Effects Of Stressful Life Events Research Articles

Humility, stressful life events, and psychological well-being: Findings from the landmark spirituality and health survey

A growing body of research suggests that people who are more humble tend to enjoy better physical and mental health than individuals who are less humble. The next step in moving this literature forward involves explaining and empirically demonstrating how the potentially beneficial effects of humility arise. The purpose of this study is to address this issue by seeing whether humility buffers the effects of stressful life events on four measures of well-being: happiness, life satisfaction, depressed affect, and generalized anxiety disorder. Data from a new nationwide survey (N = 3010) suggest that the magnitude of the negative relationship between stressful life events and all four measures of well-being is reduced among people who are more humble. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and stressful life events in melancholic childhood-onset depression.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphisms have been examined for their contribution toward depression with equivocal results. More homogeneous phenotypes might be used to improve our understanding of genetic liability to depression. The aim of our study was to (a) test for an association between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and childhood-onset melancholic depression and (b) to examine the interactive effects of stressful life events (SLE) and the Val66Met polymorphism on the risk of childhood-onset melancholic depression. A total of 583 depressed probands were involved in this study (162 of the melancholic subtype). Diagnoses were derived through the Interview Schedule for Children and Adolescents - Diagnostic Version and life event data were collected using an Intake General Information Sheet. Overall, 27.8% of the participants fulfilled the criteria for melancholy. In the melancholic group, the proportion of females was higher (53.1%), although there were more males in the overall depressed sample. We detected no significant differences in genotype or allele frequency between the melancholic and the nonmelancholic depressed group. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and SLE interaction was not significantly associated with the melancholy outcome. In our study, females were more prone to developing the early-onset melancholic phenotype. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the differentiating effect of the genotype and the G×E interaction on the melancholic phenotype in a large sample of depressed young patients. We did not find an association between the melancholic subtype of major depression and the BDNF genotype and SLE interaction in this sample, which is representative of the Hungarian clinic-referred population of depressed youths.

Optimism and well-being: a prospective multi-method and multi-dimensional examination of optimism as a resilience factor following the occurrence of stressful life events

ABSTRACTOptimism has been conceptualised variously as positive expectations (PE) for the future , optimistic attributions , illusion of control , and self-enhancing biases. Relatively little research has examined these multiple dimensions of optimism in relation to psychological and physical health. The current study assessed the multi-dimensional nature of optimism within a prospective vulnerability-stress framework. Initial principal component analyses revealed the following dimensions: PEs, Inferential Style (IS), Sense of Invulnerability (SI), and Overconfidence (O). Prospective follow-up analyses demonstrated that PE was associated with fewer depressive episodes and moderated the effect of stressful life events on depressive symptoms. SI also moderated the effect of life stress on anxiety symptoms. Generally, our findings indicated that optimism is a multifaceted construct and not all forms of optimism have the same effects on well-being. Specifically, our findings indicted that PE may be the most relevant to depression, whereas SI may be the most relevant to anxiety.

Take your mind off it: Coping style, serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region genotype (5-HTTLPR), and children's internalizing and externalizing problems.

Individuals with the short variant of the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region gene are more susceptible than individuals homozygous for the long allele to the effects of stressful life events on risk for internalizing and externalizing problems. We tested whether individual differences in coping style explained this increased risk for problem behavior among youth who were at both genetic and environmental risk. Participants included 279 children, ages 8-11, from the Children's Experiences and Development Study. Caregivers and teachers reported on children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and caregivers and children on children's exposure to harsh parenting and parental warmth in middle childhood, and traumatic events. Children reported how frequently they used various coping strategies. Results revealed that short/short homozygotes had higher levels of internalizing problems compared with long allele carriers and that short allele carriers had higher levels of externalizing problems compared with long/long homozygotes under conditions of high cumulative risk. Moreover, among children who were homozygous for the short allele, those who had more cumulative risk indicators less frequently used distraction coping strategies, which partly explained why they had higher levels of internalizing problems. Coping strategies did not significantly mediate Gene × Environment effects on externalizing symptoms.

The interplay of stressful life events and coping skills on risk for suicidal behavior among youth students in contemporary China: a large scale cross-sectional study.

BackgroundStressful life events are common among youth students and may induce psychological problems and even suicidal behaviors in those with poor coping skills. This study aims to assess the influence of stressful life events and coping skills on risk for suicidal behavior and to elucidate the underlying mechanism using a large sample of university students in China.Methods5972 students, randomly selected from 6 universities, completed the questionnaire survey. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the effect of stressful life events and coping skills on risk for suicidal behavior. Bayesian network was further adopted to probe their probabilistic relationships.ResultsOf the 5972 students, 7.64 % reported the presence of suicidal behavior (attempt or ideation) within the past one year period. Stressful life events such as strong conflicts with classmates and a failure in study exam constituted strong risk factors for suicidal behavior. The influence of coping skills varied according to the strategies adapted toward problems with a high score of approach coping skills significantly associated with a reduced risk of suicidal behavior. The Bayesian network indicated that the probability of suicidal behavior associated with specific life events was to a large extent conditional on coping skills. For instance, a stressful experience of having strong conflicts with classmates could result in a probability of suicidal behavior of 21.25 % and 15.36 % respectively, for female and male students with the score of approach coping skills under the average.ConclusionsStressful life events and deficient coping skills are strong risk factors for suicidal behavior among youth students. The results underscore the importance of prevention efforts to improve coping skills towards stressful life events.

Effect of Environmental Risk and Externalizing Comorbidity on Internalizing Problems Among Economically Disadvantaged African American Youth.

This study examined effects of racial discrimination, community violence, and stressful life events on internalizing problems among African American youth from high poverty neighborhoods (N = 607; 293 boys; Mage = 16.0 years, SD = 1.44 years). Mediated effects via externalizing problems on these relations were also examined, given the high comorbidity rate between internalizing and externalizing problems. Externalizing problems partially mediated the effect of stressful life events on internalizing problems and fully mediated the effect of racial discrimination for boys but not for girls. Exposure to violence had a significant indirect effect on internalizing problems via externalizing problems. The findings call for greater attention to internalizing problems among African American youth and pathways to internalizing problems via externalizing problems.

Genetic and environmental modulation of neurotrophic and anabolic stress response: Counterbalancing forces

The serotonin transporter genetic variant 5HTTLPR influences activation and feedback control of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, and has been shown to influence the effect of stressful life events on behavioral health. We recently reported that 5HTTLPR modulates cortisol response in healthy military men exposed to intense stress. Less is known of its combined effects with environmental factors in this context, or of its effect on neuroprotective stress responses. In this follow-up study, we examined the unique and combined effects of 5HTTLPR and prior trauma exposure on neuroprotective (salivary nerve growth factor [sNGF]), anabolic (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEAS] and testosterone), and catabolic (cortisol) stress responses. Ninety-three healthy, active-duty military men were studied before, during, and 24h after a stressful 12-day survival course. Distinct and interactive effects of 5HTTLPR long allele carriage [L] versus homozygous short allele carriage [SS]) and prior trauma exposure (low versus high) were evaluated, after which a priori group comparisons were performed between hypothesized high resilience (L/low) and low resilience (SS/high) groups. For sNGF, L/low produced the greatest sNGF throughout stress exposure while SS/high demonstrated the smallest; L/high and SS/low bisected these two extremes and were nearly identical to each other (i.e., SS/high<SS/low=L/high<L/low). Thus, 5HTTLPR and prior trauma exposure demonstrated counterbalancing (additive) forces. Similar patterns were found for DHEAS. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report counterbalancing genetic and environmental effects on novel biomarkers related to resilience in humans exposed to real-world stress. These findings have profound implications for health, performance and training in high-stress occupational settings.

Higher cognitive ability buffers stress-related depressive symptoms in adolescent girls.

Stress has been shown to have a causal effect on risk for depression. We investigated the role of cognitive ability as a moderator of the effect of stressful life events on depressive symptoms and whether this varied by gender. Data were analyzed in two adolescent data sets: one representative community sample aged 11-12 years (n = 460) and one at increased familial risk of depression aged 9-17 years (n = 335). In both data sets, a three-way interaction was found whereby for girls, but not boys, higher cognitive ability buffered the association between stress and greater depressive symptoms. The interaction was replicated when the outcome was a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. This buffering effect in girls was not attributable to coping efficacy. However, a small proportion of the variance was accounted for by sensitivity to environmental stressors. Results suggest that this moderating effect of cognitive ability in girls is largely attributable to greater available resources for cognitive operations that offer protection against stress-induced reductions in cognitive processing and cognitive control which in turn reduces the likelihood of depressive symptomatology.

Effect of stressful life events on changes in smoking among the French: longitudinal findings from GAZEL.

Changes in life events may play a contributing role in changes in smoking behaviors. The objective was to examine the impact of stressful life events (SLEs) on smoking among French adults. We examined smoking prevalence in 20 625 employees of the French GAZEL cohort for up to 5 years before and after a SLE during three time periods (years -1 vs. -5; years +1 vs. -1; years +5 vs. +1). Repeated measures analysis of time series data indexed to events were used, employing generalized estimating equations. For women, comparing 1 year after vs. 1 year before SLEs, decreased odds of smoking were found for employment promotion (OR: 0.80; 95% CI = 0.67-0.95), marriage (OR: 0.57; 95% CI = 0.48-0.68) and divorce (OR: 0.78; 95% CI = 0.68-0.90). Comparing 5 years after to 1 year after SLEs, women had decreased odds of smoking for important purchase (OR: 0.87; 95% CI = 0.79-0.96), children leaving home (OR: 0.83; 95% CI = 0.74-0.93), retirement (OR: 0.73; 95% CI = 0.64-0.83) and death of loved one (OR: 0.86; 95% CI = 0.79-0.93). For men, decreased odds of smoking were observed in all three time periods for all SLEs except when comparing 1 year before to 5 years before marriage (OR: 1.66; 95% CI = 1.09-2.52) and divorce (OR: 1.49; 95% CI = 1.25-1.77). Time surrounding SLEs during which individuals are susceptible to changing smoking behaviors may be an important consideration.

The Effect of Stressful Life Events On Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Introduction and objectives Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common psychiatric disorder which may cause significant distress and disability. This study was done to estimate the effect of stressful life events on GAD in Erbil city. Methods A cross sectional descriptive study, was done on patients consulted a private psychiatric clinic from March 2012 to March 2014. A convenient sample of 123 patients, 86 females & 37 males, having GAD were taken after giving their informed verbal consent. The diagnoses were done clinically, and then checked according to DSM-5. Results Mean age of patients was 31.2 years. Female to male ratio was 2.3/1. Mean age at onset was 26.9 years. Mean duration of illness was 4.4 years. History of childhood separation from one or both parents was 15.3%. Regarding the stressful life events in last year prior to onset; in males, the changes in financial status was the most frequent (34%), followed by occupational problems (26%). In females, parenting stress was the most frequent 35%, followed by interpersonal problems (27%). As a whole, parenting stress formed the highest percent (31.1%), followed by changes in financial status (24.6%). Patients who faced two stressful life events formed 37%, while 25.2% of patients faced three, & only 2.4% of patients did not face any stressful life events in the last year prior to onset. Conclusion History of childhood separation from one or both parents & stressful life events in the last year prior to onset were an important factors in the development of GAD.

Negative life events and symptoms of depression and anxiety: stress causation and/or stress generation

Background and Objectives: Stressful life events are known to contribute to development of depression; however, it is possible this link is bidirectional. The present study examined whether such stress generation effects are greater than the effects of stressful life events on depression, and whether stress generation is also evident with anxiety. Design: Participants were two large age cohorts (N = 732 aged 44 years; N = 705 aged 63 years) from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study. Methods: Stressful life events, depression, and anxiety symptoms were measured twice five years apart. Cross-lagged panel analysis examined the mutual influences of stressful life events on depression and on anxiety over time. Results: Life events predicted later depressive symptomatology (p = .01), but the depression predicting life events relationship was less strong (p = .06), whereas earlier anxiety predicted life events five years later (p = .001). There was evidence of sex differences in the extent to which life events predicted later anxiety. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of stress causation for depression and weaker evidence for stress generation. In contrast, there was strong evidence of stress generation for anxiety but weaker evidence for stress causation, and that differed for men and women.

Relationships between stressful life events and impaired fasting glucose among left-behind farmers in rural China

ObjectiveThis study aims at examining the effects of stressful life events on risk of impaired fasting glucose among left-behind farmers in rural China. MethodsThe study collected data about stressful life events, family history of diabetes, lifestyle, demographics and minimum anthropometrics from left-behind famers aged 40–70years. Calculated life event index was applied to assess the combined effects of stressful life events experienced by the left-behind farmers and its association with impaired fasting glucose was estimated using binary logistic regression models. ResultsThe prevalence of abnormal fasting glucose was 61.4% by American Diabetes Association (ADA) standard and 32.4% by World Health Organization (WHO) standard. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a coefficient of 0.033 (P<.001) by ADA standard or 0.028 (P<.001) by WHO standard between impaired fasting glucose and life event index. The overall odds ratios of impaired glucose for the second, third and fourth (highest) versus the first (lowest) quartile of life event index were 1.419 [95% CI=(1.173, 1.717)], 1.711 [95% CI=(1.413, 2.071)] and 1.957 [95% CI=(1.606, 2.385)] respectively by ADA standard. When more and more confounding factors were controlled for, these odds ratios remained statistically significant though decreased to a small extent. ConclusionsThe left-behind farmers showed over two-fold prevalence rate of pre-diabetes than that of the nation's average and their risk of impaired fasting glucose was positively associated with stressful life events in a dose-dependent way. Both the population studied and their life events merit special attention.

Gender differences in the impact of stressful life events on changes in body mass index

ObjectiveThe positive association between stress and weight has been consistently demonstrated, particularly in women. The effect of stress on changes in weight, however, is less clear. MethodsA total of 33,425 participants in Wave 1 and Wave 2 surveys of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Condition (NESARC) were included in this study. The study examined the relationship between stressful life events during the 12months prior to the Wave 2 interview and changes in body mass index (BMI) between Wave 1 and Wave 2 interviews. ResultsWomen reported significantly greater increases in BMI than men. Stressful life events, particularly job-related changes, legal problems, and death of family or friends, were associated significantly with increases in BMI among women but not men. ConclusionsIn a nationally representative sample, stressful life events were associated with greater weight gain in women. Prevention of weight gain in women should focus on the behavioral and physiological mechanisms underlying female-specific effects of stressful life events on weight gain.

The relationship between glucocorticoid receptor polymorphisms, stressful life events, social support, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

BackgroundIt is debatable whether or not glucocorticoid receptor (GR) polymorphisms moderate susceptibility to PTSD. Our objective was to examine the effects of stressful life events, social support, GR genotypes, and gene-environment interactions on the etiology of PTSD.MethodsThree tag single nucleotide polymorphisms, trauma events, stressful life events, and social support were assessed in 460 patients with PTSD and 1158 control subjects from a Chinese Han population. Gene–environment interactions were analyzed by generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR).ResultsVariation in GR at rs41423247 and rs258747, stressful life events, social support, and the number of traumatic events were each separately associated with the risk for PTSD. A gene–environment interaction among the polymorphisms, rs41423247 and rs258747, the number of traumatic events, stressful life events, and social support resulted in an increased risk for PTSD. High-risk individuals (a large number of traumatic events, G allele of rs258747 and rs41423247, high level stressful life events, and low social support) had a 3.26-fold increased risk of developing PTSD compared to low-risk individuals. The association was statistically significant in the sub-groups with and without childhood trauma.ConclusionsOur data support the notion that stressful life events, the number of trauma events, and social support may play a contributing role in the risk for PTSD by interacting with GR gene polymorphisms.

Genes involved in neuroplasticity and stressful life events act on the short-term response to antidepressant treatment: a complex interplay between genetics and environment.

During the last few years, an increasing number of studies have focused on the association between neuroplasticity and affective disorders. The aim of the study is to evaluate the interactive effect of stressful life events (SLEs) and genes involved in neuroplasticity (BDNF and ST8SIA) on the short-term response to antidepressant treatment. A total of 114 patients affected by mood or anxiety disorders under antidepressant treatment were enrolled in the study. We evaluated the interactive effects of three BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and five ST8SIA SNPs and SLEs at different time points (childhood SLEs, SLEs at illness onset, and SLEs reported over the last preceding treatment) over 1-month of antidepressant treatment. Carriers of some genetic variants in both BDNF and ST8SIA had a slower response to antidepressants if non-exposed to the onset SLEs, whereas they had a similar trend compared with the carriers of the opposite variant if exposed (allelic analysis: BDNF p = 0.00003, p = 0.00609; ST8SIA p = 0.04, p = 0.033). The BDNF haplotype analysis confirmed this trend (p = 0.00016). Though our results are limited by the small sample size, variants in BDNF and ST8SIA may slow down the early response to antidepressants in subjects non-exposed to stressors at the illness onset, with a remarkable gene-environment interaction.

Stressful life events and depressive symptoms among symptomatic long QT syndrome patients.

We examined whether long QT syndrome status moderates the association between stressful life events and depressive symptoms. Participants were 562 (n= 246 symptomatic) long QT syndrome mutation carriers. Depressive symptoms were measured with a modified version of the Beck's Depression Inventory. There was an interaction between long QT syndrome status and stressful life events on depressive symptoms. In the symptomatic long QT syndrome patients, stressful life events were associated with depressive symptoms (B= 0.24, p< 0.001). In the asymptomatic long QT syndrome mutation carriers, this association was 62.5 percent weaker (B= 0.09, p= 0.057). Compared to asymptomatic long QT syndrome mutation carriers, symptomatic long QT syndrome patients are more sensitive to the depressive effects of stressful life events.

P.1.001 Genes involved in neuroplasticity and short-term response to antidepressant drugs: a complex interplay between genetics and environment

Aim of the study: During the last few years, the ‘neurotrophic model’ has received increasing interest not only as an etiologic hypothesis for psychiatric disorders, but also as an explicative paradigm of the mechanism of action of pharmacological treatments. In particular, it has been hypothesized that genetic differences related to factors involved in CNS neuroplasticity may in part explain individuals’ variation in ADs response. However, both animal and human studies have provided mixed and conflicting results so far, suggesting that the genetic effects related to neuroplastic factors may be moderated by other biological, environmental, and individual factors. The aim of the study is to preliminarily evaluate the interactive effect of Stressful Life Events (SLEs) and genetic variation within two genes involved in neuroplastic processes (BDNF and ST8SIA) on the early response to antidepressant treatment. Methods: The sample was composed of 114 patients affected by Mood or Anxiety disorders, enrolled for treatment with ADs, scoring 8 or more at the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score (HAMD), and having filled at the time of recruitment a modified version (selfreport) of the Brown & Harris Stressful Life Events and Difficulties Interview (SLEDS). This modified version allows for investigations into stressful life events (SLEs) at a young age (less than 15 years old), the year before illness onset, and the month preceding current episode. All the patients were evaluated at baseline and weekly thereafter until the fourth week by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). Subjects were genotyped for 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BDNF and 5 in ST8SIA. Linkage disequilibrium among SNPs was calculated by Haploview software and haplotypes were obtained by the R-software. The GLM model was employed to test the effect of alleles and haplotypes, crossed with exposure to stress, on % response at follow-up. Results: SLEs did not impact significantly on early response to ADs. Alleles in two SNPs in BDNF (rs11030101 A-allele and rs11030104 G-allele) and alleles in two SNPs in ST8SIA2 (rs11853992-A allele and rs17522085-T) were associated with a slower response to ADs only if not exposed to onset SLEs, whilst they had a similar response to the carriers of the opposite variant if exposed to onset SLEs (allelic analysis: BDNF P< 0.00003; P< 0.00609: ST8SIA P< 0.04; P< 0.033). The BDNF haplotype analysis confirmed this trend (P< 0.00016). Discussion: According to our data, variants in BDNF and ST8SIA may slow down the early response to antidepressants in subjects not exposed to stressors at the illness onset, with a remarkable gene–environment interaction. This results are significant considering that environmental stress is thought to hamper response to AD [1] and the few studies that consider geneenvironment interaction in pharmacological trials usually report a worse response in subjects exposed to stress if they are carriers of specific risk variants (see for example [2]). Nevertheless, the interplay between stress, neuroplasticity, mental distress and pharmacological treatment is far from being clear and deserves further investigation by means of sophisticated methods of investigation.

Stress, social relationships and health outcomes in low-income Francistown, Botswana

Studies assessing the impact of stress on health outcomes are lacking in developing countries such as Botswana, in Southern Africa. This study examines the relationships between individual life stressors (stressful life events and chronic life stressors), social relationships and quality of life (QoL), for low-income urban residents in Francistown, Botswana. Although there are many studies of social support and quality of life, no studies have so far explored the relationship among the three variables. Selected concepts from stress theory are used as a conceptual framework. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design (both descriptive and explanatory), this study examined the associations among life stress (stressful life events and chronic life stressors), social relationships, and four indicators of health and QoL among a sample of 388 low-income urban dwellers in Francistown, Botswana. Using multiple regression models, the results of this study show that the availability of social relationships was associated with better physical and psychological health and level of independence. Controlling for the physical domain of QoL, social relationships buffered the effects of chronic life stressors on QoL and level of independence. Social relationships buffer the effects of stressful life events on quality, not on psychological well-being. Social relationships had no moderating effect on physical health, level of independence and on quality of life.

Prevalence of internet addiction and its association with stressful life events and psychological symptoms among adolescent internet users

Internet addiction (IA) among adolescents is a serious public health problem around the world. However, there have been few studies that examine the association between IA and stressful life events and psychological symptoms among Chinese adolescent internet users. We examined the association between IA and stressful life events and psychological symptoms among a random sample of school students who were internet users (N=755) in Wuhan, China. Internet addiction, stressful life events, coping style and psychological symptoms were measured by self-rated scales. The prevalence rate of internet addiction was 6.0% among adolescent internet users. Logistic regression analyses indicated that stressors from interpersonal problem and school related problem and anxiety symptoms were significantly associated with IA after controlling for demographic characteristics. Analyses examining the coping style with the IA revealed that negative coping style may mediate the effects of stressful life events to increase the risk of IA. However, no significant interaction of stressful life events and psychological symptoms was found. These findings of the current study indicate a high prevalence of internet addiction among Chinese adolescent internet users and highlight the importance of stressors from interpersonal problem and school related problem as a risk factor for IA which mainly mediated through negative coping style.

Gene–environment interactions in common mental disorders: an update and strategy for a genome-wide search

A decade of research has demonstrated the explanatory potential of interplay between genetic variants and environmental factors in the development of common mental disorders. Initial findings have undergone tests of replicability and specificity. Some gene-environment interactions have been confirmed, some have not replicated and yet other turned out to be more specific than initially thought. Specific and complementary roles of genetic factors have been delineated: a common functional length polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) moderated the effect of childhood maltreatment on chronic depression in adulthood, but did not substantially influence the effects of adult stressful life events on the onset of new depressive episodes; in contrast, a common functional polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) moderated the effect of stressful life events in adulthood in triggering new depressive episodes, but did not influence the effects of childhood maltreatment. Molecular mechanisms underlying gene-environment interactions are being uncovered, including DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications. New gene-environment interactions continue to be reported, still largely from hypothesis-driven research. Statistical and biological prioritization strategies are proposed to facilitate a systematic discovery of novel gene-environment interactions in genome-wide analyses.