atherosclerosis Risk

Introduction: Psychosocial factors are associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but our understanding of causal mechanisms is limited. Understanding such mechanisms may help formulate prevention strategies. We therefore sought to evaluate potential physiologic effects of psychosocial factors by studying their associations with heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of autonomic function, in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Hypothesis: Higher psychosocial stress levels are associated with lower HRV cross-sectionally in a diverse community sample. Methods: We included ARIC cohort participants with information on psychosocial factors in 1990-1992 into our analysis. Psychosocial factors were assessed using validated instruments, including: 1) vital exhaustion, a somatic manifestation of chronic stress and depression, 2) anger proneness, a personality trait, and 3) perceived social support, a potential buffering factor for stress. Short-term time and frequency domain HRV were measured from a two-minute electrocardiographic recording in 1987-1989. Linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: We included 9,332 participants (mean age 54.4 ± 5.7 years, 55% women, and 25% black) in the analysis. Only vital exhaustion was consistently associated with HRV, as per the table, which shows the change in ln(HRV) per point increase in score. Compared to the lowest quartile, the highest quartile of vital exhaustion was associated with a 13.3% (95% CI, 3.9% - 21.3%) decrease in low frequency HRV in adjusted models. By comparison, each year of added age was associated with a 3.7% (95% CI, 3.1% to 4.2%) decrease in LF HRV. Conclusion: A high level of vital exhaustion was associated with low HRV, while anger proneness and social support were not. The inverse vital exhaustion-HRV association raises concern regarding the somatic manifestations of stress, a potential target for preventive interventions.

Download Full-text

Associations between self-rated physical Health and relationship satisfaction in couples with children

Health Psychology Open ◽

10.1177/2055102920959527 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 205510292095952

Author(s):

Katherine JW Baucom ◽

Jill Giresi ◽

Richard E Heyman ◽

Amy M Smith Slep

Keyword(s):

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Physical Health ◽

Physical Functioning ◽

General Health ◽

Community Sample ◽

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Relationship Processes ◽

Individual Self

The degree to which individual self-rated physical health and concordance of self-rated physical health between partners are associated with relationship satisfaction was examined in a community sample of 399 couples with children. Couples completed self-report assessments of physical health (general health and physical functioning) and relationship satisfaction. Results suggest unique associations between partners’ general health and their own relationship satisfaction. Further, higher between-partner concordance in physical functioning was uniquely associated with higher relationship satisfaction in women. Understanding associations between health and relationship processes is crucial and has implications for future research on couple-based interventions to promote physical health.

Download Full-text