Critical Life Events Research Articles

Post break-up housing pathways of young adults in England in light of family and friendship-based support

ABSTRACT This paper explores the housing pathways of young adults following the breakdown of a first intimate relationship based on co-residence. In particular it explores the frequent recourse to shared housing and returns to the parental home, and how these options may be seen as steps backward, yet also offer opportunities for support. Findings are discussed in the context of the de-standardisation of transitions to adulthood characterised by uncertainties related to early years of employment and the shortage of affordable housing. Although often not as consequential as mid-life relationship breakdowns for future housing prospects, intimate relationship breakdowns linked to initial co-residence are nonetheless critical life events for young adults, leading to a re-evaluation of their existing relationships and of their plans in relation to housing and family formation. Our findings also indicate that the backwards and forwards movements associated with intermediary housing arrangements and in-between phases are deserving of greater attention.

And in the Middle of My Chaos There Was You?-Dog Companionship and Its Impact on the Assessment of Stressful Situations.

Recent studies show evidence that human-dog companionship has healthy effects on humans. For example, findings demonstrate that owning a dog leads to a reduction in stress levels. Aspects that have not been taken into consideration so far are underlying theoretical principles of stress like the sense of coherence (SOC) by Aaron Antonovsky. The SOC consists of psycho-social, biochemical and physical conditions which indicate whether or not inner and outer stimuli are comprehensive, manageable and meaningful to an individual. In addition, it is still unclear if owning a dog affects the subjective assessment of critical life events (CLE), which is associated with the strength of the SOC (the stronger the SOC, the better the handling and assessment of stressful situations). Based on these aspects, the goal of the study was to examine if dog ownership, as well as values of the SOC, have an impact on the subjective evaluation of CLE (including daily hassles as well as unexpected critical life events). For this purpose, dog owners and non-dog owners were surveyed online and were compared based on their personal estimations regarding these constructs. Statistical analysis including t-tests, correlations and interaction-analyses were performed and a significant difference between dog owners and non-dog owners regarding the assessment of daily hassles was found. Contrary to expectations, results show that dog owners assessed daily stressors to be more stressful than non-dog owners did. Moreover, data show that the higher the number of stated relationships (inner- and cross-species), the more stressful life events were assessed to be. Calculations showed no evidence for the influence of dogs regarding the SOC. Based on the actual findings, it might be assumed, that an overestimation of the dog’s protective role regarding stress has taken place in public media and in research as well.

Coping and Life Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Ego-Resiliency in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective: Ego-resiliency is attributed the status of a “meta resource” that is responsible for a flexible selection of coping strategies depending on the requirements of a specific difficult situation. A considerably burdensome critical life event is the development of a chronic illness such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Apart from coping with the symptoms, a fundamental task confronting patients is maintaining their quality of life. This raises the question of whether ego-resiliency serves as a mediator between coping strategies and quality of life. Materials and Methods: 210 RA patients were invited to participate in this study. They were requested to complete a questionnaire that included the Satisfaction with Life scale, the stress coping inventory Mini-COPE, and the Ego-Resiliency scale. The collected data were analyzed by a simple mediation procedure and estimation of simple correlation coefficients. Results: The analysis demonstrated that ego-resiliency (r = 0.46; p < 0.001) and emotion-focused coping (r = 0.39; p < 0.001) determined life satisfaction. Additionally, ego-resiliency mediated the relation between emotion-oriented coping strategies and life satisfaction. Partial mediation was observed (a = 0.45**; b = 0.36**; c = 0.39**; c’ =0.22**; R² = 0.24; F = 35.65; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our observations partly support the assumption about a controlling role of ego-resiliency in the process of selecting coping strategies according to demands of situations.

Effects of acute psychosocial stress on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in healthy women

ObjectiveThe individual set point of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis is largely genetically determined. Apart from this genetic predisposition, the HPT axis may also be malleable to environmental demands such as psychosocial stress. Indeed, previous research has indicated that critical life events often precede the onset of autoimmune thyroid diseases, and subtle abnormalities in HPT functioning are present in some patients with stress-related disorders such as depression. However, no studies have investigated whether exposure to psychosocial stress leads to an immediate activation of the HPT axis. MethodsA total of N = 30 healthy women attended two laboratory appointments in a randomized order. An intravenous catheter was inserted at the beginning of each appointment. In the stress session, this was followed by the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Plasma samples to determine thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) were taken at baseline and 20, 50, and 110 min after the TSST started. In the control session, participants rested and were instructed to read magazines, while the sampling schedule was maintained. ResultsThere was a significant rise in TSH concentrations in response to the TSST, with a peak observed 20 min after stressor onset, and a steady decline thereafter. No such response was observed in the control session. The TSST did not increase T3 or T4. ConclusionThe finding that acute psychosocial stress is able to elicit a significant increase in TSH is relevant to our understanding of a number of stress-related illnesses presenting with abnormalities of the HPT axis.

Interactions between Partnership Quality, Life Satisfaction and Partnership Stability of Mothers with Underage Children - A Ten-Year Follow-up Study

Although a stable and satisfactory relationship is an important aim in life, every third marriage is currently being divorced. Life satisfaction as well as the transition to parenthood seem to be significant factors. Therefore, the current longitudinal study examines the association between relationship quality, stability, life satisfaction of mothers and other family characteristics over a ten-year period. Longitudinal data from N=249 mothers were analyzed in terms of partnership stability, quality, life satisfaction and other variables using regression analyses. Mother's satisfaction with life remained relatively stable over 10 years, while relationship quality decreased significantly over time. Especially the interindividual life satisfaction seemed to be a significant predictor for long-term partnership quality, mental health of mother and child, social status and critical life events. The initial relationship quality also appeared to be a significant predictor for the perceived life satisfaction and mothers' mental health. Only marginal correlations were found between life satisfaction and partnership stability. This study shows bidirectional associations between relationship quality and life satisfaction over the course of 10 years. Especially life satisfaction seemed to have an impact on diverse family factors. The findings should be used to develop new or existing prevention and intervention programs for partnership, whereas life satisfaction of the individual should be spotlighted.

Anxiety and depression in young adult German cancer patients: Time course and associated factors.

Cancer in young adulthood is a nonnormative and critical life event. The experience of having cancer can have a strong impact on the mental health of young adults. This study investigated anxiety and depression in young adult cancer patients, examining changes over time and determining associated factors. Young cancer patients (18-39 years at time of diagnosis, diagnosis less than 4 years) were examined. Anxiety and depression were measured at two time points (t2 = 12 months after t1) using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Regression analyses were conducted to determine whether sociodemographic, medical, and/or psychosocial factors (social support, adjustment to the illness, unmet supportive care needs) were associated with patients' anxiety and depression. Five hundred fourteen young cancer patients (mean age 29.6 years, 75.1% women) completed both questionnaires. A higher proportion showed elevated levels of anxiety (t1: 42.2%; t2: 45.3%) than of depression (t1: 16.9%; t2: 17.7%), and no significant changes in anxiety and depression levels over time were observed. Psychosocial factors explained a major proportion of the variances for anxiety and depression levels at both time points (adjusted R2 between.50 and.59). Furthermore, significant associations were found for anxiety (t1) with gender (women↑); anxiety (t2) and depression (t2) with sick leave (sick leave yes↑); depression (t2) with time since diagnosis (longer time↑). Psychological distress among adolescents and young adults (AYA) manifests particularly as anxiety. Strong associations between anxiety/depression and psychosocial factors, as well as the stability of psychological distress over time, clearly illustrate the need for psycho-oncological care in this patient group.

Job insecurity and performance over time: the critical role of job insecurity duration

PurposeResearch on the relationship between job insecurity and job performance has thus far yielded inconclusive results. The purpose of this paper is to offer a more dynamic perspective on the effects of job insecurity on job performance.Design/methodology/approachDrawing from cognitive appraisal theory, research on critical life events, and stress reactions as well as more general theorizing around the role of time, this paper proposes that individuals’ job performance reactions to job insecurity will be dynamic over time.FindingsAdopting a person-centered perspective, this paper suggests that there are seven subpopulations that differ in their intra-individual job performance change patterns over time.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper presents potential predictors of subpopulation membership and presents an agenda for future research.Originality/valueWe contribute to the literature by introducing a dynamic perspective to the study of job performance in the context of job insecurity. Delineating a set of open questions that follow from the presented theoretical arguments, the authors also hope to stimulate future research in the context of job insecurity and job performance.

Understanding pathways to stimulant use: a mixed-methods examination of the individual, social and cultural factors shaping illicit stimulant use across Europe (ATTUNE): study protocol

IntroductionAmphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) including amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine/‘ecstasy’, methamphetamine, synthetic cathinones and ‘Ritalin’ are the second most commonly used illicit drugs globally. Yet, there is little evidence on which factors are associated...

Health and Well-being of Young People in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam: Life Course Impacts

Using data from four waves of the Young Lives longitudinal survey, we follow the lives of 3,064 eight-year-old children over 12 years in four developing countries (Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam) to explore the links between children’s lives and their health and wellbeing in early adulthood. We apply a novel combination of sequence analysis with clustering and difference-in-differences estimation techniques to identify links between health and wellbeing outcomes in early adulthood and six distinct clusters grouping similar life course pathways. The latter are characterised by family living conditions, economic status and experience of critical life events (including economic shocks). Our results indicate that there were significant differences in health and wellbeing between children in the most advantaged and less advantaged clusters. These wellbeing gaps all narrowed over time but only completely closed for one cluster. In contrast, only some of the initial health gaps narrowed. These results suggest that policy aimed at improving health and wellbeing outcomes in early adulthood needs to focus on supporting disadvantaged young children.

Educational potential of critical life events from the point of view of biographical learning

The article contains deliberations on the subject of adult learning as a result of breaking points in people’s lives. It is based on Fritz Schütze and Gerhard Riemann’s concept of the trajectory, trying to show the educational potential of critical life events. The paper constitutes an illustration about learning and biography. The analysis concerns an individual who experienced domestic violence, was separated from her family of origin by being placed in a care and educational institution, whose life was additionally complicated by teenage pregnancy and motherhood. The analysis of the narrative makes it possible to see two dimensions of the relationship between learning and biography – learning from the experiences we face during life and biographical learning (or learning from a biography).

Psychosocial Correlates of Resilience Among Older Adults in Mexico

There is a tremendous global increase in the older adults’ population. Mental health in older age is as important in as it is for other age categories. Majority of older adults show healthy states, vitality, good humor and enthusiasm in performing various activities, interest in continuing to contribute to their family and society despite the difficulties of this stage of life due to large part to resilience they have. The aim of the study was to establish social and psychosocial factors associated with resilience. A cross-sectional and correlation study was conducted on older adults who were hospitalized in a public General Hospital of Mexico in 2013. Resilience, gender, occupation, family environment, self-esteem, presence of critical life events, and the presence of significant persons were assessed. 186 older adults participated. Higher levels of resilience were found in males and employed people. Participants with a functional family and high self-esteem had the highest levels of resilience. Besides, 15% of the variance of the total resilience score was explained by family environment, and 27% was explained by self-esteem (p&lt;0.05). Although all participants were older adults, individual characteristics such as gender, occupation and self-esteem; besides family environment, were found to be associated to the levels of resilience in this population. Specific programs- -enhancing these factors are needed to improve resilience.

RELIGIOUSNESS AND SPIRITUALITY IN COPING WITH A DISABILITY OF THE RELATIVES: QUALITATIVE STUDY

The diagnosis of disability is always a critical and negative life event both for individual and family members. In many cases, this leads to complex psychological problems. The aim of this research was to add more understanding of the domain by using a interactional ethnographic approach to learn do (and how) spirituality and religion help individuals impacted by the relative person’s disability survive and cope successfully with their lives in spite of overwhelming despair. Interactional ethnographic approach was chosen for this research. The results revealed that spirituality and religion help in creating emotinal well-being, in finding and keeping hope. They help to make sence of disability and accept the disability. While participating in religious communities adds much to the emotional well-being and gives support from the community.

Medical patients' affective well-being after emergency department admission: The role of personal and social resources and health-related variables.

BackgroundMedical emergency admissions are critical life events associated with considerable stress. However, research on patients’ affective well-being after emergency department (ED) admission is scarce. This study investigated the course of affective well-being of medical patients following an ED admission and examined the role of personal and social resources and health-related variables.MethodsIn this longitudinal survey with a sample of 229 patients with lower respiratory tract infections and cardiac diseases (taken between October 2013 and December 2014), positive and negative affect was measured at ED admission (T1) and at follow-up after 7 days (T2), and 30 days (T3). The role of personal and social resources (emotional stability, trait resilience, affect state, and social support) as well as health-related variables (self-rated health, multimorbidity, and psychological comorbidity) in patients’ affective well-being was examined by controlling for demographic characteristics using regression analyses.ResultsThe strength of the inverse correlation between positive and negative affect decreased over time. In addition to health-related variables, higher negative affect was predicted by higher psychological comorbidity over time (T1–T3). In turn, lower positive affect was predicted by lower self-rated health (T1–T2) and higher multimorbidity (T3). In terms of personal and social resources, lower negative affect was predicted by higher emotional stability (T2), whereas higher positive affect was predicted by stronger social support (T1–T2).ConclusionKnowledge about psychosocial determinants–personal and social resources and health-related variables–of patients’ affective well-being following ED admission is essential for designing more effective routine screening and treatment.

What Alters the Experience of Emerging Adulthood? How the Experience of Emerging Adulthood Differs According to Socioeconomic Status and Critical Life Events

The present mixed-methods study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the experience of emerging adulthood (EA). In Study 1, the associations among SES, EA, and critical life events (CLEs) were explored. CLEs were examined as a mediator between SES and EA in a German sample ( N = 3,269). Participants’ educational attainment, SES, and occupation-related prestige were associated with the experience of EA. For example, lower SES was associated with higher perceived instability, with more experienced CLEs mediating this relationship. Lower SES was associated with a higher number of CLEs, which, for example, was related to more focus on others. In Study 2, interview data from emerging adults with low educational attainment who were engaged in vocational training ( N = 12) were analyzed. In addition to reporting many CLEs, themes regarding their perception of their current life phase were established, indicating that low-SES youth experience aspects of EA as well.

Associations Between Socio-Economic Status and Child Health: Findings of a Large German Cohort Study.

The familial social background of a child can significantly impact their behavior and health. We investigated associations between socio-economic status (SES) and health parameters and behaviors in German children and adolescents. Data were collected between 2011 and 2018 in the framework of the LIFE Child study. Participants included 2998 children aged 3–18 years. SES was represented by an index combining information on parental education, occupation, and income. Associations between SES and health outcomes were estimated using linear and logistic regression analyses. In a moderator analysis, all associations were checked for interactions between SES and age or sex. A higher SES composite score was associated with better health (lower body mass index (β = −0.26), fewer behavioral difficulties (β = −0.18), higher quality of life (β = 0.21), fewer critical life events (odds ratio (OR) = 0.93); all p < 0.05) and a healthier lifestyle (healthier nutrition (β = 0.16), less excessive television use (OR = 0.87), less nicotine consumption (OR = 0.93), and more physical activity (OR = 1.18); all p < 0.05). However, SES was not associated with alcohol consumption (OR = 1.02) or sleep problems (β = −0.04). The strengths of the associations between SES and child health did not differ depending on SES indicator (education, occupation, income). The associations between SES and parent-reported behavioral difficulties and physical activity were stronger in older vs. younger children. In contrast, none of the observed associations were moderated by sex. This study highlights the strong association between socio-economic status and child health, even in modern Western societies.

Time ≠ Time ≠ Time: A Research Agenda Mental Temporal Accounting and the Opening of Contract Theory for Work-Leisure Trade-Off Attention

Time tacts life. While all human face the same natural constraints of 24-hours days, behavioral economics found individuals differing in discounting preference for immediate rewards over delayed gratification. Regarding monetary gains, individuals were also shown to hold mental accounts dependent on a reference point but also in regards as to how to allocate money to causes individuals care about. But what if individuals also differ in mental temporal accounts, hence regarding how to spend their time? Decision makers may have natural mental temporal accounts for how to spend 24 hours a day, 720 hours a month, 8760 hours a year or 700800 hours an average life? Could it be that individuals have implicit mental accounts for how much time to spend on their own, how much time to be allocated towards working and how much time to just enjoy life in leisure? If so, could individuals be susceptible to external cues that nudge them into certain mental time-frames that determine their mental time allocation preferences? Could this mental accounting also depend on reference points, such as the age of the individual and critical life events, such as becoming parents? If individuals differ in time spent on their own and social time but also vary in their choices of time spent working and leisure time, we would need to revise contract theory’s primary focus on incentivizing with monetary gains and call for attention to a natural mental temporal accounting trade-off decision between work and leisure time. By doing so we could show that the classical mental accounting theory (Thaler, 1999) actually describes similar processes as mental temporal accounting how to spend time but also dependent on the reference point of age. The paper is structured as follows: The theoretical part 2 describes the behavioral economics idea of mental accounting in the finance domain (Section 2.1) as well as hyperbolic discounting deviations from standard neoclassical discounting functions (Section 2.2.) in order to extend these concepts in the domain of time in Section 2.3. Part 3 proposes to study (1) whether mental accounting also occurs for time; (2) time allocation preferences based on economic, social and environmental contexts as well as age; (3) how individuals can be nudged into different time allocation preferences based on specific mindsets. Part 4 discusses the results and calls for an opening of (1) the behavioral economics idea of the classical mental accounting theory (Thaler, 1999) (2) connecting it to mental temporal accounting as well as (3) neoclassical contract theory for work-leisure time trade-offs alongside providing future research prospects. Elucidating how contexts and experiencing critical life stages influence temporal activity allocation choices promises to improve manifold decisions on education, health, asset management, career paths and common goods preservation throughout life.

Validating Psychometric Questionnaires Using Experience-Sampling Data: The Case of Nightmare Distress.

Nightmares are a comparatively frequent phenomenon. They are often accompanied by emotional distress and gain clinical relevance when recurrent. To assess how much distress nightmares cause the individual, the Nightmare Distress Questionnaire (NDQ, Belicki, 1992) is probably the most often used measure. However, its validity is still disputed. To analyze the validity of the proposed three NDQ subscales in more detail, we conducted an experience sampling study, gathering data either in real-time or short retrospective timeframes over the course of 22 days twice per day (N = 92 participants). The measurements were implemented via a mobile app using participants’ own smartphones. Besides the dream quality, we assessed concepts on a daily basis that past research found to be related to dreams. These included critical life events, alcohol consumption, eating behavior, and well-being. We found that only the subscales “general nightmare distress” and “impact on sleep” showed convergent as well as divergent validity. The validity of the subscale “impact on daily reality perception” is unclear. If at all, this subscale is rather indirectly associated with nightmare distress. Furthermore, all of the NDQ items did not differentiate between a bad dream and a nightmare, which suggests that the NDQ might rather be a measure of negative dreams in general and not nightmares in particular. Based on the present experience sampling design, we propose to advance the validation process by further possibilities, such as an item-level, person-level, and multi-level approach. This approach seems to be especially fruitful for concepts which are not very salient (e.g., laughter), can hardly be remembered retrospectively (e.g., dream content), or are potentially threatened by recall biases (e.g., alcohol consumption).

Health and socioeconomic circumstances over three generations as predictors of youth unemployment trajectories.

BackgroundYouth unemployment is a critical life event, which may trigger other labour market-related disadvantages and detrimental health implications. To better understand the processes causing unemployment, we study how socioeconomic circumstances of successive generations and familial and health factors in adolescence predict youth unemployment trajectories between ages 16 and 28 in Finland from 2000 to 2009.MethodsWe used survey data from 1979 to 1997 on 12- to 18-year-old Finns (n = 43 238) linked with 1970–2009 registry-based data of their grandparents, parents and themselves. Growth mixture modelling and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used.ResultsThree latent youth unemployment trajectories emerged; low (46%), decreasing (38%) and high (16%) risk groups. Of adolescent factors, low school achievement was the most important predictor of youth unemployment followed by smoking, stress symptoms and poor self-rated health. Grandparents’ education predicted their grandchildren’s unemployment but the effects of other grandparental socioeconomic circumstances mediated through parents’ socioeconomic status (SES). Parents’ low SES and education, and long-term unemployment increased the risk of the child’s unemployment. Youth unemployment was related to low education at the age of 29.ConclusionGrandparents’ education, family socioeconomic circumstances and adolescents’ health and school achievement predict the developmental trajectory of youth unemployment. Youth unemployment is also related to low education in early adulthood. Our findings suggest that the health selection of unemployment works already in adolescence.

Association between acute critical life events and the speed of onset of depressive episodes in male and female depressed patients

BackgroundA series of studies indicate that a fast onset of a depressive episode (within 7 days) is a clinical variable useful for indicating bipolarity even when no manic episode has occurred to date. The role of acute critical life events as an external trigger for a fast onset of the depression is unclear so far. Therefore, aim of this investigation was to analyse the effects of acute critical life events on the speed of onset of depressive episodes.MethodsSpeed of onset of depression was assessed using the patient interview “Onset of Depression Inventory”. Acute critical life events occurring within the last 6 months before the onset of first depressive symptoms were assessed using the Munich Interview for the Assessment of Life Events and Conditions.Results96 of 100 (96.0%) patients had at least one acute critical life event within six months prior to first symptoms of a depressive episode. 22 patients (22.0%) had a fast onset of depression (≤ 7 days). Faster onset of the current depressive episode was significantly associated with a higher number of acute minor life events (β = − 0.23; p = 0.02), but overall fast onset of a depressive episode was not significantly associated with more acute critical life events in the six months before the onset of the depression. The association between the number of acute critical life events in the half-year period preceding the onset of unipolar depressive disorders and speed of onset for the current depressive episode was neither dependent from gender nor the presence of prior depressive episodes.ConclusionsSpeed of onset of depression is not strongly influenced by external trigger e.g. acute critical life events.

Which individual, social and environmental influences shape key phases in the amphetamine type stimulant use trajectory? A systematic narrative review and thematic synthesis of the qualitative literature.

Background and aimsThere is limited evidence on what shapes amphetamine‐type stimulant (ATS) use trajectories. This systematic narrative review and qualitative synthesis aimed to identify individual, social and environmental influences shaping key phases in the ATS use trajectory: initiation, continuation, increase/relapse and decrease/abstinence.MethodsMEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and PROQUEST (social science premium collection) were searched from 2000 to 2018. Studies of any qualitative design were eligible for inclusion. Extracted data were analysed according to four key phases within drug pathways, and then cross‐analysed for individual, social and environmental influences.ResultsForty‐four papers based on 39 unique studies were included, reporting the views of 1879 ATS users. Participants were aged 14–58 years, from varied socio‐economic and demographic groups, and located in North America, Europe, Australasia and South East Asia. Reasons for initiation included: to boost performance at work and in sexual relationships, promote a sense of social ‘belonging’ and help manage stress. Similar reasons motivated continued use, combined with the challenge of managing withdrawal effects in long‐term users. Increased tolerance and/or experiencing a critical life event contributed to an increase in use. Reasons for decrease focused on: increased awareness of the negative health impacts of long‐term use, disconnecting from social networks or relationships and financial instability.ConclusionsAmphetamine‐type stimulant users are a highly diverse population, and their drug use careers are shaped by a complex dynamic of individual, social and environmental factors. Tailored, joined‐up interventions are needed to address users’ overlapping economic, health and social care needs in order to support long‐term abstinence.