Psychological Stress Measure Research Articles

Comparison of Psychological and Physiological Measures of Stress in Health Care Professionals during an Eight-Week Mindfulness Meditation Program

Comparison of Psychological and Physiological Measures of Stress in Health Care Professionals during an Eight-Week Mindfulness Meditation Program

Postherpetic neuralgia: Psychosocial predictors in the development of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia in a high-risk Acute Herpes Zoster population

Studies have suggested that measures of psychological stress and depression during acute herpes zoster (AHZ) are important risk factors for development of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). The aim of this longitudinal observational study was to evaluate stressful life-events, coping, quality of life, perceived social support, and ability to engage in daily activities as risk factors for development of PHN. These risk factors were compared to established risk factors such as pain severity and age. Subjects were assessed at 2-6 wks, 6-8 wks, 3 mos, and 6 mos after rash onset. Pain, allodynia, SF McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) were measured at all visits. Stressful Life-Events and Ways of Coping questionnaires were completed at Visit 1 and 4. Eighty-seven subjects have completed the study to date (34M, 53F, median age 69(46-89)). Forty subjects had PHN at 3 months (defined as average daily pain (VAS) > 20/100 or meeting 2 of the following 3 criteria: 1) any zoster-pain, 2) allodynia, 3) taking medication for zoster-pain). There was no difference in age at AHZ onset between PHN and non-PHN patients. PHN patients had more pain at Visit 1. Mean scores on the SF-MPQ were higher in PHN patients at Visits 2 to 4. Coping-strategies and life-events were similar. Using the MPI-questionnaire, PHN patients rated higher on ‘pain severity’, ‘interference with daily life’, and ‘affective distress’ at Visit 1 and 4. At Visit 4 there was a trend towards higher responses in the PHN group on ‘life control’ and ‘solicitous and distracting responses’ by significant other. In accordance with established risk factors, PHN patients reported more pain across all questionnaires. In addition, PHN patients reported interference with daily life and affective distress throughout the 6-month study period. There was no difference in coping strategies and concurrent life-events.

Stress during pregnancy is associated with developmental outcome in infancy.

Animal studies show that prenatal maternal stress may be related to cognitive impairments in offspring. Therefore, we examined whether psychological and endocrinologic measures of stress during human pregnancy predicted developmental outcome of the infant at 3 and 8 months. Self-report data about daily hassles and pregnancy-specific anxiety and salivary cortisol levels were collected in 170 nulliparous women in early, mid- and late pregnancy in a prospective design, in which healthy infants born at term were followed up after birth. High levels of pregnancy-specific anxiety in mid-pregnancy predicted lower mental and motor developmental scores at 8 months (p < .05). High amounts of daily hassles in early pregnancy were associated with lower mental developmental scores at 8 months (p < .05). Early morning values of cortisol in late pregnancy were negatively related to both mental and motor development at 3 months (p < .05 and p < .005, respectively) and motor development at 8 months (p < .01). On average a decline of 8 points on the mental and motor development scale was found. All results were adjusted for a large number of covariates. Stress during pregnancy appears to be one of the determinants of delay in motor and mental development in infants of 8 months of age and may be a risk factor for later developmental problems. Further systematic follow-up of the present sample is needed to determine whether these delays are transient, persistent or even progressive.

Home and School Density Effects on Elementary School Children

School or classroom density is most often studied as social density, namely, the number of people in a space. The current study investigates classroom spatial density effects on elementary school children. Outcomes included a measure of academic achievement, social behavior/disturbance, and a self-reported measure of psychological stress. Second- and fourth-grade children in urban public schools were the participants. Findings indicate amount of space per child in the classroom may be just as important as the number of children in a classroom. Girls' academic achievement was negatively affected by less space per student; boys' classroom behavior was negatively affected by spatial density conditions. There was no interaction of school and home density on the outcome measures; however, children in crowded homes were more likely to report more psychological stress than their less crowded peers. Home density also negatively affected academic performance.

Inappropriate Rating Scale

joe@chan23.fsnet.co.uk Editor – We read with interest the study by Chan et al into the effect of needling HT7 on psychological stress in hospice staff. We agree that stress in hospice staff is an important problem and that a simple effective treatment would be useful. However, although Chan et al aimed to measure reductions in psychological stress, we feel that the outcome measure they chose was inappropriate. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale has not been validated as a measure of psychological stress in the general population and a fall to below 12 or 13 in their study population is meaningless as this threshold was determined in postpartum women. There have been numerous studies examining stress within hospice staff and the use of a previously used tool would have been more appropriate. The general health questionnaire (GHQ) is a widely used and acceptable method of establishing minor psychiatric illness in the general population and has also been validated for use in occupational settings. Chan et al do not comment on how they determined user friendliness. The 12 point GHQ takes on average less than 5 minutes to complete (the same time as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and is generally well received. We agree that a further, controlled study is now required but hope that a more appropriate outcome measure will be used.

Racism or Sexism? Attributional Ambiguity and Simultaneous Membership in Multiple Oppressed Groups1

This study examines short‐term psychological effects of prejudice attributions on African American women. Black female college students (N= 112) imagined themselves in an audiotaped scenario in which White male students made negative evaluations of them. Participants completed self‐report measures of psychological stress and state self‐esteem after they rated the likely contributions of various causal attributions to the negative evaluations. Attributions included personal characteristics of the participant and classmates, as well as 3 kinds of prejudice: racism, sexism, and ethgender prejudice (the interaction of racism and sexism). Attributions to racism and ethgender prejudice predicted increased stress and decreased state social self‐esteem. Results contradict assertions that prejudice attributions are self‐protective and imply that prejudice might involve internal and external causal dimensions.

Prenatal maternal stress, HPA axis activity, and postnatal infant development

Objective: We examined whether psychological and endocrinological measures of stress during pregnancy predicted developmental outcome of human infants in a prospective design. Methods: Self-report data about daily hassles, pregnancy-specific anxiety and perceived stress, salivary cortisol levels and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were collected in nulliparous women throughout pregnancy. Infant development was measured at 3 and 8 months by means of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). Infant temperament was rated by means of observed behavior and maternal report. Results: High levels of pregnancy-specific anxiety in early pregnancy predicted both temperamental and developmental difficulties. High amounts of daily hassles in early pregnancy were associated with lower mental developmental scores. Perceived stress in early pregnancy was related to more difficult behavior and adaptational problems. Early morning values of cortisol in late pregnancy were negatively related to both mental and motor development, whereas higher ACTH levels were related to more adaptational problems. All results were adjusted for a large number of covariates. Conclusion: Increased maternal prenatal stress seems to be one of the determinants of temperamental and developmental variation of infants. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis may be involved in the harmful effects of prenatal maternal stress on infant development and temperament.

Psychological Measures of Prenatal Stress as Predictors of Infant Temperament

To examine, in a prospective study, whether maternal stress during pregnancy is related to infant temperament. Self-report data on various aspects of prenatal stress were collected from nulliparous women in early pregnancy. Infant temperament was measured at 3 and 8 months by direct observation and by parent report. Complete data were available for 170 term-born infants. Pregnancy-specific anxiety explained 3.3% of the variance of attention regulation at 3 months. Perceived stress and pregnancy anxiety taken together explained 5% of the variance of attention regulation at 8 months. Perceived stress accounted for 8.2% of the variance of difficult behavior of the 3-month-old infant. All results were adjusted for covariates. Increased maternal prenatal stress seems to be associated with temperamental variation of young infants and may be a risk factor for psychopathology later in life.

Psychological adjustment in caregivers of school-age children infected with HIV: stress, coping, and family factors.

To assess for significant differences in psychological functioning between caregivers of HIV-infected children and caregivers of healthy children, and to examine the utility of applying a stress and coping model to caregivers of children with HIV disease. Participants included caregivers of HIV-infected children (n = 36) and caregivers of a demographically matched control group of healthy children (n = 32). During their child's pediatric clinic visits, caregivers completed measures of psychological adjustment, stress, coping style, and family resources and support. They also completed a measure of their child's psychological adjustment. Caregiver psychological distress scores did not significantly differ between the HIV and control groups, and clinically significant rates of psychological distress were reported by more than a third of caregivers in both groups. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that independent of their child's illness status, stress and coping style were significant predictors of caregiver's psychological adjustment. In addition, caregiver psychological distress was a significant predictor of children's maladjustment. High rates of psychological distress were observed in caregivers of children with HIV disease; however, similarly high rates of psychological adjustment problems were found in caregivers of healthy children. Caregivers who reported high levels of daily stress and emotion-focused coping styles tended to report more psychological distress. Further, caregivers who reported more psychological distress also reported more internalizing and more externalizing behavior problems in their children, regardless of the child's illness status. These findings reflect the impact of poverty and environmental stress on caregivers' adjustment.

Welfare Implications of Culling Red Deer(Cervus Elaphus)

AbstractIn southwestern England, red deer,Cervus elaphus, are culled by rifle (‘stalking’) or by hunting with hounds (‘hunting’). We compare the welfare costs of the two culling methods. Observations of hunts revealed that likely stressors such as close proximity to humans and hounds, active pursuit, noise, obstruction and physical restraint prior to despatch were very common. Other stressors, such as wounding, were rare. The blood profiles of hunted deer were compared both with injured deer, which were put down because they were thought to be suffering, and with stags stalked in the rutting season, when mature males rapidly lose weight and may be damaged in fights. Extensively hunted deer did not differ from severely injured deer in measures of muscle disruption: in hunted deer measures of red blood cell damage and psychological stress were higher. Hunted stags killed during the rut showed markedly higher levels of measures of blood and muscle cell disruption, psychological stress and fat reserve mobilization than stalked stags killed during this season. Estimates of wounding rates by stalkers showed that 11 per cent of deer required two or more shots to kill, 7 per cent took 2—15 min to die and 2 per cent escaped wounded. Overall, we judged that the welfare costs associated with hunting red deer were higher than those associated with stalking, and reducing the welfare costs associated with hunting was much less feasible than reducing those associated with stalking.

Trends in Burnout and Related Measures of Organizational Stress Among Leaders of Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

Psychological burnout significantly and detrimentally affects individuals and the organizations for which they work. Leaders with burnout often display characteristics that are the opposite of those required to implement major organizational change. This study was undertaken to assess the level of psychological burnout of leaders of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers during a period of rapid change. The objective was to quantify trends in the level of burnout and associated measures of psychological stress. Surveys of medical center directors, associate medical center directors, and chiefs of staff of each VA medical center were conducted in 1989, 1992, and 1997 to evaluate burnout, role characteristics, and job satisfaction. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and scored using the phase model of burnout. Findings demonstrated higher prevalences of more advanced levels of burnout in the 1992 and 1997 surveys than in the 1989 survey. Role clarity, perceived adequacy of resources to complete assigned tasks, and several measures of job satisfaction were lower in the 1997 survey compared to the earlier survey data. Therefore, psychological burnout and other indicators of stress increased during the 1989 to 1997 study period. These findings suggest cause for concern as the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States undertakes major organizational change to meet present and future challenges.

Psychological Stress and Disordered Eating: An Exploratory Study with Young Australian Women

ABSTRACT An exploratory study was conducted to examine whether the relationships between psychological stress and disordered eating, reported in many studies using American samples, would be found in a sample of young Australian women. A total of 212 women aged 18–22 years completed a questionnaire assessing a number of women's health issues, including life events stress, perceived stress levels, psychological distress, disordered eating behaviours, and concerns about weight and eating. While results showed few strong relationships between stress and eating variables for the sample overall, those women with high psychological stress levels appeared to be more likely to engage in disordered eating behaviours than women with low levels of stress. Results suggest that further investigation, targeting subgroups of women scoring highly on measures of psychological stress or disordered eating, may help clarify our understanding of the relationships between these factors in young Australian women.

EFFECTS OF RELAXATION TECHNIQUES ON BLOOD LIPID PROFILES AND A PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS MEASURE.

1749 The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of relaxation techniques on blood lipid profiles and a psychological stress measure, in exercising women during an 8 - 10 week study. Nineteen aerobically exercising women (mean±SD) age of 35.8±7.8 yrs, with pre-test descriptive measures of (means±SD) 66.5±12.6 bpm resting heart rate, 107.7±12.7 mmHg systolic and 74.0±8.6 mmHg diastolic resting blood pressure, 24.8±8.7 % bodyfat (skinfold), and 35.8±11.2 ml/kg/min submaximal bicycle tests, participated as either the exercise and relaxation group (ER) or the exercise only group (EX). The ER group took part in a twice weekly, 45 minute relaxation class including abdominal breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and relaxation response technique and a third 20 minute session on their own time. Total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TRI), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and the Stress Audit psychological assessment (which reflects three facets of stress factors including: source, susceptibility, and symptoms) were measured during days 2-6 of menstrual cycle one, (MC1), menstrual cycle two (MC2), and menstrual cycle three (MC3), respectively. A MANOVA was used to detect differences between lipid profiles and Stress Audit results at MC1, MC2, and MC3. Results indicate no significant differences between the interaction of group by test (MC1 vs. group 1, MC1 vs. group 2; MC2 vs. group 1, MC2 vs. group 2; MC3 vs. group 1, & MC3 vs. group 2) on any of the variables, specifically (mean±SD) TC 213.9±45.1, 191.3±19.3; 213.4±48.3, 168.6±54.1; 203.4±40.9, 194.5±25.2 mg/dL and HDL 50.7±17.2, 55.9±14.0; 44.1±10.8, 56.1±17.4; 47.7±10.3, 58.1±13.9 mg/dL, respectively. The pearson product correlation analysis was selected to identify significant relationships among the dependent variables, but no significant relationships were noted between groups. These data suggest that relaxation techniques did not further decrease the lipid profiles or stress audit results in exercising women.

Psychological Stress, Cytokine Production, and Severity of Upper Respiratory Illness

The purpose of this study is to assess the role of psychological stress in the expression of illness among infected subjects and to test the plausibility of local proinflammatory cytokine production as a pathway linking stress to illness. After completing a measure of psychological stress, 55 subjects were experimentally infected with an influenza A virus. Subjects were monitored in quarantine daily for upper respiratory symptoms, mucus production, and nasal lavage levels of interleukin (IL)-6. Higher psychological stress assessed before the viral challenge was associated with greater symptom scores, greater mucus weights, and higher IL-6 lavage concentrations in response to infection. The IL-6 response was temporally related to the two markers of illness severity, and mediation analyses indicated that these data were consistent with IL-6 acting as a major pathway through which stress was associated with increased symptoms of illness. However, this pattern of data is also consistent with increases in IL-6 occurring in response to tissue damage associated with illness symptoms. Psychological stress predicts a greater expression of illness and an increased production of IL-6 in response to an upper respiratory infection.

Additional validation of a scale to assess positive states of mind.

Numerous studies have linked stress and negative states to adverse health outcomes. However, in addition to engendering negative states, stress may impair capacities to experience positive states. Such failure to experience positive states may represent a risk factor for poor health in and of itself. The research reported here examines a brief, easily repeated measure of positive states of mind (PSOM) including: focused attention, productivity, responsible caretaking, restful repose, sharing, sensuous nonsexual pleasure, and sensuous sexual pleasure. The PSOM Scale and measures of psychological distress, stress, and physical symptoms were administered in four independent samples: two samples of college students and two samples of pregnant women, one undergoing a potentially stressful medical procedure (amniocentesis). The relationship between PSOM scores and several conceptually related, but distinct, psychological variables was examined, controlling for the effect of social desirability where necessary. The range of scores on the items of the PSOM indicated that impairments of ability to have the relevant experiences did occur in the subjects who were experiencing stress. The overall PSOM Scale score consistently showed an inverse relationship with anxiety and with indicators of stress. In addition, lower scores on the PSOM Scale were associated with more somatic symptomatology. The results provide evidence that positive states of mind are linked to negative psychological states and are responsive to stressful events. The PSOM scale provides a useful, brief measure for research in stress and health.

Lactate dehydrogenase quantification and isoenzyme distribution in physiological response to stress in red deer ( Cervus elaphus)

As a contribution to the description of the physiological response to stress in red deer ( Cervus elaphus), the potential use of the intracellular glycolytic enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH) and its isoenzyme LDH-5, as a marker of muscle damage was assessed. The distribution of LDH isoenzymes within red deer tissues was similar to that shown in other ruminants: tissue characterisation showed isoenzyme LDH-5 to be particularly associated with skeletal muscle. High plasma concentrations of creatine kinase, a muscle-specific enzyme, were associated With both high total LDH activity and the percentage of LDH-5 activity in deer undergoing a potentially stressful procedure, transportation followed by simulated abattoir lairage, Which is further evidence of the specificity of the isoenzyme for skeletal muscle damage. The activity of LDH was not correlated with the plasma concentration of cortisol, a Widely used physiological measure of psychological stress. This may have been due to different time courses for release and the fact that, in the present study, the immediate pre-collection procedures may have induced a short-term stress response.

Computerized exercise program does not affect stress levels of asymptomatic VDT users

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a computerized exercise program could reduce stress levels in office workers who use video display terminals (VDTs). Fifty workers were randomly assigned to either an exercise or a control group. Twenty-four subjects were instructed to exercise twice a day for 15 minutes per session for a period of 8 weeks; the remaining 26 subjects in the control group were given no exercise program. Four dimensions of stress were measured before and after the exercise period using the Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ), a self-reported measure of physical and psychological stress. A multivariate T-test (Hotelling’s T 2 ) was used to compare changes in stress levels between the two groups of workers, but no significant differences were found. Further analysis of the exercise group revealed that difference in compliance rates among workers did not significantly influence changes in stress levels. These results indicate that this type of exercise program does not reduce stress in asymptomatic VDT users.

Acculturation mode, identity variation, and psychosocial adjustment.

The hypothesis that it is the variability of a person's identity--as opposed to the particular combinations of identities--that produces stress during the acculturation process was examined. Two hundred ninety-five native Anglophone students at the University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, provided demographic data and completed the following measures: the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck & Beck, 1972), Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (1965), the Situated Identity Measure (Clément & Noels, 1992), and the Psychological Stress Measure (Lemyre, Tessier, & Fillion, 1990). Results of ANOVAs contrasting level of identification and variability of identification indicated that an exclusively Anglophone identity was related to a higher level of depression, lower self-esteem, and a higher level of stress than the other modes of acculturation, but only when the variability in identity with the English group was high. Thus, the participants who identified strongly with the English group but were not committed to this identity experienced more psychological adjustment problems.

Assessing the dimensionality of optimism and pessimism using a multimeasure approach

Weighted least-squares confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor-analytic procedures were used to assess the dimensionality of three self-report instruments designed to measure optimism and pessimism: the Life Orientation Test (LOT), the Hopelessness Scale (HS), and the Optimism and Pessimism Scale (OPS). The LOT was found to be bidimensional, the HS unidimensional, and the OPS multidimensional. The HS was interpreted as measuring a unipolar pessimism dimension. Factor analyses performed on an item subset from the OPS that fit the definition of optimism and pessimism as generalized outcome expectancies also supported the two-dimensional model of optimism and pessimism. Differential correlations between separate optimism and pessimism indices and a measure of psychological stress provided partial further support for a two-dimensional model of optimism and pessimism.

Quasi‐experimental evaluation of an educational model for dementia caregivers

AbstractDementia caregivers are known to be distressed and may be helped by psychoeducational interventions. We investigated the effectiveness of one model of intervention comprising a structured package of six sessions of training, focusing on education, stress management and problem behaviour management in a group setting. Three groups of caregivers were compared‐those who had completed (N= 33) or partially completed (N= 22) training and a control group (N= 26)‐on measures of psychological stress, burden, satisfaction with life, well‐being and knowledge. There were no significant differences in outcome between the three groups. We conclude that, with methodological qualifications, this quasi‐experimental study of one model of training was not empirically effective. Interventions for caregivers should be tailored to individual needs from a range of techniques encompassing psychological and practical strategies.