Effects Of Negative Life Events Research Articles

The combined effect of norepinephrine transporter gene and negative life events in major depression of Chinese Han population

The aim of the present study was to detect the combined effect of negative life events and the norepinephrine transporter (NET) gene on the development of major depression (MD) in a Chinese population. We recruited 388 unrelated patients affected with MD and 388 healthy controls in this study. The score of 32 was used as a cut-off value for grouping the negative life events into the severe and moderate forms using the Life Events Scale (LES). SNPs including rs2242446 and rs5569 of the NET gene were genotyped. The chi-square (chi (2)) test showed allelic association for the T-182C polymorphism (chi (2) = 6.46, corrected P = 0.011) and also showed genotypic association (chi (2) = 6.87, corrected P = 0.034). Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) showed that the interaction between the rs2242446-rs5569 combination and negative life events had a CV consistency of 10 and PE of 0.3487. Compared with those having both T-G-MN combination used as reference group, we found that the OR scaled up from 1 to 7.39 (95%CI 3.40-16.06) in the C-A-SN group. The present study suggests that the combined effect of rs2242446 and rs5569 in the NET gene could modify the response to the negative life events in triggering MD.

Personality and Life Events as Predictors of Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction: Do Life Events Mediate the Link Between Personality and Life Satisfaction?

This study examined the association among personality traits, life events and life satisfaction, and the underlying pathways from personality traits to life satisfaction. A total of 1,961 adolescents were recruited from 21 secondary schools in Hong Kong. The adolescent version of the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI-A), the Chinese Adolescent Life Events Checklist (CALEC) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) were employed to assess their personality, life events and life satisfaction, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed there was an additional value of the indigenously derived scales of CPAI-A, including the Family Orientation, Harmony and Ren-Qing scales, in predicting life satisfaction beyond the universal personality traits. Results also indicated that there was a partial mediation effect of negative life events on personality traits in the prediction of life satisfaction.

Negative life events and stability of sense of coherence: A five‐year follow‐up study of Finnish women and men

A strong sense of coherence (SOC) is found to be associated with good mental health. This study investigated (1) whether negative life events affect level of SOC, (2) whether initial level of SOC modifies the effect of negative life events on SOC, and (3) whether stability of SOC differs between genders. The data were derived from the 15-year Health and Social Support study (N= 17,271). Ordinary linear regression analysis was used. Negative life events decreased the level of SOC among both genders irrespective of the timing of the event. The more recent the life event, the lower the SOC. A strong SOC in 1998 did not protect SOC from declining during follow-up. Specific gender differences were not discovered. SOC was related to negative changes in people's environment. Initially strong SOC was not more stable than initially mediocre or weak SOC. Men and women reacted quite similarly to negative life events.

Major depression in Chinese Americans

This study examined the relationship between recent negative life events, level of acculturation and other psychosocial risk factors in predicting major depression in Chinese Americans. Data were collected on 1,747 Chinese immigrants and native-born residents of the United States (ages 18-65) who resided in Los Angeles County between 1993 and 1994. Findings indicated that a positive psychiatric history increased risk for major depression at Time 2, while social conflicts and traumatic life events moderated the effects of negative life events in increasing risk for major depression. In addition, level of acculturation moderated the effects of recent negative events in increasing risk, but only for those who were more highly acculturated. The importance of testing the cross-cultural applicability of the stress-vulnerability hypothesis among ethnic minorities and extending them to include immigrant vulnerabilities is discussed.

Negative Life Events: Risk to Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Youth With HIV Infection

Children and youth with perinatally acquired HIV infection are living longer because of improved drug therapies, but they may be at risk for poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes because of nondisease factors. Families affected by HIV disease are more likely to experience major negative life events (NLEs). The effects of NLEs, shown to impact HRQOL in children with other chronic illnesses, have not been evaluated in children with HIV infection. The primary objective of this study was to determine if NLEs occurring in the previous 12 months were associated with increased risk for poorer outcomes in three measures of HRQOL (health perception, behavior problems, and symptom distress) in a cohort of children and youth with HIV infection. The authors conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data determined in 1999 from 1,018 children and youth 5 to 21 years of age enrolled in a longitudinal follow-up study. Multivariate logistic regressions estimated the odds for worse HRQOL outcomes. Children and youth with one or more NLEs had significantly lower health perceptions, more behavior problems, and greater symptom distress than children with no reported NLEs. The occurrence of NLEs may present a significant nondisease risk for diminished HRQOL among children and youth challenged by HIV disease. Nursing efforts to support these younger patients and their families sustaining major family disruption caused by NLEs may improve overall health outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Positive Parenting as a Protective Resource for Parentally Bereaved Children

ABSTRACT Positive parenting was examined as a protective resource against the adverse effects of negative life events on parentally bereaved children's mental health problems. The sample consisted of 313 recently bereaved children ages 8 to 16 and their current caregiver. Both the compensatory (direct effect independent of negative life events) and the stress-buffer (interactive effect with negative life events) protective resource models were examined and child gender was explored as a moderator of both models. Results revealed evidence for the compensatory protective resource model for both child and caregiver reports of mental health problems. No evidence of the stress-buffer model or child gender as a moderator was found. Implications for the understanding of children's responses to the death of a parent and the development and implementation of preventive interventions are discussed.

The developmental origins of cognitive vulnerability to depression: Temperament, parenting, and negative life events in childhood as contributors to negative cognitive style.

Cognitive models of depression have been well supported with adults, but the developmental origins of cognitive vulnerability are not well understood. The authors hypothesized that temperament, parenting, and negative life events in childhood would contribute to the development of cognitive style, with withdrawal negativity and negative parental feedback moderating the effects of negative life events to predict more depressogenic cognitive styles. These constructs were assessed in 289 children and their parents followed longitudinally from infancy to 5th grade; a subsample (n = 120) also participated in a behavioral task in which maternal feedback to child failure was observed. Results indicated that greater withdrawal negativity in interaction with negative life events was associated with more negative cognitive styles. Self-reported maternal anger expression and observed negative maternal feedback to child's failure significantly interacted with child's negative events to predict greater cognitive vulnerability. There was little evidence of paternal parenting predicting child negative cognitive style.

Role of early stress in the individual differences in host response to viral infection

Early negative life events, especially during the neonatal period, resulted in long lasting, irreversible effects on well being. The goal of the following study was to examine the lifelong effects of neonatal stress on the response to an influenza viral infection. Mouse pups were repeatedly separated from their dams between postnatal days 1–14 (maternal separation, MSP). As adults, these mice were infected with influenza A/PR8 virus and lung cytokine and plasma corticosterone responses to the viral infection were measured. The results indicated that MSP augmented several aspects of the response to infection. First, infection-induced lung proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α) mRNA expression was higher in MSP mice compared to controls. In addition, MSP augmented infection-induced lung IL-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ, but had no effect on IL-18 mRNA. Interestingly, MSP-induced increase in IL-1, TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA expression was evident in females, but not in males. These findings suggest that MSP disrupted the regulation of innate resistance resulting in enhanced cytokine responses in the lungs during an infectious challenge. These changes in host response to the viral infection were accompanied by an increase in viral replication in lungs of MSP mice. Interestingly, influenza-induced corticosterone secretion was blunted in MSP mice, suggesting that the increase in immune reactivity to the virus was due to lack of glucocorticoid feedback control. These data demonstrate that neonatal stress has implications for host resistance to infection throughout life. Thus, long lasting effects of negative life events on health and disease may be the basis for the individual differences in host susceptibility to infection.

Negative Life Events Associated With Deliberate Self-Harm in an African Population in Uganda

Negative life events associated with deliberate self-harm (DSH) were investigated in an African context in Uganda. Patients admitted at three general hospitals in Kampala, Uganda were interviewed using a Luganda version (predominant language in the study area) of the European Parasuicide Study Interview Schedule I. The results of the life events and histories module are reported in this paper. The categories of negative life events in childhood that were significantly associated with DSH included those related to parents, significant others, personal events, and the total negative life events load in childhood. For the later-life time period, the negative life events load in the partner category and the total negative life events in this time period were associated with DSH. In the last-year time period, the negative life events load related to personal events and the total number of negative life events in this time period were associated with DSH. A statistically significant difference between the cases and controls for the total number of negative life events reported over the entire lifetime of the respondents was also observed, which suggests a dose effect of negative life events on DSH. Gender differences were also observed among the cases. In conclusion, life events appear to be an important factor in DSH in this cultural environment. The implication of these results for treatment and the future development of suicide interventions in this country are discussed.

Maternal Coping Skills as a Moderator Between Depression and Stressful Life Events: Effects on Children's Behavioral Problems in an Intervention Program

In this study, I report secondary analyses using data from the Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP). The IHDP included parent-targeted as well as child-targeted components as an integral part of early intervention programs. I examined three questions: (1) Do the IHDP early intervention services enhance adaptive maternal coping skills? (2) Do maternal coping skills moderate the relationship between stressful life events and maternal depression? (3) Are maternal coping skills associated with children's behavioral scores? Mothers in the treatment group have more adaptive coping skills than follow-up only mothers, and these effects are moderated by maternal characteristics. Adaptive coping skills moderate the effects of negative life events on maternal depression. Adaptive maternal coping skills are significantly associated with fewer behavioral problems for children at age three. These effects are moderated by the intervention. Implications for early intervention programs are discussed.

The role of emotionality and self-regulation in the appraisal–coping process: tests of direct and moderating effects

Temperament negative emotionality, positive emotionality, and self-regulation were investigated as predictors of children's appraisal and coping styles and adjustment problems in a community sample of children (8–12 years, N=101). Mother and child reports of negative life events, temperament, and adjustment problems were obtained, and children reported on their threat and positive appraisals, active and avoidant coping styles. Negative emotionality was positively associated with threat appraisals, avoidant coping, and adjustment problems above the effects of negative life events. Self-regulation predicted more active coping and lower adjustment problems. Contrary to prediction, positive emotionality was not related to positive appraisals or active coping, but predicted lower adjustment problems independently of those variables. The results suggest that negative emotionality engenders a style of appraisal and coping that exacerbates the effects of stress, whereas self-regulation may mitigate the effects of stress on children's adjustment problems.

Pessimistic Bias in Comparative Evaluations: A Case of Perceived Vulnerability to the Effects of Negative Life Events

This study tested the hypothesis that unrealistic pessimism characterizes comparative estimates of coping ability. Participants rated their ability to adjust to a range of negative life events in comparison to the abilities of other same-sex students at their college. Most coping estimates showed signs of unrealistic pessimism, in that students rated their own abilities as worse than those of other same-sex students. Analyses indicated that this effect was due, in part, to the presence of an egocentric bias and, in part, to the absence of a self-enhancement bias. First, pessimism appeared to arise because participants paid more attention to the difficulties that they would have coping with severe misfortunes than they paid to the difficulties that others would have. Second, pessimism appeared to arise because participants were not motivated to enhance their coping appraisals, given that they were optimistic that they would not experience these events in the future.

Effects of negative life events on immune suppression in children and youth infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

To evaluate the association of negative stressful life events experienced over 12 months and the risk of moderate to severe immune suppression among children and youth infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Longitudinal study of 618 HIV-1-infected children, baseline ages 1 to 20 years (mean age: 6.4 years), who completed 52 weeks of participation in the Pediatric Late Outcomes Study (Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 219). Severity of immune suppression was indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pediatric HIV Disease Classification System, based on CD4 percentages. The total number of negative life events-categorized as none, 1, or >1 life event reported as having occurred in the previous 12 months (previous 6 months for children <3 years of age)-was the predictor variable. Multiple logistic regressions were estimated to assess the relationship of negative life events and immune suppression at outcome, controlling for baseline measures of immune suppression, continuous CD4%, negative life events, age, race/ethnicity, gender, primary caretaker, education level of caretaker, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome status. At week 52, 379 subjects (61% of total study population) had moderate to severe immune suppression. Of 275 children with normal immune function at baseline, 68 (24.7%) subsequently developed moderate to severe suppression levels by week 52 of follow-up. Of 343 children with immune suppression at baseline, 32 (9.2%) had recovered to normal CD4% levels by week 52. More than 1 negative life event was associated with an increased risk (prevalence) of immune suppression (odds ratio [OR]: 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44,5.31), controlling for baseline CD4%, total life events, and other covariates. Children without immune suppression at baseline who experienced >1 negative life event had an increased incidence of immune suppression (OR: 2.93; 95% CI: 1.34,6.39), controlling for baseline covariates. Results indicate that negative stressful life events increase the risk of children with HIV-1 infection having impaired immune function. Further research is needed to identify potential mechanisms of the relationship between stressful life events and impaired immune function. These mechanisms include psychoneuroendocrinologic response and difficulties in adherence to therapy after exposure of a child to major negative life events.

Life Events, Neighborhood Stress, Psychosocial Functioning, and Alcohol Use Among Urban Minority Youth

ABSTRACT This study examined personal life events and neighborhood stress as determinants of alcohol use among urban, minority youth. Personal events included disruptive and beneficial life experiences, whereas neighborhood stress assessed gang involvement and perceived neighborhood toughness. Analyses were constructed to examine the ability of several key measures of psychosocial functioning to moderate relations between life events, neighborhood stress, and alcohol use. Positive outcomes (e.g., family communication) and internal health locus of control buffered the effects of negative life events on alcohol use. High levels of absenteeism exacerbated the effects of neighborhood stress on alcohol use. Both positive and negative life events and neighborhood stress uniquely predicted alcohol use controlling for risk, gender, and ethnicity. Findings are discussed in terms of extending current etiology models to include stressful life events and contextual factors as predictors of early-stage alcohol use.

The influence of social class, strain and social support on symptoms of anxiety and depression in mothers of toddlers.

The aim of the study was to identify risk and protective factors for anxiety and depression among mothers of toddlers. A population-based sample of 921 Norwegian mothers with 18-month-old children completed a questionnaire designed to examine the impact of socioeconomic and demographic factors, somatic health problems, negative life events, chronic strain and social support on symptoms of anxiety and depression (HSCL-25). There was a moderate aversive effect of negative life events and chronic strain and a moderate protective effect of social support on the symptom level, but no interaction effects were found between the risk and protective factors. Behaviour problems among the children clearly seemed to affect the mothers' symptom level. The symptom level varied with background factors like the mothers' education, employment status and age even after controlling for the effect of strain and social support. The largest effect of the background factors seemed to be indirect, however, mediated through their effect on the risk and protective factors. Although problems with the children's behaviour and child care arrangements were observed to have a strong impact on the mothers' symptom level, the frequencies of such problems appeared to be less dependent on socioeconomic conditions than did other types of strain.

An exploration into the nature, frequency and impact of school hassles in the middle school years

This study set out to explore the nature of hassles at school for students in Year 6 and Year 7 and to examine the degree to which these are associated with emotional and behavioural problems. Two hundred and ten students from 12 classrooms in Canberra, Australia, were surveyed to obtain reports of school hassles experienced over a 6-month period. There was little support for hypotheses positing particular gender differences. Instead, boys reported more school-related hassles at home. Year effects were also contrary to expectations: pupils in Year 6 reported more hassles with peers and were bothered more by hassles with peers and teachers than students in Year 7. Path models showed some congruence with stress theories which posit that major life events increase the risk of children to experience hassles in their daily lives and that the effect of negative life events is mediated by hassles and their appraisal. Future research into these hassles may have implications for prevention, as already demonstrated in the area of bullying and teasing.

Stressful Life Events and Personality Styles: Relation to Impairment and Treatment Outcome in Patients with Social Phobia

Forty-five patients with social phobia and 15 individuals with no mental disorder were compared on number and type of life events experienced. Social phobia patients were further examined to evaluate the effect of negative life events and of the interaction between personality style and life events on severity of impairment and reactions to cognitive-behavioral group therapy. Patients with social phobia reported more negative life events than participants with no mental disorder. Among patients with social phobia, more frequent negative life events were associated with higher scores on measures of depression and general anxiety. Patients high on autonomy who reported more negative autonomous (i.e., achievement-oriented) life events also scored higher on measures of social anxiety and general anxiety. There were no significant interactions between sociotropy and the frequency of reported socially oriented negative life events. However, patients high on sociotropy scored higher on measures of social anxiety, depression, and general anxiety. Patients who had experienced more negative life events improved more after treatment on measures of social anxiety than did those who had experienced fewer negative life events. Implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Gender, general strain, and delinquency: An empirical examination*

Despite an increase of research on general strain theory (GST), an empirical analysis investigating potential differences between males and females has not been conducted. Here we conduct univariate and multivariate comparisons between males and females to assess whether significant differences exist across groups. In longitudinal models predicting delinquent behavior, we find evidence of the positive effect of strain on subsequent delinquency net of other predictors. Moreover, in comparing the effects of predictors across groups, we find evidence that the effects of GST-related predictors do not differ between males and females at conventional levels of significance. In focusing on crime-specific effects for violent and property-related delinquency, however, we find some evidence of gender differences in the effects of negative life events and experiences on subsequent delinquency. We discuss future directions for examining the gendered nature of delinquent behavior from a GST perspective.

Life events, relationship quality, and depression: an investigation of judgment discontinuity in vivo.

Relationships among stressful life events, negative affect, and judged quality of intimate relationships were explored. Three studies and a mini-meta-analysis revealed that as negative life events increased, judgments of close relationships gradually became less favorable, jumped back toward positivity, and then, again, gradually became less favorable. The same methods of analysis revealed a relationship between negative life events and negative affect with no evidence of significant discontinuities. Moreover, the correlation between relationship satisfaction and negative affect (with negative events held constant), was maximized at the point of relationship-judgment discontinuity. Although the findings are complex, they are consistent with the authors' theoretical account and represent an initial attempt to conceptualize the effect of negative life events in light of the recent social judgment literature.

Life stress, social support and psychological distress in late adolescence.

Psychological distress in high-school students was examined in relation to negative life events, long-lasting adversities and perceived social support from the family, friends and the school class. Academic problems increased the symptom levels of psychological distress, and social support from family and social support from friends reduced the symptoms among males and females. For females, social support from school class-mates and problems with parents and friends also had direct independent effects on symptom levels. An effect of the total number of long-lasting adversities was significantly stronger for females than males. The buffer hypothesis was supported: both an increase in social support from parents and social support from peers reduced the effect of negative life events.