Stressful life events, personality, and health: An inquiry into hardiness.

Studied personality as a conditioner of the effects of stressful life events on illness onset. Two groups of middle- and upper-level 40–49 yr old executives had comparably high degrees of stressful life events in the previous 3 yrs, as measured by the Schedule of Recent Events. One group of 86 Ss suffered high stress without falling ill, whereas the other group of 75 Ss reported becoming sick after their encounter with stressful life events. Illness was measured by the Seriousness of Illness Survey (A. R. Wyler et al 1970). Discriminant function analysis, run on half of the Ss in each group and cross-validated on the remaining cases, supported the prediction that high stress/low illness executives show, by comparison with high stress/high illness executives, more hardiness, that is, have a stronger commitment to self, an attitude of vigorousness toward the environment, a sense of meaningfulness, and an internal locus of control. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alienation and exploratory behavior.

Tested the hypothesis that attitudes of alienation inhibit intrinsically motivated exploration of an unfamiliar but ordinary environment. 29 university students completed measures including the Alienation Test and the Maudsley Personality Inventory, and their exploratory behavior was observed during a mock waiting period. Stepwise multiple regression confirmed the hypothesis. Additional analyses indicate that nihilism and adventurousness were the most inhibitory types of alienation. The most inhibitory interpersonal contexts were alienation from social institutions, other persons, and the self. The adaptive disadvantage of alienation attitudes is noted. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hardiness and health: A prospective study.

Hypothesized that hardiness—commitment, control, and challenge—functions to decrease the effect of stressful life events to producing illness symptoms. 259 upper- and middle-level male managers (mean age 48 yrs) were administered a battery of tests (including Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, the Schedule of Life Events, and the Seriousness of Illness Survey) covering a 5-yr period. Results support the hypothesis by showing main effects on illness for both stressful life events and hardiness and an interaction effect for these independent variables. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

ZrO2–TiO2Materials

The magnetic, electrical, catalytic, and photocatalytic properties of ZrO₂–TiO₂materials were studied. The ZrO₂–TiO₂system was shown to contain ZrO₂-, TiO₂, and ZrTiO₄-based solid solutions. Procedures for the preparation of high-activity ZrO₂–TiO₂photocatalysts and photostable pigments were developed.     

TiO2–Bi2O3 Materials

The electrical conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, and catalytic activity (photoreduction of Methylene Blue to a leuco form and reduction of metal ions) of TiO₂–Bi₂O₃ materials were studied. Their catalytic activity was shown to be determined by their phase composition and structural perfection. The observed correlations between the properties studied are interpreted in terms of active sites for catalytic reactions.     

Clarification of sampling in some early hardiness articles.

Some of the original studies of hardiness by Kobasa and Maddi and their colleagues in Chicago were characterized by a lack of explicit acknowledgment that samples were drawn from the same large population of business executives and by insufficient information on the number, varying nature, and timing of observations of these research participants. Specifically, two review articles (see record 1990-97699-012) (see record 1988-01423-001) have criticized two early articles (see record 1982-21492-001) (see record 1982-23579-001) as potentially misleading readers about the number of times that the hardiness effect on health has been independently found. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Commitment and coping in stress resistance among lawyers.

Administered the Schedule of Recent Life Events and the Social Readjustment Rating Scale to 157 general practice lawyers. No simple direct correlation was found between Ss' stressful life event levels and their reports of diagnosable illness. There was a significant relationship between stress experience and complaints of strain symptomatology, but this was mediated by 2 stress-resistance resources. In addition to stress levels, increases in strain were significantly determined by the personality characteristic of alienation as opposed to commitment and the use of regressive coping techniques. Social support and exercise did not significantly affect the degree of strain reported. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and social resources in stress resistance.

Examined personality, social assets, and perceived social support as moderators of the effects of stressful life events on illness onset. In a group of 170 middle- and upper-level male executives (aged 32–65 yrs), personality hardiness (assessed by 3 scales of the Alienation Test, the Security scale of the California Life Goals Evaluation Schedule, and Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale) and stressful life events (an adaptation of the Schedule of Recent Events) consistently influenced illness scores, the former serving to lower symptomatology (Seriousness of Illness Survey), the latter to increase it. Perceived supervisor support had its predicted positive effect. Executives under high stress who perceived support from their supervisors had lower illness scores than those without support. Perceived family support, on the other hand, showed a negative effect on health when reported by those low in hardiness. Social assets made no significant impact on health status. Results underscore the value of differentiating between types of social resources and of monitoring the effects of 2 or more stress-resistance resources in a single study. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)