Life Events and Social Support in Puerperal Depression

1980 ◽  
Vol 136 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Paykel ◽  
E. M. Emms ◽  
J. Fletcher ◽  
E. S. Rassaby
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Previous History ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Early Postpartum ◽  
Postpartum Blues ◽  
Puerperal Depression

SummaryA 20 per cent prevalence of mild clinical depression was found in 120 women assessed at about six weeks postpartum. The strongest associated factor was occurrence of recent stressful life events. Previous history of psychiatric disorder, younger age, early postpartum blues, and a group of variables reflecting poor marital relationship and absence of social support were also notable. Poor marital support acted as a vulnerability factor, only producing an effect in presence of stressful life events. Previous psychiatric history produced a strong independent effect, both with and without life events. Postpartum blues were only associated with depression in the absence of life events, suggesting a small hormonal sub-group. Overall the findings indicate the importance of social stress in puerperal depression.

Progression to AIDS, a clinical AIDS condition and mortality: psychosocial and physiological predictors

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1059-1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. LESERMAN ◽  
J. M. PETITTO ◽  
H. GU ◽  
B. N. GAYNES ◽  
J. BARROSO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Serum Cortisol ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Independent Effect

Background. The primary aim of this study is to examine prospectively the association of stressful life events, social support, depressive symptoms, anger, serum cortisol and lymphocyte subsets with changes in multiple measures of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression.Methods. Ninety-six HIV-infected gay men without symptoms or anti-retroviral medication use at baseline were studied every 6 months for up to 9 years. Disease progression was defined in three ways using the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classifications (e.g. AIDS, clinical AIDS condition and mortality). Cox regression models with time-dependent covariates were used, adjusting for control variables (e.g. race, age, baseline, CD4 T cells and viral load, number of anti-retroviral medications).Results. Higher cumulative average stressful life events and lower cumulative average social support predicted faster progression to both the CDC AIDS classification and a clinical AIDS condition. Higher anger scores and CD8 T cells were associated with faster progression to AIDS, and depressive symptoms were associated with faster development of an AIDS clinical condition. Higher levels of serum cortisol predicted all three measures of disease progression.Conclusions. These results suggest that stressful life events, dysphoric mood and limited social support are associated with more rapid clinical progression in HIV infection, with serum cortisol also exerting an independent effect on disease progression.

The Impact of Stressful Life Events and Social Support on Drinking among Older Adults: A General Population Survey

1992 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M. Jennison
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Drinking Behavior ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
Stress Buffering ◽  
The Impact

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.

scholarly journals Stressful life events among incarcerated women and men: Association with depression, loneliness, hopelessness, and suicidality

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly E. Moore ◽  
Shania Siebert ◽  
Garrett Brown ◽  
Julia Felton ◽  
Jennifer E. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Stressful Life ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background Justice-involved populations report a higher than average number of pre-incarceration stressful life events. However, few studies have described stressful life events which occur during incarceration, explored gender differences in these events, or evaluated the effect of these events on well-being. Method This study draws from a sample of male and female adults incarcerated in 6 prison facilities across two states (n = 160) to identify the number and type of stressful life events they experienced during incarceration, gender differences in stressful events, and the relationship between stressful life events and markers of well-being (i.e., depression, hopelessness, loneliness, suicidality). We also examined whether perceived social support would buffer the relationship between stressful events and well-being outcomes. Results Participants on average reported experiencing 4 stressful life events during their current incarceration, the most common being relocation to another cell and being made fun of/insulted by someone in the prison. There were few gender differences in types of events experienced. Regression analyses showed that stressful life events were associated with more loneliness, as well as suicidality, but only when participants had low perceived social support. Conclusions Stressful life events, and drawing on social support networks to cope with stress, should be addressed in the context of correctional treatments to reduce suicide risk during incarceration.

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