Age Differences In Stress Research Articles

Resilience and Hassles Trajectories Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Despite higher physical vulnerability to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), older adults reported less psychological stress than younger and midlife adults during the pandemic. However, little is known about age differences in stress within later life, and most COVID-19 studies have been cross-sectional. We examined weekly hassles exposure and severity trajectories and whether these trajectories differed by age, resilience factors (higher trait resilience and education), and vulnerability factors (identifying as a woman, being a person of color, and having chronic health conditions). Community-dwelling adults aged 50+ in Oregon (Mage = 71.1, standard deviation = 7.3; 74% women, 89% non-Hispanic White) completed weekly online surveys across 8 weeks (April 28-June 22, 2020) during the COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate. A 2-part model estimated how age, resilience, and vulnerability factors predicted weekly odds of any hassle exposure and level of severity. Across time, hassles exposure decreased and the rate of severity declined, but these patterns differed by age and other demographics. The old-old (estimated at age 78) remained stable in odds of any exposure, whereas the young-old (estimated at age 64) evidenced a J-shaped curve; age did not moderate the severity slopes. Furthermore, both resilience factors were associated with exposure trajectories, whereas vulnerability factors (race/ethnicity and chronic illness) were associated with levels of hassles severity. There were age differences in patterns of hassles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, resilience and vulnerability factors also showed complex patterns, underscoring the need for future studies to focus on age differences in well-being in later life.

Japanese doctoral students’ stress: Main findings from a national survey in 2017

This study is mainly concerned with an analysis of what stress Japanese doctoral students face and how universities they belong to could provide better support for them, and help them to overcome their stress. The study employs the data from a national survey of doctoral students at Japanese research universities in 2017. In addition to a general description of their overall stress, four variables of gender, discipline, age and sector of universities are used to explore their perceptions of stress. The study argues that a vast majority of Japanese doctoral students suffered from stress in various aspects. Although some findings based on the case study of Japan are not consistent with previous research such as gender differences in stress, some match with existing research in terms of disciplinary differences and age differences in stress.

Age Differences in Stress, Life Changes, and Social Ties During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Psychological Well-Being.

Background and ObjectivesExperiences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its implications for psychological well-being may vary widely across the adult life span. The present study examined age differences in pandemic-related stress and social ties, and links with psychological well-being.Research Design and MethodsParticipants included 645 adults (43% women) aged 18–97 (M = 50.8; SD = 17.7) from the May 2020 nationally representative Survey of Consumers. Participants reported the extent to which they felt stress related to the pandemic in the last month, the extent to which their lives had changed due to the pandemic, as well as social isolation, negative relationship quality, positive relationship quality, and frequency of depression, anxiety, and rumination in the past week.ResultsResults showed that older people reported less pandemic-related stress, less life change, less social isolation, and lower negative relationship quality than younger people. Greater pandemic-related stress, life change, social isolation, and negative relationship quality were associated with poorer psychological well-being. Poorer social ties (i.e., greater social isolation and negative quality) exacerbated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (stress, life change) on psychological well-being.Discussion and ImplicationsResearchers have indicated that older adults may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and social isolation, but this study indicates that young adults may be relatively more vulnerable. Because isolation and negative relationship quality appear to exacerbate the deleterious effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being, reducing social isolation and negative relations are potential targets for intervention.

Age Differences in COVID-19 Stress and Social Ties during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Well-being

The experience of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and its implications for well-being may vary widely by age group across the adult lifespan. The purpose of this study was to examine age differences in stress related to the pandemic and social ties, and whether those experiences are linked to well-being. Participants included a total of 645 adults (43% women) ages 18 to 97 (M = 50.8; SD = 17.7) from the May 2020 nationally representative Survey of Consumers. Participants reported the extent to which they felt stress related to the pandemic in the last month as well as social isolation, negative relationship quality, positive relationship quality, and frequent depression, anxiety and rumination in the past week. Results showed that older people reported less COVID-19 related stress, less social isolation, and lower negative relationship quality than younger people. Greater stress, social isolation, and negative relationship quality were associated with poorer well-being and greater social isolation, and negative quality ties exacerbated the effects of stress on well-being. Although many researchers have indicated that older adults may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 related stress and social isolation, this study indicates that young adults may be relatively more vulnerable. Because isolation and negative relationship quality appear to exacerbate the effects of stress, reducing social isolation and negative relations are potential targets for intervention.

Age Differences in Stress and Coping: Problem-Focused Strategies Mediate the Relationship Between Age and Positive Affect.

The present study examined the different types of stressors experienced by adults of different ages, their coping strategies, and positive/negative affect. A mediation hypothesis of coping strategies was tested on the relationships between age and positive/negative affect. One-hundred and ninety-six community-dwelling adults (age range 18-89 years) reported the most stressful situation they experienced in the past month and coping strategies. Levels of positive and negative affect in the past month were also measured. Content analysis revealed age differences in different types of stressors adults reported. Three types of coping strategies were found: problem-focused, positive emotion-focused, and negative emotion-focused coping. Older adults were less likely than younger adults to use problem-focused coping and reported lower levels of positive affect. Path analysis supported the mediation hypothesis, showing that problem-focused coping mediated the relationship between age and positive affect. Implications are discussed on the importance of promoting problem-focused coping among older adults.

Age differences in stress, social resources, and well-being in middle and older age.

The present study examines the interrelationships among the constructs of social resources, stress, and well-being in middle-aged and older adults. Two samples of 489 middle-aged adults (41-43 years) and 449 older adults (61-63 years) from the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development were compared with respect to the availability of social resources, levels of stress, and well-being. The data were used to construct separate structural equation models explaining the influence of stress and social resources on well-being in the two groups. The results indicate higher levels of health-related stress and similar levels of social resources in the older group. Structural equation models and examination of total and indirect effects confirmed that a stress-suppression model has the best fit in explaining the interrelationships between stress, social resources, and well-being. There was a strong effect of stress on well-being, no direct effect of social resources on well-being, and a mediating effect of stress on well-being. The relative contributions of stress and resources to well-being were comparable between age groups.

Age differences in stress, coping, and appraisal: findings from the Normative Aging Study.

Controversies exist concerning the influence of age on the stress and coping process, in part due to differences in methods across studies. We examined age differences in stress, appraisal, and coping, using both semistructured interview questions and a coping checklist in middle-aged, young-old, and old-old men. Despite extensive probing, nearly a quarter of the old-old reported having had no problems and they expended less coping effort even when they did have problems. The types of problems reported varied systematically with age. Middle-aged men were more likely to appraise their problems both as challenges and as annoyances than the older men. Different age patterns emerged from the coping interviews vs the checklists, but controlling for type of problem significantly attenuated age differences. However, there were no age differences in perceived stressfulness of the problem, appraisals of harm/loss, or helpless appraisals, number of emotions reported, or coping efficacy. One interpretation of these results is that the nature of stress changes with age, from episodic to chronic, which in turn affects appraisal and coping processes.

Age differences in stress and coping processes.

Age differences in stress and coping processes.

Age differences in stress and coping processes.

The dramatic increase in the numbers of people who are living into old age has been accompanied by a growing interest among psychologists and health care professionals in their sources of stress and how they cope with them. Despite this interest, little is known about normative stress and coping patterns and the ways in which these patterns differ in older and younger people. This study, which draws on stress and coping theory, compares younger and older community-dwelling adults in daily hassles and eight kinds of coping. Two interpretations of age differences are evaluated: a developmental interpretation, which says that there are inherent, stage-related changes in the ways people cope as they age, and a contextual interpretation, which says that age differences in coping result from changes in what people must cope with. The findings indicate that there are clear age differences in hassles and coping. Overall, the findings tend to support the developmental interpretation, although the contextual interpretation also applies.