Perception Of Stressful Events Research Articles

The empathy and stress mindset of healthcare workers: the chain mediating roles of self-disclosure and social support.

The hospital is a workplace full of stressful events for healthcare workers (HCWs) due to unpredictable changes in their daily routines. Perceptions of stressful events (stress mindset) have a significant impact on an individual's health and well-being. However, few studies have reported the factors and potential counter mechanisms influencing these perceptions. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between empathy, self-disclosure, social support, and stress mindset of HCWs, and to explore the mechanism of empathy on stress mindset. Five hundred and eight HCWs (35.2% men and 64.8% women) completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), the Distress Disclosure Index (DDI), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), the Stress Mindset Measure (SMM), and demographic questionnaires online in China. The results showed that empathy was positively linked with stress mindset and positively correlated with self-disclosure and social support. In the multiple mediating model, self-disclosure and social support mediated the association between empathy and stress mindset sequentially. The results imply that empathy, self-disclosure, and social support play a significant role in the formation of HCWs' stress mindset. These findings have substantial ramifications for reducing stress and creating successful government interventions to fortify stress mindset in healthcare.

Special Issue: Race and Mental Health Among Older Adults: Do Depressive Symptoms Shape Blacks' Perceptions of Stress Over Time?

Background and ObjectivesPrevious studies have linked stress to multiple negative mental health outcomes, including depression. This established stress–depression association is typically examined in one direction and cross-sectionally. This study examined the bidirectional relationships between depressive symptoms and changes in perceived stress over time in Blacks.Research Design and MethodsThe present study uses a community-dwelling sample of 450 Black adults, aged 51–96 years old, who participated in the Baltimore Study of Black Aging—Patterns of Cognitive Aging. Perceived stress—measured by the Perceived Stress Scale—and depressive symptoms—measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale—were both assessed at baseline and follow-up 33 months later. Ordinary least squares regression was used to examine 2 bidirectional longitudinal relationships between (1) stress–depression and (2) depression–stress, and whether these associations are modified by age.ResultsInitial analyses testing the typical stress–depression relationship showed an effect in the expected direction, that is stress leading to more depressive symptoms over time, adjusting for model covariates, but the effect was not statistically significant (b = 0.014, p = .642). After accounting for baseline perceived stress level, age, sex, education, and chronic health conditions, depressive symptoms were positively associated with follow-up stress (b = 0.210, p < .000). The depression–stress association further varied by age group such that the impact of baseline depression on changes in perceived stress was greatest in Blacks in their 60s versus those in their 50s (b = 0.267, p = .001), controlling for model covariates.Discussion and ImplicationsContrary to previous work, the results suggest that an individual’s mental health shapes his/her perception of stressful events and this relationship varies by age group. While the typical finding (stress impacting depression) was not significant, the findings reported here highlight the importance of considering the possible bidirectional nature of the relationships between psychosocial measures of stress and mental health in later life among Blacks.

Patients' Perception of Stressful Events in the Intensive Care Unit After Cardiac Surgery.

Subjecting patients to stress has potentially detrimental effects on their physical and psychological recovery. To identify stress-generating experiences that occur in an intensive care unit for patients after cardiac surgery. A sample of 16 patients in a 14-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit at a university hospital in upstate New York completed a questionnaire (based on an established survey) asking them to rate 23 experiences on a Likert scale of 0 to 4. All patients were adults and had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery. After surgery, they were extubated and completed the questionnaire within 12 to 24 hours. Patients reported pain to be the most stressful experience, followed by presence of an endotracheal tube and sleeplessness. With pain, endotracheal intubation, and sleeplessness identified as highly distressing to patients, further research can be done to elicit interventions that could alleviate some of the stress involved with a postoperative stay in an intensive care unit.

Associations of borderline personality disorder traits with stressful events and emotional reactivity in women with bulimia nervosa.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits are common among those with bulimia nervosa (BN). However, how these traits impact the state experience of precipitants of BN behavior, such as stressful events and emotional reactivity, has not been determined. Thus, the purpose of this naturalistic study was to examine this trait-state association in BN. Women with DSM-IV BN (N = 133) completed a baseline measure of personality pathology traits, and subsequently recorded their affective state and the frequency and perception of 3 types of stressful events (interpersonal, work/environment, and daily hassles) several times per day for 2 weeks using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Pearson correlations assessed the associations between BPD traits (affective lability, identity problems, insecure attachment, and cognitive dysregulation) and (a) frequency of stressful events and (b) perception of stressful events. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to evaluate the relationship between BPD traits and changes in negative affect following stressful events. Results revealed that while all traits were significantly associated with perceived stressfulness, certain BPD traits were significantly associated with the frequency of stressful events. Individuals with higher trait insecure attachment experienced larger increases in negative affect following interpersonal stressful events. These findings suggest that interventions focused on addressing stressful events and enhancing adaptive emotional responses to interpersonal events may be particularly useful for a subset of individuals with BN with BPD-related personality characteristics, including insecure attachment, affective lability, and identity problems. (PsycINFO Database Record

Perceptions of stressful life events in Northern Irish school children: a longitudinal study.

Adults' perceptions of stressful life events have been acknowledged as important moderators of the stress adjustment relationship. Until recently, however, there has been a lack of research on children's perceptions of negative life events. This study assesses children's own perceptions of the stressfulness of negative familial, academic and social events as well as events related to the political conflict in Northern Ireland. Developmental changes in children's perceptions of events are traced over time. One hundred and sixty 8-year-old children completed a self-report measure of the perceived stressfulness of a range of negative life events. The sample was drawn from schools in the Greater Belfast area to include children of both genders, primary religious affiliations in Northern Ireland (i.e., Protestant and Roman Catholic) and of varying socio-economic status. Three years later, 113 of these children, then aged 11, were traced through the school system and completed the same measure. Children's perceptions of stressful events are related to a host of social factors. Girls viewed many negative events as more stressful than their male counterparts. Roman Catholic and Protestant children differed in their perceptions of conflict-related events. Perceptions of various types of negative experiences were differentially related to socio-economic status and age. Personal, social and situational factors differentially determine children's perceptions of negative life experiences.

Prospective evaluation of the effects of stress on exercise adherence in community-residing women.

The effects of stress on exercise behavior in community-residing women exercising on their own were assessed. Participants (N = 82) completed a background questionnaire and kept exercise diaries and Weekly Stress Inventories (P. J. Brantley, G. N. Jones, E. Boudreax, & S. L. Catz, 1997) for 8 consecutive weeks. During weeks with a high frequency of stressful events, participants exercised for less time and reported lower self-efficacy for meeting upcoming exercise goals. During weeks of high perceived stress, participants exercised significantly fewer days, omitted more planned exercise sessions, were less satisfied with their exercise, and had lower self-efficacy for meeting exercise goals. Findings suggest that perceptions of stressful events and cognitive reactions to missed exercise may play a significant role in mediating exercise behavior and support the view of exercise relapse as an ongoing process.

Adolescents' perception of stressful events during hospitalization.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify what adolescents consider stressful about hospitalization for surgery and to examine the congruency between anticipated and actual stressful episodes. Self-esteem and demographic variables were examined in relationship to type of stressful episodes. Sixty-three adolescents admitted to a hospital for scheduled surgery constituted the sample. Data were collected by pre- and postoperative interviews, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Tanner Self-Staging Scale. Four categories of stressful episodes were described. No statistically significant relationships between self-esteem or demographic variables and stressful episodes existed.

Causal perceptions of stressful events in depressed and nondepressed outpatients.

Causal perceptions of stressful events in depressed and nondepressed outpatients.