Suicidal thoughts of women with HIV infection: Effect of stressors and moderating effects of family cohesion.

Associations of suicidality with sociodemographic characteristics, number of HIV-related symptoms, perceived stigma, depressive mood, emotional distress, and family cohesion were investigated in a sample of women with HIV infection. Of 214 women, 56% reported neither suicidal thoughts nor attempts since learning they were HIV infected, 31% reported thoughts but no attempts, and 14% reported both thoughts and attempts. Women who reported suicidal thoughts reported more HIV-related symptoms, more perceived stigma, greater depressive mood, more emotional distress, and less family cohesion than did women who reported no suicidal thoughts; women who reported both thoughts and attempts did not differ from women who reported only thoughts on these variables. Family cohesion moderated the effect of symptoms on thoughts. Those who reported suicidal thoughts reported more HIV-related symptoms only when family cohesion was relatively low. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation between depressive symptoms and stressful life events in a sample of disadvantaged mothers.

The bidirectional relation between life events and self-reported depression was examined across a 1-year period. With Time 1 depression controlled, Time 2 stress accounted for an additional 10% of Time 2 depressive symptoms. Health-related stress, family violence, and financial stress at Time 2 predicted Time 2 depression after control for Time 1 depression. With Time 1 stress controlled, Time 2 depression accounted for 8% of the variance in Time 2 stress. Time 2 depression predicted Time 2 health-related stress, financial stress, household changes, spouse–partner stress, family violence stress, and substance abuse stress, controlling for each of these stressors at Time 1. The results describe a complex relation between stress and depression and suggest that the relation between stress and depression is moderated by the type of stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Burden of illness, metabolic control, and complications in relation to depressive symptoms in IDDM patients

Relationships between demographic-, treatment-, and sickness-related factors, metabolic control (HbA1c), perceived burden of illness, and degree of depressive symptoms were examined in a group of 155 insulin-dependent diabetic patients, aged 35.3 +/- 8.9 years. The patients completed a questionnaire measuring depressive symptoms and three aspects of perceived burden of illness. No gender differences in HbA1c level or occurrence of late diabetic complications were found. Both men and women showed a modestly elevated degree of depression compared with norm groups. Self-reported burden of illness was strongly related to depression but was largely unrelated to objective disease-related measures. Level of depression was correlated neither with degree of metabolic control nor with the presence of such late diabetic complications as retinopathy and nephropathy. Some 44% of the variance in depression could be explained by worries about complications in those patients with the lowest HbA1c levels, by perceived restrictions in everyday life in patients with intermediate metabolic control, and by problems of glycaemic regulation in patients with poor metabolic control. Degree of depression was largely unrelated to disease severity, but was found to be related to the perceived daily burden of living with the disease, the specific worries and concerns associated with a depressed mood varying with degree of metabolic control.     

Social-environmental factors in unipolar depression: Comparisons of depressed patients and nondepressed controls.

Examined the role of stress and coping factors in depression by comparing a group of 409 Ss (over age 18) entering psychiatric treatment for unipolar depression with a sociodemographically matched group of 409 nondepressed Ss. In addition to reporting significantly more stressful events than controls, depressed Ss also experienced more severe life strains associated with their own and their family members' physical illness, their family relationships, and their home and work situations. Depressed Ss were less likely to use problem-solving and more likely to use emotion-focused coping responses and had fewer and less supportive relationships with friends, family members, and co-workers. These group differences were consistent for both depressed women and men. Findings indicate the value of expanding the consideration of psychosocial factors in depression to include individuals' chronic strains and acute stressors as well as their coping responses and social resources. (53 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relations Between Big Five Personality Characteristics and Perceived Support in Adolescents' Families.

The authors investigated the longitudinal relations between family members' Big Five personality factors and perceived support. Members of 285 two-parent families with 2 adolescent children judged their own and other family members' Big Five factors and the support perceived from the other members on 3 occasions at 12-month intervals. The Big Five factor Agreeableness was particularly related to perceived support. Changes in individuals' Big Five factors were linked to changes in the support they perceived themselves but even more to changes in the support that other family members perceived from them. Results are consistent with the parallel continuities hypothesis: Individual characteristics will be stable when there is stability in the supportive environment, but when the environment is changing, personality tends to change in the same direction, and vice versa. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family conflict and intragroup marginalization as predictors of acculturative stress in Latino college students.

This study examined the impact of family conflict and intragroup marginalization on acculturative stress in 188 bicultural Latino college students. Results showed that low parental income, low acculturation, perceived family conflict, and perceived intragroup marginalization were related to higher acculturative stress for participants. Intragroup marginalization accounted for a statistically significant proportion of the variance in acculturative stress after all variables were controlled. The findings emphasize the need to recognize culture-specific stressors of college students. Implications for mental health providers are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job Loss and Depressive Symptoms in Couples: Common Stressors, Stress Transmission, or Relationship Disruption?

Three models of the linkage between stressors and depressive symptoms were tested in 252 couples after job loss. Data were analyzed to test whether depressive symptoms in both members of the couple were due to common stressors, the transmission of stress from 1 member to the other, or changes in relationship quality. Evidence was found for all 3 processes. Common stressors influenced depressive symptoms in both partners. Anger and depressive symptoms of each partner partially mediated these effects on the other partner, as did reductions in relationship quality. Findings suggest that interventions to help couples cope with the aftermath of job loss may hold promise for preventing depressive reactions to stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genetic and environmental effects on daily life stressors: More evidence for greater variation in later life.

People vary in the occurrence and perceived severity of stressors experienced in their daily lives. In the current study, the authors examined the extent to which individual differences in these relatively minor occurrences are determined by genetic endowment as well as environmental influences and how these effects vary by age. Identical (npairs = 111) and fraternal (npairs = 99) twin adults ranging from 25 to 73 years old reported the occurrence and severity of their daily stressors on 8 consecutive evenings. Both genetic and unique environmental effects accounted for the variance in stressor occurrence, whereas shared family and unique environmental effects accounted for the variance in the perceived severity of these stressors. In addition, the influence of unique environment on perceived stress exerted a stronger influence among the older adults than the younger adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A sociocultural stress, appraisal, and coping model of subjective burden and family attitudes toward patients with schizophrenia.

A sociocultural stress, appraisal, and coping model was developed to understand relatives' burden of care and negative affective attitudes toward patients with schizophrenia. Ninety-two African American and 79 White patients and a significant other (80% mothers) completed 2 10-min family problem-solving discussions. In addition, the Kreisman Rejection Scale and a global self-report rating of family burden were administered to relatives, and a self-report rating of substance use was administered to patients. Results indicated that subjective burden of care and patients' odd and unusual thinking during the family discussion each independently predicted relatives' attitudes toward patients, suggesting that negative attitudes are based in part on both patients' symptoms and perceived burden of care. African American relatives' perceived burden was also predicted by patients' substance abuse. Finally, White family members were significantly more likely than African Americans to feel burdened by and have rejecting attitudes toward their schizophrenic relative suggesting that cultural factors play an important role in determining both perceived burden and relatives' attitudes toward patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal Stressors and Resources as Predictors of Parental Adaptation Following Pediatric Traumatic Injury.

The authors examined the relationship of preinjury interpersonal resources and stressors to parental adaptation following pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and orthopedic injury. Parents of children with severe TBI (n = 53), moderate TBI (n = 56), and orthopedic injuries (n = 80) were assessed soon after injury, 6 and 12 months after the initial evaluation, and at an extended follow-up with a mean of 4 years postinjury. General linear model analyses provide support for both main and moderating effects of stressors and resources on parental adjustment. Support from friends and spouse was associated with less psychological distress, whereas family and spouse stressors were associated with greater distress. The results also reveal a marked decline in injury-related stress over follow-up for families in the severe TBI group who reported a combination of high stressors and high resources. The decline suggests that interpersonal resources attenuated long-term family burden because of severe TBI. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for intervention following TBI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictors of burden among lower socioeconomic status caregivers of persons with chronic mental illness

This study uses a stress-coping-support framework to examine the predictors of caregiver burden with a sample of 103 lower social class family caregivers of persons with chronic mental illness. Results of multiple regression analyses show that the greater the frequency of client behavioral symptoms and the lower the amount of perceived support from family members, the higher the level of overall caregiver burden. Examination of the predictors of specific types of burden-family disruption, stigma, strain, and dependency-reveal that different constellations of variables predict different types of burden. The need for mental health agencies to address caregiver and client concerns is addressed. Implications are presented for practice and future research.     

Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling: The mediating roles of self-stigma and attitudes toward counseling.

This study examined the mediating effects of the self-stigma associated with seeking counseling and attitudes toward seeking counseling on the link between perceived public stigma and willingness to seek counseling for psychological and interpersonal concerns. Structural equation modeling of data from 676 undergraduates indicated that the link between perceived public stigma and willingness to seek counseling was fully mediated by self-stigma and attitudes. Perceptions of public stigma contributed to the experience of self-stigma, which, in turn, influenced help-seeking attitudes and eventually help-seeking willingness. Furthermore, 57% of the variance in attitudes toward counseling and 34% of the variance in willingness to seek counseling for psychological and interpersonal concerns were accounted for in the proposed model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family dynamics across pregnant Latina adolescents' transition to parenthood.

Growth curve models were conducted on assessments of family functioning at four time points from the third-trimester of pregnancy through the first year postpartum for 96 Latino families in which an adolescent daughter was pregnant. Results indicated significant family-level change following an adolescent's childbearing, though there were notable differences between family members in their perceptions of family functioning. Family conflict, as perceived by parenting teens, increased in the latter half of the first year after an initial decline, and family companionship (as rated by mothers and siblings) decreased. Parenting adolescents and siblings perceived significant increases in family cohesion, whereas mothers perceived a significant decline. Unplanned pregnancies, family financial hardship, and expected stress predicted unfavorable family functioning at 1 year. Contrary to expectations, adolescents' greater prenatal efforts to prepare for parenting predicted subsequent family conflict and declines in family cohesion (particularly as rated by mothers). Family members' acculturation level and attitudes of familism, gender roles, and the status attained by parenthood also had predictive effects. Implications of study findings for family adjustment following an adolescent's childbearing are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in combat-related stressors and their association with postdeployment mental health in a nationally representative sample of U.S. OEF/OIF veterans.

Though the broader literature suggests that women may be more vulnerable to the effects of trauma exposure, most available studies on combat trauma have relied on samples in which women's combat exposure is limited and analyses that do not directly address gender differences in associations between combat exposure and postdeployment mental health. Female service members' increased exposure to combat in Afghanistan and Iraq provides a unique opportunity to evaluate gender differences in different dimensions of combat-related stress and associated consequence for postdeployment mental health. The current study addressed these research questions in a representative sample of female and male U.S. veterans who had returned from deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq within the previous year. As expected, women reported slightly less exposure than men to most combat-related stressors, but higher exposure to other stressors (i.e., prior life stress, deployment sexual harassment). No gender differences were observed in reports of perceived threat in the war zone. Though it was hypothesized that combat-related stressors would demonstrate stronger negative associations with postdeployment mental health for women, only one of 16 stressor × gender interactions achieved statistical significance and an evaluation of the clinical significance of these interactions revealed that effects were trivial. Results suggest that female Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom service members may be as resilient to combat-related stress as men. Future research is needed to evaluate gender differences in the longer-term effects of combat exposure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of primary stressors, secondary stressors, and depressive symptoms between elderly caregiving husbands and wives: The caregiver health effects study.

The present study examined gender differences in the experience of primary and secondary caregiving stressors, depressive symptoms, and their interrelationships using a sample of 283 elderly spouse caregivers (145 women, 138 men). Two primary stressors, two secondary stressors, and depressive symptoms were assessed. In general, t-tests indicated that caregiving husbands experience fewer stressors and depressive symptoms than their female counterparts. Multiple group analysis revealed that the primary stressors were more useful in explaining variance associated with the secondary stressors for women than men and that the path coefficients linking amount of caregiving assistance to caregivers' activity restriction was significantly different across men and women. Other paths linking primary stressors, secondary stressors, and depressive symptoms, however, were statistically equivalent across men and women. Hence, although caregiving women and men may vary in their reports of caregiving stressors, the complexity of the caregiving experience appears to be quite uniform for both groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships Among Life Stress, Social Support, Academic Stressors, and Reactions to Stressors of International Students in the United States.

This study examined the relationships among 4 constructs--life stress (primary stressor), academic stressors (secondary stressor), perceived social support (stress mediator), and reactions to stressors (stress outcome)--among 143 international students. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the relationships among latent and measured variables in the conceptual model. Results indicated no significant difference in academic and life stressors by gender. However, women exhibited higher reactions to stressors than men. Higher levels of academic stressors were predicted by higher levels of life stress and by lower levels of social support. Higher academic stressors predicted greater reactions to stressors. All of the regression weights in the model were statistically significant, and the model's predictors accounted for 82% of the variance in reactions to stressor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitions and stress: Direct and moderating effects on depressive versus externalizing symptoms during the junior high school transition.

This study examined direct and stress-moderating effects of attributional style and global self-worth on depressive and externalizing symptoms in adolescents. Attributional style, perceived self-worth, depressive symptoms, and externalizing behaviors were assessed in 371 students in the spring of 6th grade. After the transition to 7th grade, they again completed measures of depression and externalizing symptoms as well as measures of negative life events and school hassles. Stressors around the transition predicted both depressive and externalizing behaviors. Perceived self-worth predicted depressive symptoms, but not externalizing behaviors. Attributional style directly and in interaction with stressors predicted depressive symptoms and did not predict externalizing behavior. A 3-way interaction between stress, attributional style, and self-worth suggested that level of perceived self-worth may moderate the effects of attributional style in times of stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Minority stress, perceived bicultural competence, and depressive symptoms among ethnic minority college students.

Based on biculturalism theory (LaFromboise, Coleman, & Gerton, 1993), the present study examined the direct effect of perceived bicultural competence (PBC) on depressive symptoms, and PBC as a potential coping resource to moderate the association between minority stress and depressive symptoms. Participants were 167 Asian American, African American, and Latino/a American students at a predominantly White Midwest university. Results from a hierarchical regression analysis suggested that (a) minority stress was positively associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for perceived general stress, (b) PBC was negatively associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for perceived general stress and minority stress, and (c) the interaction between minority stress and PBC was significant in predicting depressive symptoms. Results from a simple effect analysis supported the hypothesis that a higher level of PBC buffers the association between minority stress and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, post hoc exploratory analyses of the components of PBC suggested that 2 components, Social Groundedness and Cultural Knowledge, may be especially important coping resources. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chronic stress, social support, and persistent alterations in the natural killer cell response to cytokines in older adults

To address the long-term physiological consequences of chronic stressors, 14 continuing or current family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, 17 former AD caregivers, and 31 control subjects were compared. Continuing and former caregivers did not differ on depressive symptomatology or perceived stress; both groups were significantly more depressed and stressed than controls. Furthermore, continuing and former caregivers did not differ in the response of NK cells in vitro to recombinant interferon-gamma and recombinant interleukin-2, and both groups had a significantly poorer response to these cytokines than controls. The physiological and psychological consequences of chronic stressors may persist well beyond the cessation of the actual stressor.     

Family conflict and depression in HIV-negative heterosexuals: The role of methamphetamine use.

Previous research has reported elevated levels of depressive symptoms among methamphetamine users, but little attention has been paid to possible links between family environment and psychological distress. This study examined relationships between family conflict, substance use, and depressive symptoms in a sample of 104 heterosexual methamphetamine users in San Diego, California. Eighty-nine percent of the sample reported conflict with a family member in the past year. Conflict was reported most often with parents and siblings. Sources of conflict included drug use, lifestyle issues, interpersonal and communication issues, and concern for other family members. In regression analyses, being female, being a polydrug user, and facing social and legal stressors were associated with higher levels of family conflict. Multiple regression analyses also revealed a positive association between family conflict and depressive symptoms. Contrary to expectation, methamphetamine dose did not moderate the relationship between family conflict and depressive symptoms. Reducing family conflict may be an important first step toward ameliorating depressive symptoms and creating more supportive environments for methamphetamine users who are in urgent need of effective interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)