Psychosocial workload and stress in the workers’ representative

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Using a data set of works councils of trade union IG Metal, this paper investigates psychosocial stress and strain on this specific group in comparison to employees working in administration in general (leadership and non-leadership-role) and a national reference value. Methods For assessing psychosocial work factors on works councils within the sector represented by the trade union IG Metal in Germany, a research by using the German standard version of COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) was performed. The instrument includes 87 single items forming 25 aspects of strain and stress. Results from the study group of works councils were compared to those from employees working in administration and to the general population mean (COPSOQ database). Statistical analysis included t-tests, analysis of variance and multiple comparisons of means. To be significant in terms of statistics, p<0.05 (two-tailed) and a minimum deviation of 5 or more points between groups′ mean values identify the relevant values. Results All in all, 309 works councils from a national survey of the German chemical and metalworking industries took part in the study. 113 were full-time works council members (exempted from the duty to perform their regular work), 196 were voluntary members (acting as employee representatives on an honorary basis alongside their normal duties). Comparison between works councils and employees working in administration (leadership roles (N=1810) and non-leadership roles (N=2970)) and for employees in general (N=35.000) showed unfavourable values for works councils for most scales. Significantly higher values indicating higher strain and stress were found for the scales: emotional demands, work-privacy conflict, role conflicts, mobbing, cognitive stress symptoms and burnout. Unfavourable results were obtained for the aspects: quality of leadership, social support, sense of community and general health. Favourable findings were found on the scales

Psychosocial Stress and Brain Function in Adolescent Psychopathology.

PubMed

Quinlan, Erin Burke; Cattrell, Anna; Jia, Tianye; Artiges, Eric; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth; Bokde, Arun L W; Bromberg, Uli; Büchel, Christian; Brühl, Rüdiger; Conrod, Patricia J; Desrivieres, Sylvane; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Gallinat, Jürgen; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny; Heinz, Andreas; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Paillère Martinot, Marie-Laure; Nees, Frauke; Papadopoulos-Orfanos, Dimitri; Paus, Tomáš; Poustka, Luise; Smolka, Michael N; Vetter, Nora C; Walter, Henrik; Whelan, Robert; Glennon, Jeffrey C; Buitelaar, Jan K; Happé, Francesca; Loth, Eva; Barker, Edward D; Schumann, Gunter

2017-08-01

The authors sought to explore how conduct, hyperactivity/inattention, and emotional symptoms are associated with neural reactivity to social-emotional stimuli, and the extent to which psychosocial stress modulates these relationships. Participants were community adolescents recruited as part of the European IMAGEN study. Bilateral amygdala regions of interest were used to assess the relationship between the three symptom domains and functional MRI neural reactivity during passive viewing of dynamic angry and neutral facial expressions. Exploratory functional connectivity and whole brain multiple regression approaches were used to analyze how the symptoms and psychosocial stress relate to other brain regions. In response to the social-emotional stimuli, adolescents with high levels of conduct or hyperactivity/inattention symptoms who had also experienced a greater number of stressful life events showed hyperactivity of the amygdala and several regions across the brain. This effect was not observed with emotional symptoms. A cluster in the midcingulate was found to be common to both conduct problems and hyperactivity symptoms. Exploratory functional connectivity analyses suggested that amygdala-precuneus connectivity is associated with hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. The results link hyperactive amygdala responses and regions critical for top-down emotional processing with high levels of psychosocial stress in individuals with greater conduct and hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. This work highlights the importance of studying how psychosocial stress affects functional brain responses to social-emotional stimuli, particularly in adolescents with externalizing symptoms.

Perceived stress at work is associated with attenuated DHEA-S response during acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Theorell, Töres; Kushnir, Mark M; Bergquist, Jonas; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H

2013-09-01

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) have been suggested to play a protective role during acute psychosocial stress, because they act as antagonists to the effects of the stress hormone cortisol. This study aims to investigate whether prolonged psychosocial stress, measured as perceived stress at work during the past week, is related to the capacity to produce DHEA and DHEA-S during acute psychosocial stress. It also aims to investigate whether prolonged perceived stress affects the balance between production of cortisol and DHEA-S during acute psychosocial stress. Thirty-six healthy subjects (19 men and 17 women, mean age 37 years, SD 5 years), were included. Perceived stress at work during the past week was measured by using the Stress-Energy (SE) Questionnaire. The participants were divided into three groups based on their mean scores; Low stress, Medium stress and High stress. The participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and blood samples were collected before, directly after the stress test, and after 30 min of recovery. General Linear Models were used to investigate if the Medium stress group and the High stress group differ regarding stress response compared to the Low stress group. Higher perceived stress at work was associated with attenuated DHEA-S response during acute psychosocial stress. Furthermore, the ratio between the cortisol production and the DHEA-S production during the acute stress test were higher in individuals reporting higher perceived stress at work compared to individuals reporting low perceived stress at work. There was no statistical difference in DHEA response between the groups. This study shows that prolonged stress, measured as perceived stress at work during the past week, seems to negatively affect the capacity to produce DHEA-S during acute stress. Given the protective functions of DHEA-S, attenuated DHEA-S production during acute stress may lead to higher risk for adverse

The role of chronic psychosocial stress in explaining racial differences in stress reactivity and pain sensitivity

PubMed Central

Gordon, Jennifer L.; Johnson, Jacqueline; Nau, Samantha; Mechlin, Beth; Girdler, Susan S.

2016-01-01

Objective To examine the role of psychosocial factors in mediating the relationship between African American (AA) race and both increased pain sensitivity and blunted stress reactivity. Methods Participants included 133 AA and non-Hispanic White (nHW) individuals (mean (SD) age = 37 (9)) matched for age, sex and socioeconomic status. Participants underwent mental stress testing (Trier Social Stress Test) while cardiovascular, hemodynamic, and neuroendocrine reactivity were measured. Participants completed questionnaires assessing potential sources of psychosocial stress and were tested for pain responses to cold pain and the temporal summation of heat pulses. Mediation analyses were used to determine the extent to which exposure to psychosocial stress accounted for the observed racial differences in stress reactivity and pain. Results Chronic stress exposure and reactivity to mental stress was largely similar among AAs and nHWs; however, AAs exhibited heightened pain to both cold (p = .012) and heat (p = .004). Racial differences in the relationship between stress reactivity and pain were also observed: while greater stress reactivity was associated with decreased pain among nHWs, reactivity was either unrelated to or even positively associated with pain among AAs (e.g. r = −.21 among nHWs and r = .41 among AAs for stroke volume reactivity and cold pressor intensity). Adjusting for minor racial differences in chronic psychosocial stress did not change these findings. Conclusion Accounting for psychosocial factors eliminated racial differences in stress reactivity but not racial differences in sensitivity to experimental pain tasks. Increased exposure to chronic stress may not explain AAs’ increased pain sensitivity in laboratory settings. PMID:27669431

The Role of Chronic Psychosocial Stress in Explaining Racial Differences in Stress Reactivity and Pain Sensitivity.

PubMed

Gordon, Jennifer L; Johnson, Jacqueline; Nau, Samantha; Mechlin, Beth; Girdler, Susan S

To examine the role of psychosocial factors in mediating the relationship between African American (AA) race and both increased pain sensitivity and blunted stress reactivity. Participants included 133 AA and non-Hispanic white (nHW) individuals (mean [SD] age, 37 [9]) matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Participants underwent mental stress testing (Trier Social Stress Test) while cardiovascular, hemodynamic, and neuroendocrine reactivity were measured. Participants completed questionnaires assessing potential sources of psychosocial stress and were tested for pain responses to cold pain and the temporal summation of heat pulses. Mediation analyses were used to determine the extent to which exposure to psychosocial stress accounted for the observed racial differences in stress reactivity and pain. Chronic stress exposure and reactivity to mental stress was largely similar among AAs and nHWs; however, AAs exhibited heightened pain to both cold (p = .012) and heat (p = .004). Racial differences in the relationship between stress reactivity and pain were also observed: while greater stress reactivity was associated with decreased pain among nHWs, reactivity was either unrelated to or even positively associated with pain among AAs (e.g., r = -.21 among nHWs and r = .41 among AAs for stroke volume reactivity and cold pressor intensity). Adjusting for minor racial differences in chronic psychosocial stress did not change these findings. Accounting for psychosocial factors eliminated racial differences in stress reactivity but not racial differences in sensitivity to experimental pain tasks. Increased exposure to chronic stress may not explain AAs' increased pain sensitivity in laboratory settings.

Effects of Psychosocial Stress on Subsequent Hemorrhagic Shock and Resuscitation in Male Mice.

PubMed

Langgartner, Dominik; Wachter, Ulrich; Hartmann, Clair; Gröger, Michael; Vogt, Josef; Merz, Tamara; McCook, Oscar; Fink, Marina; Kress, Sandra; Georgieff, Michael; Kunze, Julia F; Radermacher, Peter L; Reber, Stefan O; Wepler, Martin

2018-06-08

Hypoxemia and tissue ischemia during hemorrhage as well as formation of oxygen and nitrogen radicals during resuscitation promote hyperinflammation and, consequently, trigger severe multiple-organ-failure (MOF). Individuals diagnosed with stress-related disorders or reporting a life history of psychosocial stress are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and a reduced glucocorticoid (GC) signaling. We hypothesized that exposure to chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood prior to hemorrhagic shock increases oxidative/nitrosative stress and therefore the risk of developing MOF in mice. To induce chronic psychosocial stress linked to mild immune activation and reduced GC signaling in male mice, the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm was employed. Single-housed (SHC) mice were used as controls. Subsequently, CSC and SHC mice were exposed to hemorrhagic shock following resuscitation to investigate the effects of prior psychosocial stress load on survival, organ function, metabolism, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory readouts. An increased adrenal weight in CSC mice indicates that the stress paradigm reliably worked. However, no effect of prior psychosocial stress on outcome after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation could be detected. Chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood is not sufficient to promote hemodynamic complications, organ dysfunction, metabolic disturbances and did not increase the risk of MOF after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation. Intravenous norepinephrine to keep target hemodynamics might have led to a certain level of oxidative stress in both groups and, therefore, disguised potential effects of chronic psychosocial stress on organ function after hemorrhagic shock in the present murine trauma model.

Psychosocial Stress and Preterm Birth: The Impact of Parity and Race.

PubMed

Wheeler, Sarahn; Maxson, Pamela; Truong, Tracy; Swamy, Geeta

2018-03-29

Objectives Studies examining risk factors for preterm birth (PTB) such as psychosocial stress are often focused on women with a history of PTB; however, most preterm babies are born to women with no history of preterm birth. Our objective was to determine if the relationship between psychosocial stress and PTB is altered by parity. Non-Hispanic black (NHB) women have increased psychosocial stress and PTB; therefore, we further aimed to determine if race alters the relationship between psychosocial stress, parity, and PTB. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of the Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby Study comparing pregnant women who were primiparous (first pregnancy), multiparous with history of preterm birth, or multiparous with history of term birth. Perceived stress, perceived racism, interpersonal support, John Henryism and self-efficacy were measured using validated instruments. Logistic regression was used to model the effect of psychosocial stress on PTB stratified by parity and race. Results The analysis entire cohort included 1606 subjects, 426 were primiparous, 268 had a history of presterm birth, and 912 had a history of term birth. In women with a history of term birth, higher self-efficacy was associated with lower odds of spontaneous PTB, and this association was amplified in NHB women. In women with a history of spontaneous PTB, John Henryism Active Coping was associated with lower odds of spontaneous PTB in the index pregnancy. Conclusions for Practice The relationship between psychosocial stress and PTB may be mediated by parity and race.

Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

noted that phobic anxiety and social isolation were suggestively associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer (hazard ratios of 1.14 and 1.24...SUBJECT TERMS ovarian cancer, psychosocial stress, depression, anxiety , social support, metabolomics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION...application is to examine whether self-reported stress exposures (depressive symptoms, phobic anxiety , social support, job strain, care-giving stress) are

Heart rate variability is associated with psychosocial stress in distinct social domains.

PubMed

Lischke, Alexander; Jacksteit, Robert; Mau-Moeller, Anett; Pahnke, Rike; Hamm, Alfons O; Weippert, Matthias

2018-03-01

Psychosocial stress is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, there is a growing interest in biomarkers that indicate whether individuals show adaptive (i.e., stress-buffering and health-promoting) or maladaptive (i.e., stress-escalating and health-impairing) stress reactions in social contexts. As heart rate variability (HRV) has been suggested to be a biomarker of adaptive behavior during social encounters, it may be possible that inter-individual differences in HRV are associated with inter-individual differences regarding stress in distinct social domains. To test this hypothesis, resting state HRV and psychosocial stress was assessed in 83 healthy community-dwelling individuals (age: 18-35years). HRV was derived from heart rate recordings during spontaneous and instructed breathing to assess the robustness of possible associations between inter-individual differences in HRV and inter-individual differences in psychosocial stress. Psychosocial stress was determined with a self-report questionnaire assessing stress in distinct social domains. A series of categorical and dimensional analyses revealed an association between inter-individual differences in HRV and inter-individual differences in psychosocial stress: Individuals with high HRV reported less stress in social life, but not in family life, work life or everyday life, than individuals with low HRV. On basis of these findings, it may be assumed that individuals with high HRV experience less psychosocial stress than individuals with low HRV. Although such an assumption needs to be corroborated by further findings, it seems to be consistent with previous findings showing that individuals with high HRV suffer less from stress and stress-related disorders than individuals with low HRV. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of long working hours on psychosocial stress response among white-collar workers.

PubMed

Lee, Kyungjin; Suh, Chunhui; Kim, Jong-Eun; Park, Jae Oh

2017-02-07

This study examined the association between long working hours and psychosocial stress responses. In total, 1,122 white-collar workers from a company in Korea completed self-administered questionnaires following a lecture about the study aim, procedures, and confidentiality. Psychosocial stress responses were evaluated using the Psychosocial Well-being Index - Short Form (PWI-SF), and psychosocial working conditions were evaluated with the Korean Occupational Stress Scale - Short Form (KOSS-SF). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed after adjusting for demographic variables and psychosocial working conditions to examine associations between long working hours and psychosocial stress responses. In comparison with the reference group, which worked 40-44 hours per week, the crude odds ratio (OR) of the respondents who worked 60 or more hours was 4.56 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.55-8.15) in terms of psychosocial stress responses. After adjusting for demographic variables, the adjusted OR of those working ≥60 hours was 5.61 (95% CI, 3.01-10.47). After adjusting for both demographic variables and psychosocial working conditions, the adjusted OR of those working ≥60 hours was 3.25 (95% CI, 1.56-6.79). This study found that long working hours are significantly related to psychosocial stress responses among white-collar workers in one Korean company.

Psychosocial work stress during pregnancy and birthweight.

PubMed

Lee, Bo-Eun; Ha, Mina; Park, Hyesook; Hong, Yun-Chul; Kim, Yangho; Kim, Young Ju; Ha, Eun-Hee

2011-05-01

Although there is a growing interest in the health effects of psychosocial work stress, studies on the relationships between job stress and adverse reproductive outcome are limited. We, therefore, investigated the associations between prenatal maternal occupational stress and birthweight using 310 mother-infant pairs included in the Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study. Information on job stress was collected by interviewing women at enrollment during the first trimester of pregnancy using standardised questionnaires, namely, the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) of job strain and effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaires. Regression analyses were carried out. Decision latitude scores of the JCQ were found to be positively related to birthweight, while ERI ratios determined using the ERI model were found to be inversely related to gestational age. In addition, a passive job as defined by the job strain model was found to be associated with a lower birthweight, compared with a relaxed job. These results suggest that work-related psychosocial stress in pregnant women appears to affect birth outcomes, such as birthweight and gestational age. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The factors associated to psychosocial stress among general practitioners in Lithuania. Cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Vanagas, Giedrius; Bihari-Axelsson, Susanna

2005-06-10

There are number of studies showing that general practice is one of the most stressful workplace among health care workers. Since Baltic States regained independence in 1990, the reform of the health care system took place in which new role and more responsibilities were allocated to general practitioners' in Lithuania. This study aimed to explore the psychosocial stress level among Lithuanian general practitioner's and examine the relationship between psychosocial stress and work characteristics. The cross-sectional study of 300 Lithuanian General practitioners. Psychosocial stress was investigated with a questionnaire based on the Reeder scale. Job demands were investigated with the R. Karasek scale. The analysis included descriptive statistics; interrelationship analysis between characteristics and multivariate logistic regression to estimate odds ratios for each of the independent variables in the model. Response rate 66% (N = 197). Our study highlighted highest prevalence of psychosocial stress among widowed, single and female general practitioners. Lowest prevalence of psychosocial stress was among males and older age general practitioners. Psychosocial stress occurs when job demands are high and job decision latitude is low (chi2 = 18,9; p < 0,01). The multivariate analysis shows that high job demands (OR 4,128; CI 2,102-8,104; p < 0,001), patient load more than 18 patients per day (OR 5,863; CI 1,549-22,188; p < 0,01) and young age of GP's (OR 6,874; CI 1,292-36,582; p < 0,05) can be assigned as significant predictors for psychosocial stress. One half of respondents suffering from work related psychosocial stress. High psychological workload demands combined with low decision latitude has the greatest impact to stress caseness among GP's. High job demands, high patient load and young age of GP's can be assigned as significant predictors of psychosocial stress among GP's.

The use of psychosocial stress scales in preterm birth research

PubMed Central

CHEN, Melissa J.; GROBMAN, William A.; GOLLAN, Jackie K.; BORDERS, Ann E.B.

2011-01-01

Psychosocial stress has been identified as a potential risk factor for preterm birth. However, an association has not consistently been found, and a consensus on the extent to which stress and preterm birth are linked is still lacking. A literature search was performed with a combination of keywords and MeSH terms to detect studies of psychosocial stress and preterm birth. Studies were included in the review if psychosocial stress was measured with a standardized, validated instrument and the outcomes included either preterm birth or low birth weight. Within the 138 studies that met inclusion criteria, 85 different instruments were used. Measures designed specifically for pregnancy were used infrequently, although scales were sometimes modified for the pregnant population. The many different measures used may be one factor that accounts for the inconsistent associations that have been observed. PMID:21816383

Psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity.

PubMed

Yonas, Michael A; Lange, Nancy E; Celedón, Juan C

2012-04-01

The objective of this review is to provide an overview and discussion of recent epidemiologic and mechanistic studies of stress in relation to asthma incidence and morbidity. Recent findings suggest that stress, whether at the individual (i.e. epigenetics, perceived stress), family (i.e. prenatal maternal stress, early-life exposure, or intimate partner violence) or community (i.e. neighborhood violence; neighborhood disadvantage) level, influences asthma and asthma morbidity. Key recent findings regarding how psychosocial stress may influence asthma through Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, prenatal and postnatal maternal/caregiver stress, and community violence and deprivation are highlighted. New research illustrates the need to further examine, characterize, and address the influence of social and environmental factors (i.e. psychological stress) on asthma. Further, research and innovative methodologies are needed to characterize the relationship and pathways associated with stress at multiple levels to more fully understand and address asthma morbidity, and to design potential interventions, especially to address persistent disparities in asthma in ethnic minorities and economically disadvantaged communities.

The impact of long working hours on psychosocial stress response among white-collar workers

PubMed Central

LEE, Kyungjin; SUH, Chunhui; KIM, Jong-Eun; PARK, Jae Oh

2016-01-01

This study examined the association between long working hours and psychosocial stress responses. In total, 1,122 white-collar workers from a company in Korea completed self-administered questionnaires following a lecture about the study aim, procedures, and confidentiality. Psychosocial stress responses were evaluated using the Psychosocial Well-being Index - Short Form (PWI-SF), and psychosocial working conditions were evaluated with the Korean Occupational Stress Scale - Short Form (KOSS-SF). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed after adjusting for demographic variables and psychosocial working conditions to examine associations between long working hours and psychosocial stress responses. In comparison with the reference group, which worked 40–44 hours per week, the crude odds ratio (OR) of the respondents who worked 60 or more hours was 4.56 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.55–8.15) in terms of psychosocial stress responses. After adjusting for demographic variables, the adjusted OR of those working ≥60 hours was 5.61 (95% CI, 3.01–10.47). After adjusting for both demographic variables and psychosocial working conditions, the adjusted OR of those working ≥60 hours was 3.25 (95% CI, 1.56–6.79). This study found that long working hours are significantly related to psychosocial stress responses among white-collar workers in one Korean company. PMID:27498571

Does Physical Fitness Buffer the Relationship between Psychosocial Stress, Retinal Vessel Diameters, and Blood Pressure among Primary Schoolchildren?

PubMed Central

Endes, Katharina; Herrmann, Christian; Colledge, Flora; Brand, Serge; Donath, Lars; Faude, Oliver; Pühse, Uwe; Hanssen, Henner; Zahner, Lukas

2016-01-01

Background. Strong evidence exists showing that psychosocial stress plays an important part in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Because physical inactivity is associated with less favourable retinal vessel diameter and blood pressure profiles, this study explores whether physical fitness is able to buffer the negative effects of psychosocial stress on retinal vessel diameters and blood pressure in young children. Methods. 325 primary schoolchildren (51% girls, Mage = 7.28 years) took part in this cross-sectional research project. Retinal arteriolar diameters, retinal venular diameters, arteriolar to venular ratio, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were assessed in all children. Interactions terms between physical fitness (performance in the 20 m shuttle run test) and four indicators of psychosocial stress (parental reports of critical life events, family, peer and school stress) were tested in a series of hierarchical regression analyses. Results. Critical life events and family, peer, and school-related stress were only weakly associated with retinal vessel diameters and blood pressure. No support was found for a stress-buffering effect of physical fitness. Conclusion. More research is needed with different age groups to find out if and from what age physical fitness can protect against arteriolar vessel narrowing and the occurrence of other cardiovascular disease risk factors. PMID:27795958

Psychosocial versus physiological stress – meta-analyses on deactivations and activations of the neural correlates of stress reactions

PubMed Central

Kogler, Lydia; Mueller, Veronika I.; Chang, Amy; Eickhoff, Simon B.; Fox, Peter T.; Gur, Ruben C.; Derntl, Birgit

2015-01-01

Stress is present in everyday life in various forms and situations. Two stressors frequently investigated are physiological and psychosocial stress. Besides similar subjective and hormonal responses, it has been suggested that they also share common neural substrates. The current study used activation-likelihood-estimation meta-analysis to test this assumption by integrating results of previous neuroimaging studies on stress processing. Reported results are cluster-level FWE corrected. The inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the anterior insula (AI) were the only regions that demonstrated overlapping activation for both stressors. Analysis of physiological stress showed consistent activation of cognitive and affective components of pain processing such as the insula, striatum, or the middle cingulate cortex. Contrarily, analysis across psychosocial stress revealed consistent activation of the right superior temporal gyrus and deactivation of the striatum. Notably, parts of the striatum appeared to be functionally specified: the dorsal striatum was activated in physiological stress, whereas the ventral striatum was deactivated in psychosocial stress. Additional functional connectivity and decoding analyses further characterized this functional heterogeneity and revealed higher associations of the dorsal striatum with motor regions and of the ventral striatum with reward processing. Based on our meta-analytic approach, activation of the IFG and the AI seems to indicate a global neural stress reaction. While physiological stress activates a motoric fight-or-flight reaction, during psychosocial stress attention is shifted towards emotion regulation and goal-directed behavior, and reward processing is reduced. Our results show the significance of differentiating physiological and psychosocial stress in neural engagement. Furthermore, the assessment of deactivations in addition to activations in stress research is highly recommended. PMID:26123376

Community Stress, Psychosocial Hazards, and EPA Decision-Making in Communities Impacted by Chronic Technological Disasters

PubMed Central

Coles, Charlton J.

2011-01-01

Psychosocial stress has emerged as an important consideration in managing environmental health risks. Stress has adverse impacts on health and may interact with environmental hazards to increase health risk. This article's primary objective was to explore psychosocial stress related to environmental contamination. We hypothesized that knowledge about stress should be used in conjunction with chemical risk assessment to inform environmental risk management decisions. Knowledge of psychosocial stress at contaminated sites began by exploring the relationships among social capital, collective efficacy, and contamination at the community level. We discussed stress at the family and individual levels, focusing on stress proliferation, available resources, and coping styles and mechanisms. We then made recommendations on how to improve the use of information on psychosocial stress in environmental decision-making, particularly in communities facing chronic technological disasters. PMID:21836109

Independent Effects of Neighborhood Poverty and Psychosocial Stress on Obesity Over Time.

PubMed

Kwarteng, Jamila L; Schulz, Amy J; Mentz, Graciela B; Israel, Barbara A; Perkins, Denise White

2017-12-01

The objective of the study was to examine the independent effects of neighborhood poverty and psychosocial stress on increases in central adiposity over time. Data are from a community sample of 157 Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic adults collected in 2002-2003 and 2007-2008, and from the 2000 Decennial Census. The dependent variable was waist circumference. Independent variables included neighborhood poverty, perceived neighborhood physical environment, family stress, safety stress, everyday unfair treatment, and a cumulative stress index. Weighted 3-level hierarchical linear regression models for a continuous outcome were used to assess the effects of neighborhood poverty and psychosocial stress on central adiposity over time. We also assessed whether psychosocial stress mediated the association between neighborhood poverty and central adiposity. Neighborhood poverty and everyday unfair treatment at baseline were independently associated with increases in central adiposity over time, accounting for the other indicators of stress. Perceptions of the neighborhood physical environment and cumulative stress mediated associations between neighborhood poverty and central adiposity. Results suggest that residing in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of poverty and exposure to everyday unfair treatment independently heighten risk of increased central adiposity over time. Associations between neighborhood poverty and central adiposity were mediated by perceptions of the neighborhood physical environment and by the cumulative stress index. Public health strategies to reduce obesity should consider neighborhood poverty and exposure to multiple sources of psychosocial stress, including everyday unfair treatment.

Enhanced emotional empathy after psychosocial stress in young healthy men.

PubMed

Wolf, Oliver T; Schulte, Judith M; Drimalla, Hanna; Hamacher-Dang, Tanja C; Knoch, Daria; Dziobek, Isabel

2015-01-01

Empathy is a core prerequisite for human social behavior. Relatively, little is known about how empathy is influenced by social stress and its associated neuroendocrine alterations. The current study was designed to test the impact of acute stress on emotional and cognitive empathy. Healthy male participants were exposed to a psychosocial laboratory stressor (trier social stress test, (TSST)) or a well-matched control condition (Placebo-TSST). Afterwards they participated in an empathy test measuring emotional and cognitive empathy (multifaceted empathy test, (MET)). Stress exposure caused an increase in negative affect, a rise in salivary alpha amylase and a rise in cortisol. Participants exposed to stress reported more emotional empathy in response to pictures displaying both positive and negative emotional social scenes. Cognitive empathy (emotion recognition) in contrast did not differ between the stress and the control group. The current findings provide initial evidence for enhanced emotional empathy after acute psychosocial stress.

[Psychosocial Stress, Stress Perception and Stress Management of Students of Social Work: a Quantitative Study].

PubMed

Kriener, C; Schwertfeger, A; Deimel, D; Köhler, T

2018-02-01

In this quantitative study, data on 746 students of social work were collected regarding their current sense of stress, experience of psychosocial drain as well as their use of specific coping strategies. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Trier Inventory of Chronic Stress (TICS) were used. The results show that one out of 3 students suffer from a lot of to extreme stress. One-fourth of the students report feeling overworked and socially overburdened. More than half of the students are exposed to psychosocial drain as a consequence of past events in their biography (e. g. death or mental illness of a close relative). Despite these obvious burdens, only one-fourth made use of professional aid or counseling. Students who are primarily using functional coping strategies have a lower sensibility to stress and feel less overworked than students primarily using dysfunctional coping strategies. In the university setting, the theoretically and empirically sound knowledge based on this report can be used profitably: The increasing implementation of seminars on coping with stress at universities itself suggests that learning and utilizing functional coping strategies can contribute to a reduction of stress and strain among students. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

ovarian cancer, psychosocial stress, depression , anxiety, social support, metabolomics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18...Changes/ Problems ...….………………………………………………3 6. Products…………………………………….……….….…………….3 7. Participants & Other Collaborating Organizations……………3 8. Special...reported stress exposures ( depressive symptoms, phobic anxiety, social support, job strain, care-giving stress) are associated with ovarian cancer risk

Salivary Biomarkers of Chronic Psychosocial Stress and CVD Risks: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

An, Kyungeh; Salyer, Jeanne; Brown, Roy E; Kao, Hsueh-Fen Sabrina; Starkweather, Angela; Shim, Insop

2016-05-01

The use of salivary biomarkers in stress research is increasing, and the precision and accuracy with which researchers are able to measure these biomarkers have dramatically improved. Chronic psychosocial stress is often linked to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Salivary biomarkers represent a noninvasive biological method of characterizing the stress phenomenon that may help to more fully describe the mechanism by which stress contributes to the pathogenesis and outcomes of CVD. We conducted a systematic review of 40 research articles to identify the salivary biomarkers researchers have most commonly used to help describe the biological impact of chronic psychosocial stress and explore its associations with CVD risk. We address strengths and weaknesses of specimen collection and measurement. We used PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews, Biological Sciences (ProQuest), and Dissertations/Theses (ProQuest) to retrieve 387 initial articles. Once we applied our inclusion/exclusion criteria to specifically target adult human studies dealing with chronic stress rather than acute/laboratory-induced stress, 40 studies remained, which we synthesized using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Cortisol was the biomarker used most frequently. Sources of psychosocial stress included job strain, low socioeconomic status, and environmental factors. Overall, psychosocial stress was associated with CVD risks such as vascular pathology (hypertension, blood pressure fluctuation, and carotid artery plaque) as well as metabolic factors such as abnormal blood glucose, dyslipidemia, and elevated cardiac enzymes. Diverse salivary biomarkers have been useful in stress research, particularly when linked to CVD risks. © The Author(s) 2015.

Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP-1) and Growth Factors Called into Question as Markers of Prolonged Psychosocial Stress

PubMed Central

Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H.; Hägg, Daniel A.; Glise, Kristina; Ekman, Rolf

2009-01-01

Background Psychosocial stress is becoming a major contributor to increased mental ill-health and sick leave in many countries. Valid markers of chronic stress would be valuable for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. A recent study suggested monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as markers of chronic stress. We aimed to confirm these potential biomarkers of prolonged psychosocial stress in female patients. Methodology/Principal Findings Circulating levels of MCP-1, EGF and VEGF, along with several other cytokines, were measured in plasma from 42 female patients suffering from exhaustion due to prolonged psychosocial stress and 42 control subjects, using a protein biochip immunoassay. There were no significant differences between patients and controls in any of the cytokines or growth factors analyzed. Furthermore, when using a different protein bioassay and reanalyzing MCP-1 and VEGF in the same samples, markedly different levels were obtained. To further explore if inflammation is present in patients with exhaustion, the classical inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured in another group of patients (n = 89) and controls (n = 88) showing a small but significant increase of CRP levels in the patients. Conclusions/Significance MCP-1, EGF and VEGF may not be suitable markers of prolonged psychosocial stress as previously suggested. Furthermore, significant differences were obtained when using two different protein assays measuring the same samples, indicating that comparing studies where different analytic techniques have been used might be difficult. Increased levels of CRP indicate that low-grade inflammation might be present in patients with exhaustion due to prolonged stress exposure but this inflammation does not seem to be reflected by increase in circulating MCP-1 or other cytokines measured. PMID:19888340

Relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension among Ghanaians in Amsterdam, the Netherlands--the GHAIA study.

PubMed

Agyei, Bernard; Nicolaou, Mary; Boateng, Linda; Dijkshoorn, Henriette; van den Born, Bert-Jan; Agyemang, Charles

2014-07-07

Hypertension is highly prevalent among recent sub-Saharan African (SSA) migrants in western countries and some tend to associate their hypertension to psychosocial stress. However data on the relationship between hypertension and psychosocial stress among SSA migrants are rare. We assessed the relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension among the largest SSA migrant population (Ghanaians) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Data were obtained from structured interviews along with medical examination among 212 participants from a cross-sectional study: the GHAIA study in 2010 in Amsterdam. Blood pressure was measured with a validated Oscillometric automated digital blood pressure device. Psychosocial stress was assessed by questionnaires on perceived discrimination, depressive symptoms and financial problems. Binary logistic regression was used to study associations between psychosocial stress and hypertension. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 54.7%. About two thirds of the study population experienced a moderate (31%) or high (36%) level of discrimination. 20.0% of the participants had mild depressive symptoms, whilst 9% had moderate depressive symptoms. The prevalence of financial stress was 34.8%. The psychosocial stresses we assessed were not significantly associated with hypertension: adjusted odds ratios comparing those with low levels and those with high levels were 0.99 (95% CI, 0.47-2.08) for perceived discrimination, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.26-2.49) for depressive symptoms and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.37-1.36) for financial stress, respectively. We did not find evidence for the association between psychosocial stress and hypertension among recent SSA migrants. More efforts are needed to unravel other potential factors that may underlie the high prevalence of hypertension among these populations.

Parental psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity in Puerto Rican twins.

PubMed

Lange, Nancy E; Bunyavanich, Supinda; Silberg, Judy L; Canino, Glorisa; Rosner, Bernard A; Celedón, Juan C

2011-03-01

Little is known about paternal psychosocial factors and childhood asthma. We sought to examine the link between maternal and paternal psychosocial stress and asthma outcomes in young children. Parents of 339 pairs of Puerto Rican twins were interviewed individually about their own psychosocial stress and about asthma in their children at age 1 year and again about their child's asthma at age 3 years. Fathers were asked about symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and antisocial behavior. Mothers were asked about depressive symptoms. Outcomes assessed in children included recent asthma symptoms, oral steroid use and hospitalizations for asthma in the prior year, and asthma diagnosis. Generalized estimated equation models were used for the multivariate analysis of parental psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity in childhood. After multivariable adjustment, paternal PTSD symptoms, depression, and antisocial behavior were each associated with increased asthma symptoms at age 1 year (eg, odds ratio, 1.08 for each 1-point increase in PTSD score; 95% CI, 1.03-1.14). Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with an increased risk of asthma hospitalizations at age 1 year. At age 3 years, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with asthma diagnosis and hospitalizations for asthma (odds ratio for each 1-point increase in symptoms, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00-1.36). In an analysis combining 1- and 3-year outcomes, paternal depression was associated with oral steroid use, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with asthma hospitalizations and asthma diagnosis, and parental depression was associated with hospitalizations for asthma. Both paternal and maternal psychosocial factors can influence asthma morbidity in young Puerto Rican children. Copyright © 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Unconscious fearful priming followed by a psychosocial stress test results in higher cortisol levels.

PubMed

Hänsel, Alexander; von Känel, Roland

2013-10-01

Human perception of stress includes an automatic pathway that processes subliminal presented stimuli below the threshold of conscious awareness. Subliminal stimuli can therefore activate the physiologic stress system. Unconscious emotional signals were shown to significantly moderate reactions and responses to subsequent stimuli, an effect called 'priming'. We hypothesized that subliminal presentation of a fearful signal during the Stroop task compared with an emotionally neutral one will prime stress reactivity in a subsequently applied psychosocial stress task, thereby yielding a significant increase in salivary cortisol. Half of 36 participants were repeatedly presented either a fearful face or a neutral one. After this, all underwent a psychosocial stress task. The fearful group showed a significant increase in cortisol levels (p = 0.022). This change was not affected by sex, age and body mass index, and it also did not change when taking resting cortisol levels into account. Post-hoc analyses showed that the increase in cortisol in the fearful group started immediately after the psychosocial stress test. Hence, subliminal exposure to a fearful signal in combination with the Stroop and followed by a psychosocial stress test leads to an increase in stress reactivity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dynamic changes in DNA methylation of stress-associated genes (OXTR, BDNF ) after acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Unternaehrer, E; Luers, P; Mill, J; Dempster, E; Meyer, A H; Staehli, S; Lieb, R; Hellhammer, D H; Meinlschmidt, G

2012-08-14

Environmentally induced epigenetic alterations are related to mental health. We investigated quantitative DNA methylation status before and after an acute psychosocial stressor in two stress-related genes: oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF ). The cross sectional study took place at the Division of Theoretical and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Trier, Germany and was conducted from February to August 2009. We included 83 participants aged 61-67 years. Thereof, 76 participants completed the full study procedure consisting of blood sampling before (pre-stress), 10 min after (post-stress) and 90 min after (follow-up) the Trier social stress test. We assessed quantitative DNA methylation of whole-blood cells using Sequenom EpiTYPER. Methylation status differed between sampling times in one target sequence of OXTR (P<0.001): methylation increased from pre- to post-stress (P=0.009) and decreased from post-stress to follow-up (P<0.001). This decrease was also found in a second target sequence of OXTR (P=0.034), where it lost statistical significance when blood cell count was statistically controlled. We did not detect any time-associated differences in methylation status of the examined BDNF region. The results suggest a dynamic regulation of DNA methylation in OXTR-which may in part reflect changes in blood cell composition-but not BDNF after acute psychosocial stress. This may enhance the understanding of how psychosocial events alter DNA methylation and could provide new insights into the etiology of mental disorders.

Acute psychosocial stress and emotion regulation skills modulate empathic reactions to pain in others

PubMed Central

Buruck, Gabriele; Wendsche, Johannes; Melzer, Marlen; Strobel, Alexander; Dörfel, Denise

2014-01-01

Psychosocial stress affects resources for adequate coping with environmental demands. A crucial question in this context is the extent to which acute psychosocial stressors impact empathy and emotion regulation. In the present study, 120 participants were randomly assigned to a control group vs. a group confronted with the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), an established paradigm for the induction of acute psychosocial stress. Empathy for pain as a specific subgroup of empathy was assessed via pain intensity ratings during a pain-picture task. Self-reported emotion regulation skills were measured as predictors using an established questionnaire. Stressed individuals scored significantly lower on the appraisal of pain pictures. A regression model was chosen to find variables that further predict the pain ratings. These findings implicate that acute psychosocial stress might impair empathic processes to observed pain in another person and the ability to accept one's emotion additionally predicts the empathic reaction. Furthermore, the ability to tolerate negative emotions modulated the relation between stress and pain judgments, and thus influenced core cognitive-affective functions relevant for coping with environmental challenges. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the necessity of reducing negative emotions in terms of empathic distress when confronted with pain of another person under psychosocial stress, in order to be able to retain pro-social behavior. PMID:24910626

Work-related psychosocial stress and glycemic control among working adults with diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Annor, Francis B; Roblin, Douglas W; Okosun, Ike S; Goodman, Michael

2015-01-01

To examine the association between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and four subscales of work-related psychosocial stress at study baseline and over time. We used survey data from a major HMO located in the Southeastern part of the US on health and healthy behaviors linked with patients' clinical, pharmacy and laboratory records for the period between 2005 and 2009. Study participants (n=537) consisted of working adults aged 25-59 years, diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) but without advanced micro or macrovascular complications at the time of the survey. We estimated the baseline (2005) association between HbA1c and work-related psychosocial stress and their interactions using linear regression analysis. Using individual growth model approach, we estimated the association between HbA1c over time and work-related psychosocial stress. Each of the models controlled for socio-demographic variables, diet and physical activity factor, laboratory factor, physical examinations variables and medication use in a hierarchical fashion. After adjusting for all study covariates, we did not find a significant association between work-related psychosocial stress and glycemic control either at baseline or over time. Among fairly healthy middle aged working adults with DM, work-related psychosocial stress was not directly associated with glycemic control. Copyright © 2015 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of stress and psychosocial interventions on assisted reproductive technology outcome.

PubMed

Morreale, Mary; Balon, Richard; Tancer, Manuel; Diamond, Michael

2011-01-01

In natural cycles of attempted conception, stress has been shown to predict lower conception rates. The objective of this article is to determine whether stress affects the outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART) as well. In addition, this article analyzes the effect that psychosocial interventions targeting the reduction of stress have on ART outcomes. This review examined available PubMed articles published in the past 15 years, and 28 articles were included. Looking specifically at numbers of women studied, stress appears to negatively affect ART outcome; interventions targeting stress reduction appear beneficial. Because stress appears to negatively affect ART outcome, and psychosocial interventions do not have detrimental effects, screening for stress should occur and some type of intervention considered during the ART process.

Psychosocial stress in pregnancy and preterm birth: associations and mechanisms

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Gabriel D.; Fraser, William D.; Frasch, Martin G.; Séguin, Jean R.

2016-01-01

Aims Psychosocial stress during pregnancy (PSP) is a risk factor of growing interest in the etiology of preterm birth (PTB). This literature review assesses the published evidence concerning the association between PSP and PTB, highlighting established and hypothesized physiological pathways mediating this association. Method The PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched using the keywords “psychosocial stress”, “pregnancy”, “pregnancy stress”, “preterm”, “preterm birth”, “gestational age”, “anxiety”, and “social support”. After applying the exclusion criteria, the search produced 107 articles. Results The association of PSP with PTB varied according to the dimensions and timing of PSP. Stronger associations were generally found in early pregnancy, and most studies demonstrating positive results found moderate effect sizes, with risk ratios between 1.2 and 2.1. Subjective perception of stress and pregnancy-related anxiety appeared to be the stress measures most closely associated with PTB. Potential physiological pathways identified included behavioral, infectious, neuroinflammatory, and neuroendocrine mechanisms. Conclusions Future research should examine the biological pathways of these different psychosocial stress dimensions and at multiple time points across pregnancy. Culture-independent characterization of the vaginal microbiome and noninvasive monitoring of cholinergic activity represent two exciting frontiers in this research. PMID:24216160

Mitochondrial Gene Expression Profiles Are Associated with Maternal Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy and Infant Temperament.

PubMed

Lambertini, Luca; Chen, Jia; Nomura, Yoko

2015-01-01

Gene-environment interactions mediate through the placenta and shape the fetal brain development. Between the environmental determinants of the fetal brain, maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy has been shown to negatively influence the infant temperament development. This in turn may have adverse consequences on the infant neurodevelopment extending throughout the entire life-span. However little is known about the underlying biological mechanisms of the effects of maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy on infant temperament. Environmental stressors such as maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy activate the stress response cascade that in turn drives the increase in the cellular energy demand of vital organs with high metabolic rates such as, in pregnancy, the placenta. Key players of the stress response cascade are the mitochondria. Here, we tested the expression of all 13 protein-coding genes encoded by the mitochondria in 108 placenta samples from the Stress in Pregnancy birth cohort, a study that aims at determining the influence of in utero exposure to maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy on infant temperament. We showed that the expression of the protein-coding mitochondrial-encoded gene MT-ND2 was positively associated with indices of maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy including Prenatal Perceived Stress (β = 0.259; p-regression = 0.004; r2-regression = 0.120), State Anxiety (β = 0.218; p-regression = 0.003; r2-regression = 0.153), Trait Anxiety (β = 0.262; p-regression = 0.003; r2-regression = 0.129) and Pregnancy Anxiety Total (β = 0.208; p-regression = 0.010; r2-regression = 0.103). In the meantime MT-ND2 was negatively associated with the infant temperament indices of Activity Level (β = -0.257; p-regression = 0.008; r2-regression = 0.165) and Smile and Laughter (β = -0.286; p-regression = 0.036; r2-regression = 0.082). Additionally, MT-ND6 was associated with the maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy index of Prenatal

Psychosocial stress alters the strength of reticulospinal input to the human upper trapezius.

PubMed

Marker, Ryan J; Campeau, Serge; Maluf, Katrina S

2017-01-01

Psychosocial stress has been shown to influence several aspects of human motor control associated with the fight-or-flight response, including augmentation of upper trapezius muscle activity. Given the established role of the reticular formation in arousal, this study investigated the contribution of reticulospinal activation to trapezius muscle activity during exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor. Twenty-five healthy adults were exposed to startling acoustic stimuli (SAS) while performing a motor task during periods of low and high psychosocial stress. Acoustic startle reflexes (ASRs) were recorded in the upper trapezius during low intensity contractions using both surface and intramuscular electromyography. Exposure to the stressor increased subjective and physiological measures of arousal (P < 0.01). The majority of participants demonstrated inhibitory ASRs, whereas a small subgroup with significantly higher trait anxiety (n = 5) demonstrated excitatory ASRs in the low stress condition. Changes in synaptic input for inhibitory ASRs were confirmed by decreases in the discharge rate of single motor units in response to the SAS. ASRs decreased in magnitude for all participants during exposure to the acute psychosocial stressor. These findings suggest that the reticular formation has predominately inhibitory effects on the human upper trapezius during an ongoing motor task and that disinhibition caused by psychosocial stress may contribute to augmentation of trapezius muscle activity. Further research is required to investigate mechanisms underlying the complex ASRs characterized by this study, particularly the phase reversal to excitatory responses observed among more anxious individuals. This study is the first to quantify stress-evoked changes in the acoustic startle reflex in the upper trapezius muscle of humans, and our findings reveal a complex pattern of inhibitory and facilitatory responses consistent with observations in nonhuman primates. We further

Psychosocial stress alters the strength of reticulospinal input to the human upper trapezius

PubMed Central

Marker, Ryan J.; Campeau, Serge

2016-01-01

Psychosocial stress has been shown to influence several aspects of human motor control associated with the fight-or-flight response, including augmentation of upper trapezius muscle activity. Given the established role of the reticular formation in arousal, this study investigated the contribution of reticulospinal activation to trapezius muscle activity during exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor. Twenty-five healthy adults were exposed to startling acoustic stimuli (SAS) while performing a motor task during periods of low and high psychosocial stress. Acoustic startle reflexes (ASRs) were recorded in the upper trapezius during low intensity contractions using both surface and intramuscular electromyography. Exposure to the stressor increased subjective and physiological measures of arousal (P < 0.01). The majority of participants demonstrated inhibitory ASRs, whereas a small subgroup with significantly higher trait anxiety (n = 5) demonstrated excitatory ASRs in the low stress condition. Changes in synaptic input for inhibitory ASRs were confirmed by decreases in the discharge rate of single motor units in response to the SAS. ASRs decreased in magnitude for all participants during exposure to the acute psychosocial stressor. These findings suggest that the reticular formation has predominately inhibitory effects on the human upper trapezius during an ongoing motor task and that disinhibition caused by psychosocial stress may contribute to augmentation of trapezius muscle activity. Further research is required to investigate mechanisms underlying the complex ASRs characterized by this study, particularly the phase reversal to excitatory responses observed among more anxious individuals. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to quantify stress-evoked changes in the acoustic startle reflex in the upper trapezius muscle of humans, and our findings reveal a complex pattern of inhibitory and facilitatory responses consistent with observations in nonhuman

The Stress Check Program: a new national policy for monitoring and screening psychosocial stress in the workplace in Japan.

PubMed

Kawakami, Norito; Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2016-01-01

The Japanese government launched a new occupational health policy called the Stress Check Program. This program mandates that all workplaces with 50 or more employees conduct the Stress Check Program for workers at least once a year. This article gives a brief overview and critical review of the program. We reviewed relevant laws, guidelines, and manuals, as well as the policy development process. The policy and the components of the program were compared using available scientific evidence and trends in the management of psychosocial factors at work according to the policies and guidelines of international bodies and European countries. The process of program policy development was based on a discussion among employer and employee representatives, occupational health professionals, and mental health experts. Scientific evidence shows that mandated components of the program (i.e., feedback of stress survey results and physician's interview) may be ineffective. However, additional components recommended to employers, such as stress management skill provision and work environment improvement, in conjunction with the program may be effective in improving psychosocial stress at work. The Stress Check Program is unique compared with the global trend for psychosocial risk management because it focuses on the assessment of stress among individual workers. The new program may be effective in improving worker mental health by facilitating the psychosocial risk management approach in Japan. Concerns regarding the program include mass leakage of collected information, and possible disadvantages for workers labeled as having high stress.

Financial stress response profiles and psychosocial functioning in low-income parents.

PubMed

Perzow, Sarah E D; Bray, Bethany C; Wadsworth, Martha E

2018-06-01

Parenting in the context of poverty is accompanied by heightened stress and heightened stakes. How parents respond to poverty-related stress has important implications for family functioning, but research investigating individual differences in low-income mothers' and fathers' responses to financial stress and their associations with parents' concurrent psychosocial adaptation is lacking. A better understanding of differences in stress responses among low-income parents is required to develop and tailor prevention programs that meet these families' needs. This study applies latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify and describe profiles of financial stress responses (problem solving, emotion regulation, emotion expression, cognitive restructuring, positive thinking, acceptance, distraction, denial, avoidance, wishful thinking, rumination, intrusive thoughts, emotional arousal, physiologic arousal, impulsive action, emotional numbing, cognitive interference, escape, and inaction) and examines associations between profile membership and psychosocial functioning in low-income parents. Five profiles were identified that were distinguished by self-reported voluntary and involuntary financial stress responses: active (32% of sample), low (11%), high (11%), negative cognitive (NC; 17%), and average (29%) responders. Notable differences emerged on measures of life stress, economic hardship, psychopathology, and social support, with individuals in the NC responders profile reporting the most difficulty and members of the active responders profile reporting the greatest adaptation. These findings offer a more nuanced understanding of how mothers and fathers respond to chronic poverty-related stress and have valuable implications for intervention efforts to promote adaptive stress responses and psychosocial functioning in low-income families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Information processing speed as a mediator between psychosocial stress and global cognition in older adults.

PubMed

Foong, Hui F; Hamid, Tengku A; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Haron, Sharifah A

2018-01-01

The link between psychosocial stress and cognitive function is complex, and previous studies have indicated that it may be mediated by processing speed. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to examine whether processing speed mediates the association between psychosocial stress and global cognition in older adults. Moreover, the moderating role of gender in this model is examined as well. The study included 2322 community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia who were randomly selected through a multistage proportional cluster random sampling technique. Global cognition construct was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment; psychosocial stress construct was measured by perceived stress, depression, loneliness, and neuroticism; and processing speed was assessed by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the mediation and moderation tests. Processing speed was found to partially mediate the relationship between psychosocial stress and global cognition (β in the direct model = -0.15, P < 0.001; β in the full mediation model = -0.11, P < 0.001). Moreover, the relationship between psychosocial stress and global cognition was found to be significant in men only, whereas the association between processing speed and global cognition was significant in men and women. Psychosocial stress may increase the likelihood that older adults will experience poor processing capacity, which could reduce their higher level cognition. Results indicate that there is a need to develop processing capacity intervention programmes for psychologically distressed older adults to prevent them from suffering cognitive decline. © 2018 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Endurance- and Resistance-Trained Men Exhibit Lower Cardiovascular Responses to Psychosocial Stress Than Untrained Men.

PubMed

Gröpel, Peter; Urner, Maren; Pruessner, Jens C; Quirin, Markus

2018-01-01

Evidence shows that regular physical exercise reduces physiological reactivity to psychosocial stress. However, previous research mainly focused on the effect of endurance exercise, with only a few studies looking at the effect of resistance exercise. The current study tested whether individuals who regularly participate in either endurance or resistance training differ from untrained individuals in adrenal and cardiovascular reactivity to psychosocial stress. Twelve endurance-trained men, 10 resistance-trained men, and 12 healthy but untrained men were exposed to a standardized psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. Measurements of heart rate, free salivary cortisol levels, and mood were obtained throughout the test and compared among the three groups. Overall, both endurance- and resistance-trained men had lower heart rate levels than untrained men, indicating higher cardiac performance of the trained groups. Trained men also exhibited lower heart rate responses to psychosocial stress compared with untrained men. There were no significant group differences in either cortisol responses or mood responses to the stressor. The heart rate results are consistent with previous studies indicating reduced cardiovascular reactivity to psychosocial stress in trained individuals. These findings suggest that long-term endurance and resistance trainings may be related to the same cardiovascular benefits, without exhibiting strong effects on the cortisol reactivity to stress.

Stressful Segregation Housing and Psychosocial Vulnerability in Prison Suicide Ideators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonner, Ronald L.

2006-01-01

Psychosocially vulnerable prisoners under stressful conditions of confinement are ill prepared to cope and at risk for developing suicide intention. The present study examined the relationships of depression, hopelessness, reasons for living, mental health problem history, suicide attempt lethality history, and stressful segregation housing with…

Aged rats are hypo-responsive to acute restraint: implications for psychosocial stress in aging

PubMed Central

Buechel, Heather M.; Popovic, Jelena; Staggs, Kendra; Anderson, Katie L.; Thibault, Olivier; Blalock, Eric M.

2013-01-01

Cognitive processes associated with prefrontal cortex and hippocampus decline with age and are vulnerable to disruption by stress. The stress/stress hormone/allostatic load hypotheses of brain aging posit that brain aging, at least in part, is the manifestation of life-long stress exposure. In addition, as humans age, there is a profound increase in the incidence of new onset stressors, many of which are psychosocial (e.g., loss of job, death of spouse, social isolation), and aged humans are well-understood to be more vulnerable to the negative consequences of such new-onset chronic psychosocial stress events. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of this age-related shift in chronic psychosocial stress response, or the initial acute phase of that chronic response, have been less well-studied. Here, we separated young (3 month) and aged (21 month) male F344 rats into control and acute restraint (an animal model of psychosocial stress) groups (n = 9–12/group). We then assessed hippocampus-associated behavioral, electrophysiological, and transcriptional outcomes, as well as blood glucocorticoid and sleep architecture changes. Aged rats showed characteristic water maze, deep sleep, transcriptome, and synaptic sensitivity changes compared to young. Young and aged rats showed similar levels of distress during the 3 h restraint, as well as highly significant increases in blood glucocorticoid levels 21 h after restraint. However, young, but not aged, animals responded to stress exposure with water maze deficits, loss of deep sleep and hyperthermia. These results demonstrate that aged subjects are hypo-responsive to new-onset acute psychosocial stress, which may have negative consequences for long-term stress adaptation and suggest that age itself may act as a stressor occluding the influence of new onset stressors. PMID:24575039

Acute treatment with cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55212.2 improves prepulse inhibition in psychosocially stressed mice.

PubMed

Brzózka, Magdalena M; Fischer, André; Falkai, Peter; Havemann-Reinecke, Ursula

2011-04-15

Cannabis, similar to psychosocial stress, is well known to exacerbate psychotic experiences and can precipitate psychotic episodes in vulnerable individuals. Cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1) are widely expressed in the brain and are particularly important to mediate the effects of cannabis. Chronic cannabis use in patients and chronic cannabinoids treatment in animals is known to cause reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI). Similarly, chronic psychosocial stress in mice impairs PPI. In the present study, we investigated the synergistic effects of substances modulating the CB1-receptors and chronic psychosocial stress on PPI. For this purpose, adult C57Bl/6J mice were exposed to chronic psychosocial stress using the resident-intruder paradigm. The cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55212.2 served as a surrogate marker for the effects of cannabis in the brain. After exposure to stress mice were acutely injected with WIN55212.2 (3 mg/kg) with or without pre-treatment with Rimonabant (3 mg/kg), a specific CB1-receptor antagonist, and subjected to behavioral testing. Stressed mice displayed a higher vulnerability to WIN55212.2 in the PPI test than control animals. The effects of WIN55212.2 on PPI were antagonized by Rimonabant suggesting an involvement of CB1-receptors in sensorimotor gating. Interestingly, WIN55212.2 increased PPI in psychosocially stressed mice although previous studies in rats showed the opposite effects. It may thus be possible, that depending on the doses of cannabinoids/CB1-receptor agonists applied and environmental conditions (psychosocial stress), opposite effects can be evoked in different experimental animals. Taken together, our data imply that CB1-receptors might play a crucial role in the synergistic effects of psychosocial stress and cannabinoids in brain. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rise in plasma lactate concentrations with psychosocial stress: a possible sign of cerebral energy demand.

PubMed

Kubera, Britta; Hubold, Christian; Otte, Saskia; Lindenberg, Ann-Sophie; Zeiss, Irena; Krause, Regina; Steinkamp, Mirja; Klement, Johanna; Entringer, Sonja; Pellerin, Luc; Peters, Achim

2012-01-01

It is known that exogenous lactate given as an i.v. energy infusion is able to counteract a neuroglycopenic state that developed during psychosocial stress. It is unknown, however, whether the brain under stressful conditions can induce a rise in plasma lactate to satisfy its increased needs during stress. Since lactate is i) an alternative cerebral energy substrate to glucose and ii) its plasmatic concentration is influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, the present study aimed at investigating whether plasma lactate concentrations increase with psychosocial stress in humans. 30 healthy young men participated in two sessions (stress induced by the Trier Social Stress Test and a non-stress control session). Blood samples were frequently taken to assess plasma lactate concentrations and stress hormone profiles. Plasma lactate increased 47% during psychosocial stress (from 0.9 ± 0.05 to 1.4 ± 0.1 mmol/l; interaction time × stress intervention: F = 19.7, p < 0.001). This increase in lactate concentrations during stress was associated with an increase in epinephrine (R(2) = 0.221, p = 0.02) and ACTH concentrations (R(2) = 0.460, p < 0.001). Plasma lactate concentrations increase during acute psychosocial stress in humans. This finding suggests the existence of a demand mechanism that functions to allocate an additional source of energy from the body towards the brain, which we refer to as 'cerebral lactate demand'.

Maternal Weight Predicts Children's Psychosocial Development via Parenting Stress and Emotional Availability.

PubMed

Bergmann, Sarah; Schlesier-Michel, Andrea; Wendt, Verena; Grube, Matthias; Keitel-Korndörfer, Anja; Gausche, Ruth; von Klitzing, Kai; Klein, Annette M

2016-01-01

Maternal obesity has been shown to be a risk factor for obesity in children and may also affect children's psychosocial outcomes. It is not yet clear whether there are also psycho-emotional mechanisms explaining the effects of maternal weight on young children's weight and psychosocial development. We aimed to evaluate whether maternal body mass index (BMI), mother-child emotional availability (EA), and maternal parenting stress are associated with children's weight and psychosocial development (i.e., internalizing/externalizing symptoms and social competence) and whether these predictors interact with each other. This longitudinal study included three assessment points (~11 months apart). The baseline sample consisted of N = 194 mothers and their children aged 5-47 months (M = 28.18, SD = 8.44, 99 girls). At t 1, we measured maternal weight and height to calculate maternal BMI. We videotaped mother-child interactions, coding them with the EA Scales (fourth edition). We assessed maternal parenting stress with the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) short form. At t 1 to t 3, we measured height and weight of children and calculated BMI-SDS scores. Children's externalizing and internalizing problems (t 1-t 3) and social competence (t 3, N = 118) were assessed using questionnaires: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5-5), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ: prosocial behavior), and a checklist for behavioral problems at preschool age (VBV 3-6: social-emotional competence). By applying structural equation modeling (SEM) and a latent regression analysis, we found maternal BMI to predict higher BMI-SDS and a poorer psychosocial development (higher externalizing symptoms, lower social competence) in children. Higher parenting stress predicted higher levels of externalizing and internalizing symptoms and lower social competence. Better maternal EA was associated with higher social competence. We found parenting stress to serve as a mediator in the association between

The role of autonomy and social support in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers.

PubMed

Havermans, Bo M; Boot, Cécile R L; Houtman, Irene L D; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Anema, Johannes R; van der Beek, Allard J

2017-06-08

Health care workers are exposed to psychosocial work factors. Autonomy and social support are psychosocial work factors that are related to stress, and are argued to largely result from the psychosocial safety climate within organisations. This study aimed to assess to what extent the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers can be explained by autonomy and social support. In a cross-sectional study, psychosocial safety climate, stress, autonomy, co-worker support, and supervisor support were assessed using questionnaires, in a sample of health care workers (N = 277). Linear mixed models analyses were performed to assess to what extent social support and autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress. A lower psychosocial safety climate score was associated with significantly higher stress (B = -0.21, 95% CI = -0.27 - -0.14). Neither co-worker support, supervisor support, nor autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress. Taken together, autonomy and both social support measures diminished the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress by 12% (full model: B = -0.18, 95% CI = -0.25 - -0.11). Autonomy and social support together seemed to bring about a small decrease in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers. Future research should discern whether other psychosocial work factors explain a larger portion of this relation. This study was registered in the Netherlands National Trial Register, trial code: NTR5527 .

Psychosocial stress and 13-year BMI change among blacks: the Pitt County Study.

PubMed

Fowler-Brown, Angela G; Bennett, Gary G; Goodman, Melody S; Wee, Christina C; Corbie-Smith, Giselle M; James, Sherman A

2009-11-01

Adverse psychosocial exposures may partially drive the high rates of obesity among blacks. The objective of this study was to prospectively examine the relationship between perceived psychosocial stress and percent change in BMI among adult black men and women. We used data from 756 women and 416 men who were participants in the Pitt County Study, a community-based, prospective cohort study of blacks in eastern North Carolina. Participants were aged 25-50 years of age on entry into the study in 1988 and follow-up was obtained in 2001. Using multivariable linear regression, we calculated the adjusted mean percentage change in BMI over the follow-up period for each tertile of baseline measures of the Perceived Stress Scale (low, medium, and high), adjusted for potential confounders. For black women, higher levels of psychosocial stress at baseline predicted higher adjusted percentage increase in BMI over the 13-year follow-up: low stress 12.0% (95% CI 9.6-14.4), medium stress 16.3% (95% CI 13.7-18.9), and high stress 15.5% (95% CI 13.1-17.8). For black men, perceived stress was not associated with percent BMI change. These data suggest that interventions targeting obesity in black women should consider the potential impact of emotional stress on weight change.

Acculturative stress, work-related psychosocial factors and depression in Korean-Chinese migrant workers in Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Hyeonkyeong; Ahn, Hyunmi; Miller, Arlene; Park, Chang Gi; Kim, Sun Jung

2012-01-01

The purposes of this study were to identify the relationships among acculturative stress, work-related psychosocial factors and depression in Korean-Chinese migrant workers living in Korea and to determine whether work-related psychosocial factors mediate the relationship between acculturative stress and depression. A descriptive correlational cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample of 200 Korean-Chinese full-time migrant workers was recruited, and 170 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Acculturative stress was assessed by Sandh and Asrabadi's Acculturative Stress Scale. Work-related psychosocial factors were assessed by job demand, insufficient job control and interpersonal conflict measures from the Korean Occupational Stress Scale. Depression was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Self-administered or face-to-face surveys were conducted by trained data collectors. Multiple regression and path analysis were used. Roughly 30% of the sample met the criteria for depression. Female workers had significantly higher depression scores than male workers. Acculturative stress and work-related psychosocial factors significantly predicted 26.3% of the variance in depression. A path model revealed the mediating effect of job demand on the relationship between acculturative stress and depression. Our results indicate that work-related psychosocial factors are salient factors that lead to depression among Korean-Chinese migrant workers living in Korea. The results suggest that occupational health-care professionals should promote the prevention and management of depression in this population and highlight the importance of acculturation context in the development of interventions designed to reduce work-related stress.

Aerobic Fitness Level Affects Cardiovascular and Salivary Alpha Amylase Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress.

PubMed

Wyss, Thomas; Boesch, Maria; Roos, Lilian; Tschopp, Céline; Frei, Klaus M; Annen, Hubert; La Marca, Roberto

2016-12-01

Good physical fitness seems to help the individual to buffer the potential harmful impact of psychosocial stress on somatic and mental health. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of physical fitness levels on the autonomic nervous system (ANS; i.e. heart rate and salivary alpha amylase) responses to acute psychosocial stress, while controlling for established factors influencing individual stress reactions. The Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) was executed with 302 male recruits during their first week of Swiss Army basic training. Heart rate was measured continuously, and salivary alpha amylase was measured twice, before and after the stress intervention. In the same week, all volunteers participated in a physical fitness test and they responded to questionnaires on lifestyle factors and personal traits. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine ANS responses to acute psychosocial stress from physical fitness test performances, controlling for personal traits, behavioural factors, and socioeconomic data. Multiple linear regression revealed three variables predicting 15 % of the variance in heart rate response (area under the individual heart rate response curve during TSST-G) and four variables predicting 12 % of the variance in salivary alpha amylase response (salivary alpha amylase level immediately after the TSST-G) to acute psychosocial stress. A strong performance at the progressive endurance run (high maximal oxygen consumption) was a significant predictor of ANS response in both models: low area under the heart rate response curve during TSST-G as well as low salivary alpha amylase level after TSST-G. Further, high muscle power, non-smoking, high extraversion, and low agreeableness were predictors of a favourable ANS response in either one of the two dependent variables. Good physical fitness, especially good aerobic endurance capacity, is an important protective factor against health

Associations of Psychosocial Factors with the Stress of Infertility Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Myra G.; Forthofer, Melinda S.

2005-01-01

This study investigated psychosocial factors thought to be associated with perceived stress over the course of infertility treatment. The research was based on secondary analysis of data from the Study of Marriage, Family, and Life Quality with a sample of 128 people who completed an infertility-related stress instrument at all three measurement…

Background Stress Inventory: Developing a Measure of Understudied Stress.

PubMed

Terrill, Alexandra L; Gjerde, Jill M; Garofalo, John P

2015-10-01

Background stress is an understudied source of stress that involves both ambient stress and daily hassles upon which new stressors are superimposed. To date, an accurate measure of the background stress construct has not been available. We developed the Background Stress Inventory, a 25-item self-report measure that asks respondents to indicate how distressed they have felt over the past month and the majority of the past year across five domains: financial, occupation, environment, health and social. Seven hundred seventy-two participants completed the paper-and-pencil measure; the sample was randomly split into two separate subsamples for analyses. Exploratory factor analysis suggested five factors corresponding to these domains, and confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable global fit (X(2)(255) = 456.47, comparative fit index = 0.94, root mean square error of approximation = 0.045). Cronbach's alpha (0.89) indicated good internal reliability. Construct validity analyses showed significant positive relationships with measures of perceived stressfulness (r = 0.62) and daily hassles (0.41), p's < 0.01. Depressive symptoms (0.62) and basal blood pressure (0.21) were both significantly associated with background stress, p's < 0.01. The importance of the proposed measure is reflected in the limited research base on the impact of background stress. Systematic investigation of this measure will provide insight into this understudied form of chronic stress and its potential influence on both psychological and physical endpoints. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Interaction between the RGS6 gene and psychosocial stress on obesity-related traits.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Jin; Min, Jin-Young; Min, Kyoung-Bok

2017-03-31

Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases and arises from the interactions between environmental factors and multiple genes. Psychosocial stress may affect the risk for obesity, modifying food intake and choice. A recent study suggested regulator of G-protein signaling 6 (RGS6) as a novel candidate gene for obesity in terms of reward-related feeding under stress. In this study, we tried to verify the unidentified connection between RGS6 and human obesity with psychosocial stress in a Korean population. A total of 1,462 adult subjects, who participated in the Korean Association Resource cohort project, were included for this analysis. Obesity-related traits including waist circumference, body mass index, and visceral adipose tissue were recorded. A total of 4 intronic SNPs for the RGS6 gene were used for this study. We found that interactions between SNP rs2239219 and psychosocial stress are significantly associated with abdominal obesity (p = 0.007). As risk allele of this SNP increased, prevalence of abdominal obesity under high-stress conditions gradually increased (p = 0.013). However, we found no SNPs-by-stress interaction effect on other adiposity phenotypes. This study suggests that RGS6 is closely linked to stress-induced abdominal obesity in Korean adults.

Breast feeding and resilience against psychosocial stress

PubMed Central

Montgomery, S M; Ehlin, A; Sacker, A

2006-01-01

Background Some early life exposures may result in a well controlled stress response, which can reduce stress related anxiety. Breast feeding may be a marker of some relevant exposures. Aims To assess whether breast feeding is associated with modification of the relation between parental divorce and anxiety. Methods Observational study using longitudinal birth cohort data. Linear regression was used to assess whether breast feeding modifies the association of parental divorce/separation with anxiety using stratification and interaction testing. Data were obtained from the 1970 British Cohort Study, which is following the lives of those born in one week in 1970 and living in Great Britain. This study uses information collected at birth and at ages 5 and 10 years for 8958 subjects. Class teachers answered a question on anxiety among 10 year olds using an analogue scale (range 0–50) that was log transformed to minimise skewness. Results Among 5672 non‐breast fed subjects, parental divorce/separation was associated with a statistically significantly raised risk of anxiety, with a regression coefficient (95% CI) of 9.4 (6.1 to 12.8). Among the breast fed group this association was much lower: 2.2 (−2.6 to 7.0). Interaction testing confirmed statistically significant effect modification by breast feeding, independent of simultaneous adjustment for multiple potential confounding factors, producing an interaction coefficient of −7.0 (−12.8 to −1.2), indicating a 7% reduction in anxiety after adjustment. Conclusions Breast feeding is associated with resilience against the psychosocial stress linked with parental divorce/separation. This could be because breast feeding is a marker of exposures related to maternal characteristics and parent–child interaction. PMID:16887859

Maternal Weight Predicts Children's Psychosocial Development via Parenting Stress and Emotional Availability

PubMed Central

Bergmann, Sarah; Schlesier-Michel, Andrea; Wendt, Verena; Grube, Matthias; Keitel-Korndörfer, Anja; Gausche, Ruth; von Klitzing, Kai; Klein, Annette M.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Maternal obesity has been shown to be a risk factor for obesity in children and may also affect children's psychosocial outcomes. It is not yet clear whether there are also psycho-emotional mechanisms explaining the effects of maternal weight on young children's weight and psychosocial development. We aimed to evaluate whether maternal body mass index (BMI), mother–child emotional availability (EA), and maternal parenting stress are associated with children's weight and psychosocial development (i.e., internalizing/externalizing symptoms and social competence) and whether these predictors interact with each other. Methods: This longitudinal study included three assessment points (~11 months apart). The baseline sample consisted of N = 194 mothers and their children aged 5–47 months (M = 28.18, SD = 8.44, 99 girls). At t1, we measured maternal weight and height to calculate maternal BMI. We videotaped mother–child interactions, coding them with the EA Scales (fourth edition). We assessed maternal parenting stress with the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) short form. At t1 to t3, we measured height and weight of children and calculated BMI–SDS scores. Children's externalizing and internalizing problems (t1–t3) and social competence (t3, N = 118) were assessed using questionnaires: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5–5), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ: prosocial behavior), and a checklist for behavioral problems at preschool age (VBV 3–6: social-emotional competence). Results: By applying structural equation modeling (SEM) and a latent regression analysis, we found maternal BMI to predict higher BMI–SDS and a poorer psychosocial development (higher externalizing symptoms, lower social competence) in children. Higher parenting stress predicted higher levels of externalizing and internalizing symptoms and lower social competence. Better maternal EA was associated with higher social competence. We found parenting stress to serve as

A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for women with postpartum stress.

PubMed

Song, Ju-Eun; Kim, Tiffany; Ahn, Jeong-Ah

2015-01-01

To analyze the effects of psychosocial interventions with the aim of reducing the intensity of stress in mothers during the postpartum period as compared with usual care. Eligible studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and ProQuest dissertations and theses. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) treating stress in postpartum mothers older than age 19 years were included. The suitability of the quality of articles was evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist for Experimental Studies. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria for data analysis. Authors, country, sample, setting, methods, time period, major content of the intervention, outcome measures, and salient findings were extracted and summarized in a data extraction form for further analysis and synthesis. Standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for 13 suitable articles using Cochrane Review Manager. Of 1,871 publications, 14 RCTs, conducted between 1994 and 2012, were evaluated in the systematic review and 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Studies were categorized into three major types by interventional methods. We found that psychosocial interventions in general (standard mean difference -1.66, 95% confidence interval [-2.74, -0.57], p = .003), and supportive stress management programs in particular (standard mean difference -0.59, 95% confidence interval [-0.94, -0.23], p = .001), were effective for women dealing with postpartum stress. This review indicated that psychosocial interventions including supportive stress management programs are effective for reducing postpartum stress in women, so those interventions should become an essential part of maternity care. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

OSO paradigm--A rapid behavioral screening method for acute psychosocial stress reactivity in mice.

PubMed

Brzózka, M M; Unterbarnscheidt, T; Schwab, M H; Rossner, M J

2016-02-09

Chronic psychosocial stress is an important environmental risk factor for the development of psychiatric diseases. However, studying the impact of chronic psychosocial stress in mice is time consuming and thus not optimally suited to 'screen' increasing numbers of genetically manipulated mouse models for psychiatric endophenotypes. Moreover, many studies focus on restraint stress, a strong physical stressor with limited relevance for psychiatric disorders. Here, we describe a simple and a rapid method based on the resident-intruder paradigm to examine acute effects of mild psychosocial stress in mice. The OSO paradigm (open field--social defeat--open field) compares behavioral consequences on locomotor activity, anxiety and curiosity before and after exposure to acute social defeat stress. We first evaluated OSO in male C57Bl/6 wildtype mice where a single episode of social defeat reduced locomotor activity, increased anxiety and diminished exploratory behavior. Subsequently, we applied the OSO paradigm to mouse models of two schizophrenia (SZ) risk genes. Transgenic mice with neuronal overexpression of Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) type III showed increased risk-taking behavior after acute stress exposure suggesting that NRG1 dysfunction is associated with altered affective behavior. In contrast, Tcf4 transgenic mice displayed a normal stress response which is in line with the postulated predominant contribution of TCF4 to cognitive deficits of SZ. In conclusion, the OSO paradigm allows for rapid screening of selected psychosocial stress-induced behavioral endophenotypes in mouse models of psychiatric diseases. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Presenteeism, Absenteeism and psychosocial stress at work among German clinicians in surgery].

PubMed

Klein, J

2013-10-01

Presenteeism is determined as turning up at work despite ill health. In the last decade this phenomenon became much more relevant and will be a central topic for future research in workplace health, health promotion and productivity loss. Compared to absenteeism research data about presenteeism are comparatively rare. Especially employees in health care are at high risk for presenteeism. The present study examines the degree of presenteeism and absenteeism among German hospital clinicians in surgery focussing on associations with psychosocial stress at work. The stratified randomised sample consisted of 1 311 German clinicians in surgery from 489 hospitals. The frequencies of presenteeism and absenteeism were respectively assessed by one item. Psychosocial stress at work was measured by the effort-reward imbalance model and the demand-control model. About 90% of the respondents indicate that they were working despite illness at least once a year, 65% actually answered sometimes or often. Nearly two thirds were absent due to illness for a minimum of once a year. Multivariate logistic regression analyses show that organisational and work-related factors are clearly associated with presenteeism. Compared to absenteeism, presenteeism shows stronger associations with psychosocial workload. Significant associations with different components of psychosocial stress reveal elevated odds ratios between 1.4 and 2.8. High efforts and demands, low rewards and increased overcommitment were notably emerging factors. Clinicians in surgery are affected by presenteesim to a high degree whereas rates of absenteeism are less striking. As potential causes for elevated presenteeism different aspects of psychosocial stress at work were identified. Workplace health promotion on different levels can reduce presenteeism to improve the health status and job performance among this occupational group that bears heavy responsibility. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Oxidative stress markers, cognitive functions, and psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder: an empirical cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Aydemir, Ömer; Çubukçuoğlu, Zeynep; Erdin, Soner; Taş, Cumhur; Onur, Ece; Berk, Michael

2014-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between oxidative stress markers and cognitive functions and domains of psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder. Oxidative stress markers, cognitive functions, and domains of psychosocial functioning were evaluated in 51 patients with bipolar disorder who were in remission. Correlation analyses between these parameters were calculated with data controlled for duration of illness and number of episodes. There was no statistically significant correlation between oxidative stress markers and cognitive functions. In terms of psychosocial functioning, significant correlations were found between malondialdehyde and sense of stigmatization (r = -0.502); household activities and superoxide dismutase (r = 0.501); participation in social activities and nitric oxide (r = 0.414); hobbies and leisure time activities and total glutathione (r = -0.567), superoxide dismutase (r = 0.667), and neurotrophin 4 (r = 0.450); and taking initiative and self-sufficiency and superoxide dismutase (r = 0.597). There was no correlation between other domains of psychosocial functioning and oxidative stress markers. These results imply that oxidative stress markers do not appear to correlate clearly with cognitive impairment and reduced psychosocial functioning. However, there were some associations between selected oxidative markers and activity-oriented functional markers. This may represent a true negative association, or may be an artifact of oxidative stress being a state rather than a trait marker.

Acute psychosocial stress reduces pain modulation capabilities in healthy men.

PubMed

Geva, Nirit; Pruessner, Jens; Defrin, Ruth

2014-11-01

Anecdotes on the ability of individuals to continue to function under stressful conditions despite injuries causing excruciating pain suggest that acute stress may induce analgesia. However, studies exploring the effect of acute experimental stress on pain perception show inconsistent results, possibly due to methodological differences. Our aim was to systematically study the effect of acute stress on pain perception using static and dynamic, state-of-the-art pain measurements. Participants were 29 healthy men who underwent the measurement of heat-pain threshold, heat-pain intolerance, temporal summation of pain, and conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Testing was conducted before and during exposure to the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST), inducing acute psychosocial stress. Stress levels were evaluated using perceived ratings of stress and anxiety, autonomic variables, and salivary cortisol. The MIST induced a significant stress reaction. Although pain threshold and pain intolerance were unaffected by stress, an increase in temporal summation of pain and a decrease in CPM were observed. These changes were significantly more robust among individuals with stronger reaction to stress ("high responders"), with a significant correlation between the perception of stress and the performance in the pain measurements. We conclude that acute psychosocial stress seems not to affect the sensitivity to pain, however, it significantly reduces the ability to modulate pain in a dose-response manner. Considering the diverse effects of stress in this and other studies, it appears that the type of stress and the magnitude of its appraisal determine its interactions with the pain system. Copyright © 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Feminine Discrepancy Stress and Psychosocial Maladjustment Among Adolescent Girls.

PubMed

Reidy, Dennis E; Kernsmith, Poco D; Malone, Carolyn A; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M; Smith-Darden, Joanne P

2018-04-01

Discrepancy stress, stress about being perceived to not conform to one's gender role (i.e., gender role discrepancy), has demonstrated effects on risky sexual and violent behaviors. However, evidence of these effects has been limited to men and boys, neglecting the impact gender role discrepancy and discrepancy stress may have on girls. In addition, no study to date, has assessed the mental health correlates of gender role discrepancy and discrepancy stress. In the current study, we sought to elucidate the relationship between perceived feminine discrepancy and feminine discrepancy stress and psychosocial maladjustment while controlling for trauma symptoms stemming from the potential repercussions of feminine discrepancy. Maladjustment was measured by creating a second-order latent factor derived from four first-order latent constructs: sexual behavior, substance use, mood disorder symptoms, and hopelessness. Data are drawn from a cross-sectional sample of female students in middle and high school (N = 643) who completed self-report questionnaires. Using structural equation modeling, we found girls reporting feminine discrepancy (i.e., less feminine than the average girl) were more likely to report feminine discrepancy stress and trauma symptomatology. Controlling for feminine discrepancy and trauma symptoms, the relationship between discrepancy stress and maladjustment was positive and significant. Additionally, girls reporting feminine discrepancy scored higher on trauma symptomatology, and trauma demonstrated a strong direct effect on psychosocial maladjustment. These data suggest that developing trauma focused prevention strategies that incorporate social norms around gender socialization may have an impact on multiple behavioral and mental health problems.

Relationships between Psychosocial Difficulties and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Women Subject to Intimate Partner Violence.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Yop; Lee, Ji Hyeon; Song, Hyang Joo; Kim, Dong Goo; Yim, Yeong Shin

2017-02-01

Women subject to violence by their intimate partners often experience a range of psychosocial problems such as depression, excessive alcohol use, and stressful life events that, in turn, lead to health issues. This study examined psychosocial difficulties and oxidative stress levels in abused and non-abused Korean women and analyzed the relationship between psychosocial outcomes and oxidative stress levels. Markers were determined in 16 women (seven abused, nine non-abused). The two groups of women (abused and non-abused) were compared with respect to scores in depression, alcohol use, life stress events, and oxidative stress biomarkers using the Mann-Whitney U test. Correlations between depression, alcohol use, life stress events, and oxidative stress biomarkers were tested by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The abused women had significantly higher levels of oxidative stress markers and significantly lower levels of antioxidants than the non-abused women. Life stress events and oxidative biomarker levels were significantly correlated. These findings have implications for both social services providers and medical personnel when assessing abused women to ensure that they receive the most appropriate service. © 2016 National Association of Social Workers.

Physical disability, life stress, and psychosocial adjustment in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Zeldow, P B; Pavlou, M

1984-02-01

Eighty-one outpatients with diagnosed multiple sclerosis were studied in an effort to examine the relative contributions of physical health status, life stress, duration of illness, age, sex, marital status, and social class on various aspects of personal and interpersonal functioning. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to identify the most significant discriminators of the seven psychosocial measures. Physical health status exerted the broadest influence, affecting personal efficiency and well-being, capacity for independent thought and action, self-confidence, self-reliance, and number of meaningful social contacts. Life stress was associated with lowered personal efficiency and sense of well-being. Duration of illness and the demographic variables had few or no effects on psychosocial adjustment. Discussion contrasts the present findings with others in the rehabilitation literature and specifies certain limitations of the study's design.

[Psychosocial stress environment and health workers in public health: Differences between primary and hospital care].

PubMed

García-Rodríguez, Antonio; Gutiérrez-Bedmar, Mario; Bellón-Saameño, Juan Ángel; Muñoz-Bravo, Carlos; Fernández-Crehuet Navajas, Joaquín

2015-01-01

To describe the psychosocial environment of health professionals in public health in primary and hospital care, and compare it with that of the general Spanish working population, as well as to evaluate the effect of psychosocial risk factors on symptoms related to perceived stress. Cross-sectional study with stratified random sampling. Health care workers in the province of Granada, distributed in 5 hospitals and 4 health districts. A total of 738 employees (medical and nursing staff) of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) were invited to take part. CopSoQ/Istas21 questionnaire developed for the multidimensional analysis of the psychosocial work environment. Stress symptoms were measured with the Stress Profile questionnaire. The response rate was 67.5%. Compared with the Spanish workforce, our sample showed high cognitive, emotional, and sensory psychological demands, possibilities for development and sense of direction in their work. Primary care physicians were the group with a worse psychosocial work environment. All the groups studied showed high levels of stress symptoms. Multivariate analysis showed that variables associated with high levels of stress symptom were younger and with possibilities for social relations, role conflict, and higher emotional demands, and insecurity at work. Our findings support that the psychosocial work environment of health workers differs from that of the Spanish working population, being more unfavorable in general practitioners. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL STRESS MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON PSYCHOSOCIAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION IN WOMEN UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR BREAST CANCER

PubMed Central

Antoni, Michael H.; Lechner, Suzanne; Diaz, Alain; Vargas, Sara; Holley, Heather; Phillips, Kristin; McGregor, Bonnie; Carver, Charles S.; Blomberg, Bonnie

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND A diagnosis of breast cancer and treatment are psychologically stressful events, particularly over the first year after diagnosis. Women undergo many demanding and anxiety-arousing treatments such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Psychosocial interventions that promote psychosocial adaptation to these challenges may modulate physiological processes (neuroendocrine and immune) that are relevant for health outcomes in breast cancer patients. METHODS Women with Stage 1 – 3 breast cancer recruited 4 – 8 weeks after surgery were randomized to either a 10-week group-based cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention or a 1-day psychoeducational control group and completed questionnaires and late afternoon blood samples at study entry and 6 and 12 months after assignment to experimental condition. RESULTS Of 128 women initially providing psychosocial questionnaire and blood samples at study entry, 97 provided complete data for anxiety measures and cortisol analysis at all time points, and immune assays were run on a subset of 85 of these women. Those assigned to a 10-week group-based CBSM intervention evidenced better psychosocial adaptation (lower reported cancer-specific anxiety and interviewer-rated general anxiety symptoms) and physiological adaptation (lower cortisol, greater Th1 cytokine [interleukin-2 and interferon-γ production and IL-2:IL-4 ratio) after their adjuvant treatment compared to those in the control group. Effects on psychosocial adaptation indicators and cortisol appeared to hold across the entire 12-month observation period. Th1 cytokine regulation changes held only over the initial 6-month period. CONCLUSIONS This intervention may have facilitated a “recovery or maintenance” of Th1 cytokine regulation during or after the adjuvant therapy period. Behavioral interventions that address dysregulated neuroendocrine function could play a clinically significant role in optimizing host immunologic resistance during a

The Estrous Cycle of the Ewe Is Resistant to Disruption by Repeated, Acute Psychosocial Stress1

PubMed Central

Wagenmaker, Elizabeth R.; Breen, Kellie M.; Oakley, Amy E.; Tilbrook, Alan J.; Karsch, Fred J.

2010-01-01

Five experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that psychosocial stress interferes with the estrous cycle of sheep. In experiment 1, ewes were repeatedly isolated during the follicular phase. Timing, amplitude, and duration of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge were not affected. In experiment 2, follicular-phase ewes were subjected twice to a “layered stress” paradigm consisting of sequential, hourly application of isolation, restraint, blindfold, and predator cues. This reduced the LH pulse amplitude but did not affect the LH surge. In experiment 3, different acute stressors were given sequentially within the follicular phase: food denial plus unfamiliar noises and forced exercise, layered stress, exercise around midnight, and transportation. This, too, did not affect the LH surge. In experiment 4, variable acute psychosocial stress was given every 1–2 days for two entire estrous cycles; this did not disrupt any parameter of the cycle monitored. Lastly, experiment 5 examined whether the psychosocial stress paradigms of experiment 4 would disrupt the cycle and estrous behavior if sheep were metabolically stressed by chronic food restriction. Thirty percent of the food-restricted ewes exhibited deterioration of estrous cycle parameters followed by cessation of cycles and failure to express estrous behavior. However, disruption was not more evident in ewes that also encountered psychosocial stress. Collectively, these findings indicate the estrous cycle of sheep is remarkably resistant to disruption by acute bouts of psychosocial stress applied intermittently during either a single follicular phase or repeatedly over two estrous cycles. PMID:20164438

Depressive symptoms and psychosocial stress at work among older employees in three continents.

PubMed

Siegrist, Johannes; Lunau, Thorsten; Wahrendorf, Morten; Dragano, Nico

2012-07-20

To assess whether an association of psychosocial stress at work with depressive symptoms among older employees is evident in a set of comparable empirical studies from Europe, North America and Asia. Cross-sectional and longitudinal multivariate regression analyses of data from 4 cohort studies with elder workers (2004 and 2006) testing associations of psychosocial stress at work ('effort-reward imbalance'; 'low control') with depressive symptoms. Cross-sectional analyses from 17 countries with 14.236 participants reveal elevated odds ratios of depressive symptoms among people experiencing high work stress compared to those with low or no work stress. Adjusted odds ratios vary from 1.64 (95% CI 1.02-2.63) in Japan to 1.97 (95% CI 1.75-2.23) in Europe and 2.28 (95% CI 1.59-3.28) in the USA. Odds ratios from additional longitudinal analyses (in 13 countries) controlling for baseline depression are smaller, but remain in part significant. Findings indicate that psychosocial stress at work might be a relevant risk factor for depressive symptoms among older employees across countries and continents. This observation may call for global policy efforts to improve quality of work in view of a rapidly aging workforce, in particular in times of economic globalization.

The Contribution of Psychosocial Stress to the Obesity Epidemic

PubMed Central

Siervo, M.; Wells, J. C. K.; Cizza, G.

2009-01-01

The Thrifty Gene hypothesis theorizes that during evolution a set of genes has been selected to ensure survival in environments with limited food supply and marked seasonality. Contemporary environments have predictable and unlimited food availability, an attenuated seasonality due to artificial lighting, indoor heating during the winter and air conditioning during the summer, and promote sedentariness and overeating. In this setting the thrifty genes are constantly activated to enhance energy storage. Psychosocial stress and sleep deprivation are other features of modern societies. Stress-induced hypercortisolemia in the setting of unlimited food supply promotes adiposity. Modern man is becoming obese because these ancient mechanisms are efficiently promoting a positive energy balance. We propose that in today’s plentifully provisioned societies, where sedentariness and mental stress have become typical traits, chronic activation of the neuroendocrine systems may contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity. We suggest that some of the yet unidentified thrifty genes may be linked to highly conserved energy sensing mechanisms (AMP kinase, mTOR kinase). These hypotheses are testable. Rural societies that are becoming rapidly industrialized and are witnessing a dramatic increase in obesity may provide a historical opportunity to conduct epidemiological studies of the thrifty genotype. In experimental settings, the effects of various forms of psychosocial stress in increasing metabolic efficiency and gene expression can be further tested. PMID:19156597

[Psychosocial risks, quality of employment, and workplace stress in Chilean wage-earning workers: a gender perspective].

PubMed

Ansoleaga, Elisa; Díaz, Ximena; Mauro, Amalia

2016-07-21

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of work-related stress in Chile and its association with exposure to workplace psychosocial risks and quality of employment, considering gender differences. The cross-sectional study included a representative probabilistic national sample of 3,010 salaried workers (1,486 women and 1,524 men). Eighteen percent reported work-related stress (23.8% of women and 14.8% of men). People exposed to psychosocial risks had a higher probability of experiencing stress, and women were more likely to suffer stress than men. Women and men in precarious work showed increased likelihood of distress, compared to workers with less precarious jobs. However, women in precarious jobs were more likely to suffer stress than men in the same situation. The study concluded that women had more precarious jobs, experienced greater exposure to psychosocial risks, and suffered more stress than men. This is evidence of double discrimination (social and gender-based) in the Chilean labor market.

Short-term psychosocial stress protects photoreceptors from damage via corticosterone-mediated activation of the AKT pathway.

PubMed

Forkwa, Tembei K; Neumann, Inga D; Tamm, Ernst R; Ohlmann, Andreas; Reber, Stefan O

2014-02-01

Apoptotic death of photoreceptors in hereditary retinal degenerations can be prevented by neuroprotective molecules. Here, we report that adrenal glucocorticoids (GC) released during psychosocial stress protect photoreceptors from apoptosis after light damage. Psychosocial stress is known to be the main type of stressor humans are exposed to and was induced here in mice by 10h of chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC). Photoreceptor damage was generated by subsequent exposure to white light. Short-term psychosocial stress prior to illumination significantly reduced the number of apoptotic photoreceptors, an effect that was absent in adrenalectomized (ADX) mice. The neuroprotective effect was completely restored in ADX mice substituted with GC. Moreover, phosphorylation of retinal AKT increased following CSC or exogenous GC treatment, an effect that was again absent in ADX mice exposed to CSC. Finally, inhibition of AKT signaling with triciribine blocked the stress- and GC-mediated neuroprotective effects on photoreceptors. In summary, we provide evidence that 1) short-term psychosocial stress protects photoreceptors from light-induced damage and 2) the protective effect is most likely mediated by GC-induced activation of the AKT signaling pathway. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers.

PubMed

Tavares, Juliana Petri; Lautert, Liana; Magnago, Tânia Solange Bosi de Souza; Consiglio, Angélica Rosat; Pai, Daiane Dal

2017-04-20

to analyze the relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers. cross-sectional and analytical study with 134 military police officers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model scale has been used to assess psychosocial stress. Salivary cortisol was collected in three samples. The following tests were used: Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, Bonferroni, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn. Pearson and Spearman correlation methods were used, as well as multiple linear regression. Cortisol at night showed an ascending statistical association with the psychosocial reward (p=0.004) and a descending association with the effort-impairment scores (p=0.017). Being part of the Special Tactical Operations Group (GATE) and the diastolic blood pressure explained 13.5% of the variation in cortisol levels on waking up. The sectors GATE, Special Patrol of the Elite Squad of the Military Police and Motorcyclists explained 21.9% of the variation in cortisol levels 30-minute after awakening. The variables GATE sector and Effort Dimension explained 27.7% of the variation in cortisol levels at night. it was evidenced that salivary cortisol variation was influenced by individual, labor and psychosocial variables.

Gender/Sex Differences in the Relationship between Psychosocial Work Exposures and Work and Life Stress.

PubMed

Padkapayeva, Kathy; Gilbert-Ouimet, Mahée; Bielecky, Amber; Ibrahim, Selahadin; Mustard, Cameron; Brisson, Chantal; Smith, Peter

2018-04-18

Stress is an important factor affecting the health of working population. While work exposures are determinants of levels of work and life stress, we do not know whether similar or different exposures are related to stress levels for men and women. This study aimed to formally examine male/female differences in the relationships between psychosocial work exposures and work and life stress in a representative sample of Canadian labour market participants. We used data from 2012 cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a representative population-based survey conducted by Statistics Canada. The sample was restricted to employed labour force participants working 15+ hours per week (N = 8328, 48% female). To examine the relationship between work exposures and work and life stress, we conducted path analyses. Psychosocial work exposures included social support, job insecurity, job control, and job strain. Differences between estimates for men and women were explored using multigroup analyses, constraining paths between male and female models to be equivalent and examining the impact on change in model fit. Male/female differences were observed in the relationships between supervisor support and work stress levels as well as between job control, job insecurity, job strain, and life stress levels. Higher levels of supervisor support at work were associated with lower work stress among women, but not among men. Low job control had a direct protective effect on life stress for men but not for women, while high job strain had a direct adverse effect on life stress among women but not among men. Higher job insecurity was more strongly associated with higher life stress among men compared with women. The relationship between work stress and life stress was similar among men and women. The findings of this study suggest that the relationships between psychosocial exposures and work and life stress differ for men and women. Our study also raised important questions

The dynamic interplay between acute psychosocial stress, emotion and autobiographical memory.

PubMed

Sheldon, Signy; Chu, Sonja; Nitschke, Jonas P; Pruessner, Jens C; Bartz, Jennifer A

2018-06-06

Although acute psychosocial stress can impact autobiographical memory retrieval, the nature of this effect is not entirely clear. One reason for this ambiguity is because stress can have opposing effects on the different stages of autobiographical memory retrieval. We addressed this issue by testing how acute stress affects three stages of the autobiographical memory retrieval - accessing, recollecting and reconsolidating a memory. We also investigate the influence of emotion valence on this effect. In a between-subjects design, participants were first exposed to an acute psychosocial stressor or a control task. Next, the participants were shown positive, negative or neutral retrieval cues and asked to access and describe autobiographical memories. After a three to four day delay, participants returned for a second session in which they described these autobiographical memories. During initial retrieval, stressed participants were slower to access memories than were control participants; moreover, cortisol levels were positively associated with response times to access positively-cued memories. There were no effects of stress on the amount of details used to describe memories during initial retrieval, but stress did influence memory detail during session two. During session two, stressed participants recovered significantly more details, particularly emotional ones, from the remembered events than control participants. Our results indicate that the presence of stress impairs the ability to access consolidated autobiographical memories; moreover, although stress has no effect on memory recollection, stress alters how recollected experiences are reconsolidated back into memory traces.

Sex-dependent effects of chronic psychosocial stress on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury.

PubMed

Rorabaugh, Boyd R; Krivenko, Anna; Eisenmann, Eric D; Bui, Albert D; Seeley, Sarah; Fry, Megan E; Lawson, Joseph D; Stoner, Lauren E; Johnson, Brandon L; Zoladz, Phillip R

2015-01-01

Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience many debilitating symptoms, including intrusive memories, persistent anxiety and avoidance of trauma-related cues. PTSD also results in numerous physiological complications, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, characterization of PTSD-induced cardiovascular alterations is lacking, especially in preclinical models of the disorder. Thus, we examined the impact of a psychosocial predator-based animal model of PTSD on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to psychosocial stress or control conditions for 31 days. Stressed rats were given two cat exposures, separated by a period of 10 days, and were subjected to daily social instability throughout the paradigm. Control rats were handled daily for the duration of the experiment. Rats were tested on the elevated plus maze (EPM) on day 32, and hearts were isolated on day 33 and subjected to 20 min ischemia and 2 h reperfusion on a Langendorff isolated heart system. Stressed male and female rats gained less body weight relative to controls, but only stressed males exhibited increased anxiety on the EPM. Male, but not female, rats exposed to psychosocial stress exhibited significantly larger infarcts and attenuated post-ischemic recovery of contractile function compared to controls. Our data demonstrate that predator stress combined with daily social instability sex-dependently increases myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Thus, this manipulation may be useful for studying potential mechanisms underlying cardiovascular alterations in PTSD, as well as sex differences in the cardiovascular stress response.

Moderate psychosocial stress appears not to impair recall of words learned 4 weeks prior to stress exposure.

PubMed

Wolf, Oliver T; Schommer, Nicole C; Hellhammer, Dirk H; Reischies, Friedel M; Kirschbaum, Clemens

2002-02-01

Recent studies in humans have reported that recall of previously learned material is especially sensitive to the disruptive effects of pharmacologically induced cortisol elevations. Whether similar effects occur after exposure to psychosocial stress remains to be shown. Moreover it is unknown whether stress before or after the initial learning interacts with the later effects of repeated stress on delayed recall (e.g. state-dependent learning). Forty subjects participated in the present experiment. They learned a word list either one hour before or 10 min after exposure to a psychosocial laboratory stressor. Delayed recall was tested 4 weeks later, again either before or after stress. Salivary cortisol levels increased significantly in response to both stress exposures. Stress had no effects on the initial learning and also did not impair delayed recall. Moreover there was no evidence for state-dependent learning. The current data seem to be in conflict with previous studies demonstrating that delayed recall is especially sensitive to elevated cortisol levels. Several reasons for these discrepancies are discussed. Among them is the small sample size, the moderate cortisol increase in response to the second stress exposure but also the long recall delay, which might lead to memory traces less susceptible to stress.

Psychosocial Clusters and their Associations with Well-Being and Health: An Empirical Strategy for Identifying Psychosocial Predictors Most Relevant to Racially/Ethnically Diverse Women’s Health

PubMed Central

Jabson, Jennifer M.; Bowen, Deborah; Weinberg, Janice; Kroenke, Candyce; Luo, Juhua; Messina, Catherine; Shumaker, Sally; Tindle, Hilary A.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Strategies for identifying the most relevant psychosocial predictors in studies of racial/ethnic minority women’s health are limited because they largely exclude cultural influences and they assume that psychosocial predictors are independent. This paper proposes and tests an empirical solution. METHODS Hierarchical cluster analysis, conducted with data from 140,652 Women’s Health Initiative participants, identified clusters among individual psychosocial predictors. Multivariable analyses tested associations between clusters and health outcomes. RESULTS A Social Cluster and a Stress Cluster were identified. The Social Cluster was positively associated with well-being and inversely associated with chronic disease index, and the Stress Cluster was inversely associated with well-being and positively associated with chronic disease index. As hypothesized, the magnitude of association between clusters and outcomes differed by race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS By identifying psychosocial clusters and their associations with health, we have taken an important step toward understanding how individual psychosocial predictors interrelate and how empirically formed Stress and Social clusters relate to health outcomes. This study has also demonstrated important insight about differences in associations between these psychosocial clusters and health among racial/ethnic minorities. These differences could signal the best pathways for intervention modification and tailoring. PMID:27279761

Longitudinal impact of frequent geographic relocation from adolescence to adulthood on psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion at ages 32 and 42 years: the Amsterdam growth and health longitudinal study.

PubMed

Lin, Kuan-Chia; Twisk, J W R; Huang, Hui-Chuan

2012-01-01

We assessed mobility in different life stages over a 29-year period from adolescence through adulthood and its correlation with psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion at ages 32 and 42 years. Data were derived from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study, an observational longitudinal study of 420 boys and girls from age 13 to 42 years. Measurements included cumulative frequency of geographic relocation (CFGR), psychosocial stress (measured by a Dutch scale of experienced stress, VOEG-13), vital exhaustion (measured by the Maastricht Questionnaire, MQ), demographics, socioeconomic status, and other background characteristics. From 1976 to 2006, total CFGR was 3.56 ± 1.89 (range 0-13). Frequent geographic relocation during 2 life stages (age 22-32 years and 33-42 years) was significantly interrelated; however, this was not evident at age 13 to 21 years, which suggests a unique exposure to relocation during adolescence and youth. After adjusting for anticipated confounders, higher cumulative frequencies of residential changes during adolescence and youth were markedly associated with psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion at ages 32 and 42 years. Frequent geographic relocation during adolescence and youth was an indicator of psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion in the transition to middle adulthood. Further consideration of the pathways in this web of causation may aid in stress prevention and minimize negative consequences.

Minority stress, psychosocial resources, and psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors

PubMed Central

Kamen, Charles; Jabson, Jennifer M.; Mustian, Karen M.; Boehmer, Ulrike

2017-01-01

Objective Few studies have examined unique factors predicting psychological distress among sexual minority (i.e., lesbian and bisexual) women post breast cancer diagnosis. The present study assessed the association of minority stress and psychosocial resource factors with depression and anxiety symptoms among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. Methods 201 sexual minority women who had ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or stage I-IV breast cancer participated in this study through the Love/Avon Army of Women (AOW). Self-report questionnaires were used to assess demographic and clinical factors, minority stress factors (discrimination, minority identity development, outness), psychosocial resources (resilience, social support), and psychological distress (anxiety and depression). These factors were included in a structural equation model, testing psychosocial resources as mediators between minority stress and psychological distress. Results There were no significant differences noted between lesbian and bisexual women. The final structural equation model demonstrated acceptable fit across all sexual minority women, χ2 = 27.83, p > 0.05; confirmatory fit index = 0.97, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.04, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.93. The model accounted for significant variance in psychological distress (56%). Examination of indirect effects confirmed that exposure to discrimination was associated with distress via association with resilience. Conclusions Factors unique to sexual minority populations, such as minority stress, may be associated with higher rates of psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. However, presence of psychosocial resources may mediate relationships with distress in this population; enhancement of resilience, in particular, could be an aim of psychological intervention. PMID:28165265

Minority stress, psychosocial resources, and psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Kamen, Charles; Jabson, Jennifer M; Mustian, Karen M; Boehmer, Ulrike

2017-06-01

Few studies have examined unique factors predicting psychological distress among sexual minority (i.e., lesbian and bisexual) women postbreast cancer diagnosis. The present study assessed the association of minority stress and psychosocial resource factors with depression and anxiety symptoms among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. Two hundred one sexual minority women who had ductal carcinoma in situ or Stage I-IV breast cancer participated in this study through the Love/Avon Army of Women. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess demographic and clinical factors, minority stress factors (discrimination, minority identity development, outness), psychosocial resources (resilience, social support), and psychological distress (anxiety and depression). These factors were included in a structural equation model, testing psychosocial resources as mediators between minority stress and psychological distress. There were no significant differences noted between lesbian and bisexual women. The final structural equation model demonstrated acceptable fit across all sexual minority women, χ2 = 27.83, p > .05; confirmatory fit index = 0.97, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.04, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.93. The model accounted for significant variance in psychological distress (56%). Examination of indirect effects confirmed that exposure to discrimination was associated with distress via association with resilience. Factors unique to sexual minority populations, such as minority stress, may be associated with higher rates of psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. However, presence of psychosocial resources may mediate relationships with distress in this population; enhancement of resilience, in particular, could be an aim of psychological intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationship between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health among Chinese medical staff: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Meng, Shi-Jiao; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Li-Juan; Yan, Yu-Xiang

2018-01-01

Objectives The study aimed to develop and validate a model to measure psychosocial factors at work among medical staff in China based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The second aim of the current study was to clarify the association between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health status. Design The cross-sectional study was conducted using clustered sampling method. Setting Xuanwu Hospital, a 3A grade hospital in Beijing. Participants Nine hundred and fourteen medical staff aged over 40 years were sampled. Seven hundred and ninety-seven valid questionnaires were collected and used for further analyses. The sample included 94% of the Han population. Main outcome measures The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaires-25 were used to assess the psychosocial factors at work and suboptimal health status, respectively. CFA was conducted to establish the evaluating method of COPSOQ. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between suboptimal health status and stress-related psychosocial work factors among Chinese medical staff. Results There was a strong correlation among the five dimensions of COPSOQ based on the first-order factor model. Then, we established two second-order factors including negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors to evaluate psychosocial factors at work, and the second-order factor model fit well. The high score in negative (OR (95% CI)=1.47 (1.34 to 1.62), P<0.001) and positive (OR (95% CI)=0.96 (0.94 to 0.98), P<0.001) psychosocial work factors increased and decreased the risk of suboptimal health, respectively. This relationship remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders and when using different cut-offs of suboptimal health status. Conclusions Among medical staff, the second-order factor model was a suitable method to evaluate the COPSOQ. The negative and positive psychosocial work

Acute psychosocial stress differentially influences salivary endocrine and immune measures in undergraduate students.

PubMed

Campisi, Jay; Bravo, Yesika; Cole, Jennifer; Gobeil, Kyle

2012-10-10

Undergraduate students routinely experience acute psychosocial stress when interviewing for post-collegiate employment. While numerous studies have demonstrated that acute stress can increase release of immune-relevant molecules in blood, fewer studies have examined if acute stress also increases immune-relevant molecules into saliva. Saliva, and the biomolecules found in saliva often serve important immune defense roles and can be used to non-invasively screen for many systemic diseases. Therefore, the current study examined saliva concentrations of endocrine and immune molecules following exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor (mock job interview) in undergraduates. Heart rate, blood pressure, salivary cortisol, salivary immunoglobulin-A (S-IgA), and salivary C-reactive protein (S-CRP) were compared in healthy college undergraduates (n=15) before and after completion of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The TSST induced significant increases in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and salivary cortisol. Additional analyses revealed a non-significant (p=0.1) increase in the level of S-IgA following the TSST. A significant decrease in S-IgA was observed during the recovery period. No change in S-CRP was observed following the TSST. These results suggest that acute stress experienced by undergraduates when interviewing for a job activates the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and that cortisol levels increase in saliva. Stress-induced elevations in cortisol might be responsible for the decreased S-IgA observed following the recovery period. Collectively, these data provide further insight into the interaction between psychosocial stress, endocrine, and immune functioning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elevated Psychosocial Stress at Work in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Richter, Jutta G; Muth, Thomas; Li, Jian; Brinks, Ralph; Chehab, Gamal; Koch, Tobias; Siegrist, Johannes; Angerer, Peter; Huscher, Dörte; Schneider, Matthias

2018-02-01

Psychosocial stress at work not only affects the healthy working population, but also workers with chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate the psychosocial work stress levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A cross-sectional study applied the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire - an internationally established instrument that measures work stress - to patients with SLE and RA who were capable of work and to a group of controls without these diseases. Participants were recruited through rheumatologists in private practices, hospitals, and from self-help groups by personal communication, paper-based flyers, and online advertisements. Because very few studies tested the ERI's applicability in patient groups, with a lack of evidence in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, internal consistency and construct validity of the ERI measure were evaluated. Data came from 270 patients with RA and 247 with SLE, and 178 controls. Patients showed elevated psychosocial stress at work compared to controls. Across the total sample and all groups, satisfactory internal consistencies of the scales effort, reward, and overcommitment were obtained (Cronbach's alpha coefficients > 0.70), and confirmatory factor analysis replicated the theoretical structure of the ERI model (goodness-of-fit index > 0.80). We found elevated psychosocial stress at work in patients with SLE and RA compared to controls by applying the ERI model. Despite some heterogeneity in the sample, we achieved satisfactory psychometric properties of the ERI questionnaire. Our results suggest that the ERI questionnaire is a psychometrically useful tool to be implemented in epidemiological studies of employed patients with SLE and RA.

Psychosocial stress is associated with obesity and diet quality in Hispanic/Latino adults.

PubMed

Isasi, Carmen R; Parrinello, Christina M; Jung, Molly M; Carnethon, Mercedes R; Birnbaum-Weitzman, Orit; Espinoza, Rebeca A; Penedo, Frank J; Perreira, Krista M; Schneiderman, Neil; Sotres-Alvarez, Daniela; Van Horn, Linda; Gallo, Linda C

2015-02-01

To examine the association of psychosocial stress with obesity, adiposity, and dietary intake in a diverse sample of Hispanic/Latino adults. Participants were 5077 men and women, aged 18 to 74 years, from diverse Hispanic/Latino ethnic backgrounds. Linear regression models were used to assess the association of ongoing chronic stressors and recent perceived stress with measures of adiposity (waist circumference and percentage body fat) and dietary intake (total energy, saturated fat, alternative healthy eating index-2010). Multinomial logistic models were used to describe the odds of obesity or overweight relative to normal weight. Greater number of chronic stressors and greater perceived stress were associated with higher total energy intake. Greater recent perceived stress was associated with lower diet quality as indicated by alternative healthy eating index-2010 scores. Compared with no stressors, reporting three or more chronic stressors was associated with higher odds of being obese (odds ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.1), greater waist circumference (β = 3.3, 95% CI 1.0-5.5), and percentage body fat (β = 1.5, 95% CI 0.4-2.6). The study found an association between stress and obesity and adiposity measures, suggesting that stress management techniques may be useful in obesity prevention and treatment programs that target Hispanic/Latino populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early life stress and physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood.

PubMed

Alastalo, Hanna; von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B; Räikkönen, Katri; Pesonen, Anu-Katriina; Osmond, Clive; Barker, David J P; Heinonen, Kati; Kajantie, Eero; Eriksson, Johan G

2013-01-01

Severe stress experienced in early life may have long-term effects on adult physiological and psychological health and well-being. We studied physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood in subjects separated temporarily from their parents in childhood during World War II. The 1803 participants belong to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, born 1934-44. Of them, 267 (14.8%) had been evacuated abroad in childhood during WWII and the remaining subjects served as controls. Physical and psychosocial functioning was assessed with the Short Form 36 scale (SF-36) between 2001 and 2004. A test for trends was based on linear regression. All analyses were adjusted for age at clinical examination, social class in childhood and adulthood, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, body mass index, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Physical functioning in late adulthood was lower among the separated men compared to non-separated men (b = -0.40, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: -0.71 to -0.08). Those men separated in school age (>7 years) and who were separated for a duration over 2 years had the highest risk for lower physical functioning (b = -0.89, 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.20) and (b = -0.65, 95% CI: -1.25 to -0.05), respectively). Men separated for a duration over 2 years also had lower psychosocial functioning (b = -0.70, 95% CI: -1.35 to -0.06). These differences in physical and psychosocial functioning were not observed among women. Early life stress may increase the risk for impaired physical functioning in late adulthood among men. Timing and duration of the separation influenced the physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood.

Discrimination, Psychosocial Stress, and Health among Latin American Immigrants in Oregon

PubMed Central

McClure, Heather H.; Snodgrass, J. Josh; Martinez, Charles R.; Eddy, J. Mark; Jiménez, Roberto A.; Isiordia, Laura E.

2009-01-01

Chronic psychosocial stress related to discrimination has been shown to be associated with biological measures such as elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), increased body fat, and higher fasting glucose levels. Few studies have examined this relationship in immigrant populations. The present study recruited a sample of 132 Oregon Latino immigrant adults in order to investigate the relationships between perceived discrimination and several health measures (blood pressure, body mass index [BMI], and fasting glucose). Results indicate that perceived discrimination stress predicted elevated SBP among men but not among women. Perceived discrimination was significantly higher among obese women than among women of normal BMI. The same pattern was not observed for men. Further, a strong trend relationship was detected: the higher women’s reported discrimination stress, the higher their fasting glucose levels. Again, this pattern was not observed for men. These results suggest that chronic psychosocial stress plays an important role in disease risk among Latin American immigrants, and that male and female immigrants may have distinctive physiological responses. If confirmed, these findings may have important clinical and public health implications for chronic disease prevention among Latinos. PMID:19844904

Design of psychosocial factors questionnaires: a systematic measurement approach

PubMed Central

Vargas, Angélica; Felknor, Sarah A

2012-01-01

Background Evaluation of psychosocial factors requires instruments that measure dynamic complexities. This study explains the design of a set of questionnaires to evaluate work and non-work psychosocial risk factors for stress-related illnesses. Methods The measurement model was based on a review of literature. Content validity was performed by experts and cognitive interviews. Pilot testing was carried out with a convenience sample of 132 workers. Cronbach’s alpha evaluated internal consistency and concurrent validity was estimated by Spearman correlation coefficients. Results Three questionnaires were constructed to evaluate exposure to work and non-work risk factors. Content validity improved the questionnaires coherence with the measurement model. Internal consistency was adequate (α=0.85–0.95). Concurrent validity resulted in moderate correlations of psychosocial factors with stress symptoms. Conclusions Questionnaires´ content reflected a wide spectrum of psychosocial factors sources. Cognitive interviews improved understanding of questions and dimensions. The structure of the measurement model was confirmed. PMID:22628068

A cross-sectional study of psychosocial work environment and stress in the Danish symphony orchestras.

PubMed

Holst, Gitte Juel; Paarup, Helene M; Baelum, Jesper

2012-08-01

To investigate psychosocial work environment and stress in Danish symphony orchestra musicians. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of psychosocial work factors and stress symptoms among 441 musicians in six Danish symphony orchestras. The response rate was 78% (n = 342). The questions were from COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire). Mean values of 19 COPSOQ-scales were compared by gender and instrument group. The results for the musicians were compared with results for the general Danish work force (COPSOQ database). Female musicians reported higher work demands and higher stress symptoms than their male colleagues. Between instrument groups, 2nd violinists seemed to be of particular risk compared with the other instrumental groups in aspects of work pace, work organization, and content, whereas 1st violinists perceived higher emotional stress compared with 2nd violinists. The musicians' experience of increased work demands as well as deteriorated, work organization and job content, interpersonal relations and leadership, and work-individual interface was significantly associated with increasing stress symptoms. Compared to the general workforce independently of gender, Danish symphony orchestra musicians reported higher emotional demands, lower influence, lower social support, lower sense of community, and lower job satisfaction. However, the musicians reported a higher commitment to the workplace. The findings indicate a more demanding psychosocial work environment exposure among symphony orchestra musicians than among Danish workers in general. Critical results are the relatively high work demands, low influence, and low social support, females being of higher risk than males.

Maternal psychosocial stress and children's ADHD diagnosis: a prospective birth cohort study.

PubMed

Okano, Lauren; Ji, Yuelong; Riley, Anne W; Wang, Xiaobin

2018-05-23

Examine the association of mothers' psychosocial stressors before and during pregnancy with their children's diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study included 2140 mother-child pairs who had at least one postnatal pediatric visit at the Boston Medical Center between 2003 and 2015. Child ADHD was determined via International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes documented in electronic medical records. Latent factors of maternal stress and social support and measures of the physical home environment and psychosocial adversities were constructed using exploratory factor analysis. The association between the latent factors and child ADHD diagnosis was examined using multiple logistic regression, controlling for known risk factors for ADHD. Children were 1.45 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.99) and 3.03 (95% CI: 2.19, 4.20) times more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis if their mother experienced a major stressful event during pregnancy or reported a high level of perceived stress, respectively. The number of family adversities increases the risk of ADHD diagnosis [second quartile: OR = 1.90; CI (1.31, 2.77); third quartile: OR = 1.96 CI (1.34, 2.88); fourth quartile: OR = 2.89 CI (2.01, 4.16)] compared to first quartile. In this prospective, predominantly urban, low-income, minority birth cohort, mothers' psychosocial stress before and during pregnancy appears to be an independent risk factor for the development of ADHD in their children.

Relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers 1

PubMed Central

Tavares, Juliana Petri; Lautert, Liana; Magnago, Tânia Solange Bosi de Souza; Consiglio, Angélica Rosat; Pai, Daiane Dal

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective: to analyze the relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers. Method: cross-sectional and analytical study with 134 military police officers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model scale has been used to assess psychosocial stress. Salivary cortisol was collected in three samples. The following tests were used: Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, Bonferroni, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn. Pearson and Spearman correlation methods were used, as well as multiple linear regression. Cortisol at night showed an ascending statistical association with the psychosocial reward (p=0.004) and a descending association with the effort-impairment scores (p=0.017). Being part of the Special Tactical Operations Group (GATE) and the diastolic blood pressure explained 13.5% of the variation in cortisol levels on waking up. The sectors GATE, Special Patrol of the Elite Squad of the Military Police and Motorcyclists explained 21.9% of the variation in cortisol levels 30-minute after awakening. The variables GATE sector and Effort Dimension explained 27.7% of the variation in cortisol levels at night. Conclusion: it was evidenced that salivary cortisol variation was influenced by individual, labor and psychosocial variables. PMID:28443994

Psychosocial Stress and Risk of Myocardial Infarction: A Case-Control Study in Belgrade (Serbia)

PubMed Central

Vujcic, Isidora; Vlajinac, Hristina; Dubljanin, Eleonora; Vasiljevic, Zorana; Matanovic, Dragana; Maksimovic, Jadranka; Sipetic, Sandra

2016-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate which psychosocial risk factors show the strongest association with occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI) in the population of Belgrade in peacetime, after the big political changes in Serbia. Methods A case-control study was conducted involving 154 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with MI, and 308 controls matched by gender, age, and place of residence. Results According to conditional logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for conventional coronary risk factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for work-related stressful events, financial stress, deaths and diseases, and general stress were 3.78 (1.83-7.81), 3.80 (1.96-7.38), 1.69 (1.03-2.78), and 3.54 (2.01-6.22), respectively. Among individual stressful life events, the following were independently related to MI: death of a close family member, 2.21 (1.01-4.84); death of a close friend, 42.20 (3.70-481.29); major financial problems, 8.94 (1.83-43.63); minor financial problems, 4.74 (2.02-11.14); changes in working hours, 4.99 (1.64-15.22); and changes in working conditions, 30.94 (5.43-176.31). Conclusions During this political transition period , stress at work, financial stress, and stress in general as they impacted the population of Belgrade, Serbia were strongly associated with occurence of MI. PMID:27274168

Cortisol reactivity and emotional memory after psychosocial stress in oral contraceptive users.

PubMed

Mordecai, Kristen L; Rubin, Leah H; Eatough, Erin; Sundermann, Erin; Drogos, Lauren; Savarese, Antonia; Maki, Pauline M

2017-01-02

Oral contraceptive (OC) users typically show a blunted or no cortisol response to psychosocial stress. Although most OC regimens include both an inactive (dummy) and active pill phase, studies have not systematically investigated cortisol responses during these pill phases. Further, high levels of cortisol following a stressor diminish retrieval of emotional material, but the effects of stress on memory among OC users are poorly understood. We examined the effects of a psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test, vs. a control condition on cortisol responsivity and emotional memory retrieval in women tested either during their active (n = 18) or inactive pill phase (n = 21). In secondary analyses, we quantitatively compared OC users with normally cycling women and showed a significant lack of cortisol response during both active and inactive pill phase. Emotional recall did not differ between active and inactive pill phases. Stress differentially diminished recall of negative words compared with positive or neutral words, but cortisol levels were unrelated to memory performance. These findings indicate that OC users have distinct cortisol and memory responses to stress that are similar between the active and inactive pill phases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relationship between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health among Chinese medical staff: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Liang, Ying-Zhi; Chu, Xi; Meng, Shi-Jiao; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Li-Juan; Yan, Yu-Xiang

2018-03-06

The study aimed to develop and validate a model to measure psychosocial factors at work among medical staff in China based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The second aim of the current study was to clarify the association between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health status. The cross-sectional study was conducted using clustered sampling method. Xuanwu Hospital, a 3A grade hospital in Beijing. Nine hundred and fourteen medical staff aged over 40 years were sampled. Seven hundred and ninety-seven valid questionnaires were collected and used for further analyses. The sample included 94% of the Han population. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaires-25 were used to assess the psychosocial factors at work and suboptimal health status, respectively. CFA was conducted to establish the evaluating method of COPSOQ. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between suboptimal health status and stress-related psychosocial work factors among Chinese medical staff. There was a strong correlation among the five dimensions of COPSOQ based on the first-order factor model. Then, we established two second-order factors including negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors to evaluate psychosocial factors at work, and the second-order factor model fit well. The high score in negative (OR (95% CI)=1.47 (1.34 to 1.62), P<0.001) and positive (OR (95% CI)=0.96 (0.94 to 0.98), P<0.001) psychosocial work factors increased and decreased the risk of suboptimal health, respectively. This relationship remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders and when using different cut-offs of suboptimal health status. Among medical staff, the second-order factor model was a suitable method to evaluate the COPSOQ. The negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors might be the risk and protective factors of suboptimal health

Stress, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning of Ethnically Diverse Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Michelle; Langrehr, Kimberly J.

2017-01-01

This study examined the stress-buffering role of social support on indicators of psychosocial functioning among a combined and split sample of ethnically diverse college students. Although high social support significantly moderated 2 relationships in the combined sample, high and low levels of social support significantly reduced the effect of…

Psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease. Part 3: Clinical and policy implications of research on the transcendental meditation program.

PubMed

Walton, Kenneth G; Schneider, Robert H; Salerno, John W; Nidich, Sanford I

2005-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States today and a major contributor to total health care costs. Psychosocial stress has been implicated in CVD, and psychosocial approaches to primary and secondary prevention are gaining research support. This third article in the series on psychosocial stress and CVD continues the evaluation of one such approach, the Maharishi Transcendental Meditation program, a psychophysiological approach from the Vedic tradition that is systematically taught by qualified teachers throughout the world. Evidence suggests not only that this program can provide benefits in prevention but also that it may reduce CVD-related and other health care expenses. On the basis of data from the studies available to date, the Transcendental Meditation program may be responsible for reductions of 80% or greater in medical insurance claims and payments to physicians. This article evaluates the implications of research on the Transcendental Meditation program for health care policy and for large-scale clinical implementation of the program. The Transcendental Meditation program can be used by individuals of any ethnic or cultural background, and compliance with the practice regimen is generally high. The main steps necessary for wider adoption appear to be: (1) educating health care providers and patients about the nature and expected benefits of the program, and (2) adjustments in public policies at the state and national levels to allow this program to be included in private and public health insurance plans.

Psychosocial stress and obesity among children residing in Kaunas City.

PubMed

Grazuleviciene, Regina; Petraviciene, Inga; Andrusaityte, Sandra; Balseviciene, Birute

2017-08-01

An unfavorable psychosocial environment has been associated with an increased prevalence of obesity among children. However, the available evidence on the association of low socioeconomic status and parent-child relationships with childhood obesity is scarce. The aim of our study was to conduct a simultaneous evaluation of the risks associated with pathological mother-child relationships, education level, and overweight/obesity among 4-6 year-old children. This cross-sectional study included 1489 mother-child pairs living in Kaunas city, Lithuania. The Parenting Stress Index was measured using the Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction subscale. Children's overweight/obesity was defined as the body mass index ≥18kg/m 2 . Logistic regression models as well as crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to indicate the strength of the associations between childhood overweight/obesity, maternal education level, and psychosocial stress. The percentage of children with overweight/obesity rose with an increasing Parenting Stress Index score. The percentage of children with overweight/obesity in the group of parents with better education and normal mother-child relations was 6.0%, while in the group of less educated parents and pathological mother-child relations, this percentage reached 13.9%. The stratified multivariable model showed that, with reference to the group of better educated parents and normal mother-child relations, lower education level and pathological mother-child relations were statistically significant risk factors for overweight/obesity in 4-6 year-old children, increasing the OR of overweight/obesity (aOR: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.31-4.51). Pathological mother-child relations and maternal smoking mediated the effect of low maternal education level on children's BMI z-scores. Pathological mother-child relations, lower parental education levels, and smoking may be predictors of children's overweight/obesity. Measures

Parental internalizing problems in a community sample: association with child psychosocial problems.

PubMed

Spijkers, Willem; Jansen, Daniëlle E M C; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2014-02-01

Offspring of depressed, anxious and stressed parents are at increased risk of developing mental disorders. However, most studies investigating this association concentrate on clinical symptoms. The objective of this study is to examine the association between parental internalizing problems (symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress) and child psychosocial problems in a community sample, crude and adjusted for potential confounders (such as child gender, parental educational level, ethnicity) and whether parental concerns affect this association. Preceding a routine health examination, cross-sectional data were obtained from a representative sample of 9453 parents of children aged 9-11 years (response 65%). Measures of parental internalizing problems (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale), child psychosocial problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Total Difficulties Score), background characteristics and parental concerns were completed by the parents. Parental internalizing problems were associated with child psychosocial problems in crude analysis and after adjustment for child, parent and family characteristics [β = 0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.10-0.14]. Parental concerns about their child's emotional and behavioural problems were also strongly associated with child psychosocial problems. After adjustment for these parental concerns, the association of parental stress with child psychosocial problems remained, while the association of parental depression and anxiety symptoms with child psychosocial problems lost statistical significance. As in clinical samples, parental internalizing problems in a community sample are associated with child psychosocial problems. Parental concerns on the child seem to affect this association. Further research is needed on the mechanisms affecting this association.

Stress-Preventive Management Competencies, Psychosocial Work Environments, and Affective Well-Being: A Multilevel, Multisource Investigation.

PubMed

Toderi, Stefano; Balducci, Cristian

2018-02-26

The Management Competencies for Preventing and Reducing Stress at Work framework represents one of the few tailored models of leadership for work stress prevention purposes, but it has never been empirically evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether supervisors' stress-preventive management competencies, as measured by the Stress Management Competencies Indicator Tool (SMCIT), are related to employees' affective well-being through psychosocial work environmental factors. To this end, multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM) was developed and tested, including data provided by both supervisors and employees. Supervisors ( n = 84) self-assessed their stress-preventive management competencies (i.e., being respectful and responsible, managing and communicating existing and future work, reasoning and managing difficult situations, and managing the individual within the team) with a previously validated reduced version of the SMCIT. The supervised employees ( n = 584) rated job content (e.g., job demands) and work context (e.g., role clarity) psychosocial factors and their job-related affective well-being. Supervisors' job-related affective well-being was also included in the tested model. The results revealed that the stress-preventive competencies factor was related to employees' affective well-being through the psychosocial work environment only when the latter was operationalized by means of contextual work factors. Supervisors' affective well-being was related to their stress-preventive competencies, but it was not related to employees' affective well-being. We discuss the implications of the results obtained.

The hippocampal response to psychosocial stress varies with salivary uric acid level

PubMed Central

Goodman, Adam M.; Wheelock, Muriah D.; Harnett, Nathaniel G.; Mrug, Sylvie; Granger, Douglas A.; Knight, David C.

2016-01-01

Uric acid is a naturally occurring, endogenous compound that impacts mental health. In particular, uric acid levels are associated with emotion-related psychopathology (e.g., anxiety and depression). Therefore, understanding uric acid’s impact on the brain would provide valuable new knowledge regarding neural mechanisms that mediate the relationship between uric acid and mental health. Brain regions including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus underlie stress reactivity and emotion regulation. Thus, uric acid may impact emotion by modifying the function of these brain regions. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a psychosocial stress task to investigate the relationship between baseline uric acid levels (in saliva) and brain function. Results demonstrate that activity within the bilateral hippocampal complex varied with uric acid concentrations. Specifically, activity within the hippocampus and surrounding cortex increased as a function of uric acid level. The current findings suggest that uric acid levels modulate stress-related hippocampal activity. Given that the hippocampus has been implicated in emotion regulation during psychosocial stress, the present findings offer a potential mechanism by which uric acid impacts mental health. PMID:27725214

A structural model for stress, coping, and psychosocial adjustment: A multi-group analysis by stages of survivorship in Korean women with breast cancer.

PubMed

Jang, Miyoung; Kim, Jiyoung

2018-04-01

Prospective studies have examined factors directly affecting psychosocial adjustment during breast cancer treatment. Survivorship stage may moderate a direct effect of stress on psychosocial adjustment. This study aimed to examine relationships between stress, social support, self-efficacy, coping, and psychosocial adjustment to construct a model of the effect pathways between those factors, and determine if survivorship stage moderates those effects. Six hundred people with breast cancer completed questionnaires. Examined stages of survivorship after treatment were as follows: acute (i.e., <2 years), extended (2-5 years), and lasting (>5 years). Stress (Perceived Stress Scale), social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), self-efficacy (New General Self Efficacy Scale), coping (Ways of Coping Checklist), and psychosocial adjustment (Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self-Report-Korean Version) were measured. Self-efficacy significantly correlated with psychosocial adjustment in the acute survival stage (γ = -0.37, P < .001). Stress inversely correlated with coping only in the extended survival stage (γ = -0.56, P < .001). Social support's benefit to psychosocial adjustment was greater in the acute (γ = -0.42, P < .001) and extended survival stages (γ = -0.56, P < .001) than in the lasting survival stage. Stress's negative correlation with psychosocial adjustment was stronger in the lasting survival stage (β = 0.42, P < .001) than in the acute survival stage. Based on these results, it is necessary to improve self-efficacy, social support, and manage stress according to survival stage for psychosocial adjustment of female breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between psychosocial work factors, work stress and computer-related musculoskeletal discomforts among computer users in Malaysia.

PubMed

Zakerian, Seyed Abolfazl; Subramaniam, Indra Devi

2009-01-01

Increasing numbers of workers use computer for work. So, especially among office workers, there is a high risk of musculoskeletal discomforts. This study examined the associations among 3 factors, psychosocial work factors, work stress and musculoskeletal discomforts. These associations were examined via a questionnaire survey on 30 office workers (at a university in Malaysia), whose jobs required an extensive use of computers. The questionnaire was distributed and collected daily for 20 days. While the results indicated a significant relationship among psychosocial work factors, work stress and musculoskeletal discomfort, 3 psychosocial work factors were found to be more important than others in both work stress and musculoskeletal discomfort: job demands, negative social interaction and computer-related problems. To further develop study design, it is necessary to investigate industrial and other workers who have experienced musculoskeletal discomforts and work stress.

The relationship between premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, irregular menstrual cycles, and psychosocial stress among Japanese college students.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Kazuhiko; Okazaki, Ai; Sakamoto, Yoko; Funatsu, Michiko

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between menses-associated health problems of women, such as premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain and irregular menstrual cycles, and psychosocial stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Japanese college students, measuring psychosocial stress levels by means of IMPS (The Inventory to Measure Psychosocial Stress). A total of 264 female students (mean age 19.4 years), who were invited to participate in the study in October 2007, completed the questionnaire, which dealt with anthropometric data, lifestyle, menstrual history, and menstrual health status. Forty-three students were excluded due to missing data, and the remaining 221 were analyzed. The proportions of students who reported premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles were 79%, 79%, and 63%, respectively. Students who reported premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles had higher stress scores than those who did not. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent factors associated with having premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles. Stress score, heavy menstrual flow, and menstrual pain were significant predictors for premenstrual symptoms, while age at menarche and having premenstrual symptoms were significant predictors for menstrual pain. Both stress score and body mass index were found to be significant predictors for having experienced irregular menstrual cycles. The results suggest that psychosocial stress is independently associated with premenstrual symptoms and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles among college students, implying that changes in the functional potentiality of women as a result of stress are related with changes in their menstrual function.

Psychosocial stress but not exercise increases cortisol and reduces state anxiety levels in school classes - results from a stressor applicable in large group settings.

PubMed

Wegner, Mirko; Müller-Alcazar, Anett; Jäger, Anika; Machado, Sergio; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Budde, Henning

2014-01-01

Both, psychosocial stress and exercise in the past have been used as stressors to elevate saliva cortisol and change state anxiety levels. In the present study, high-school students at the age of 14 were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: (1) an exercise group (n = 18), that was running 15 minutes at a medium intensity level of 65-75% HRmax, (2) a psychosocial stress group (n = 19), and (3) a control group (n = 18). The psychosocial stress was induced to the students by completing a standardized intelligence test under the assumption that their IQ scores would be made public in class. Results display that only psychosocial stress but not exercise was able to significantly increase cortisol levels but decreased cognitive state anxiety in adolescents. The psychosocial stress protocol applied here is proposed for use in future stress studies with children or adolescents in group settings, e.g., in school.

Methylation of OPRL1 mediates the effect of psychosocial stress on binge drinking in adolescents.

PubMed

Ruggeri, Barbara; Macare, Christine; Stopponi, Serena; Jia, Tianye; Carvalho, Fabiana M; Robert, Gabriel; Banaschewski, Tobias; Bokde, Arun L W; Bromberg, Uli; Büchel, Christian; Cattrell, Anna; Conrod, Patricia J; Desrivières, Sylvane; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Gallinat, Jürgen; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny; Heinz, Andreas; Ittermann, Bernd; Martinot, Jean Luc; Martinot, Marie-Laure Paillère; Nees, Frauke; Papadopoulos-Orfanos, Dimitri; Paus, Tomáš; Poustka, Luise; Smolka, Michael N; Vetter, Nora C; Walter, Henrik; Whelan, Robert; Sommer, Wolfgang H; Bakalkin, Georgy; Ciccocioppo, Roberto; Schumann, Gunter

2018-06-01

Nociceptin is a key regulator linking environmental stress and alcohol drinking. In a genome-wide methylation analysis, we recently identified an association of a methylated region in the OPRL1 gene with alcohol-use disorders. Here, we investigate the biological basis of this observation by analysing psychosocial stressors, methylation of the OPRL1 gene, brain response during reward anticipation and alcohol drinking in 660 fourteen-year-old adolescents of the IMAGEN study. We validate our findings in marchigian sardinian (msP) alcohol-preferring rats that are genetically selected for increased alcohol drinking and stress sensitivity. We found that low methylation levels in intron 1 of OPRL1 are associated with higher psychosocial stress and higher frequency of binge drinking, an effect mediated by OPRL1 methylation. In individuals with low methylation of OPRL1, frequency of binge drinking is associated with stronger BOLD response in the ventral striatum during reward anticipation. In msP rats, we found that stress results in increased alcohol intake and decreased methylation of OPRL1 in the nucleus accumbens. Our findings describe an epigenetic mechanism that helps to explain how psychosocial stress influences risky alcohol consumption and reward processing, thus contributing to the elucidation of biological mechanisms underlying risk for substance abuse. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Does psychosocial competency training for junior physicians working in pediatric medicine improve individual skills and perceived job stress.

PubMed

Bernburg, Monika; Baresi, Lisa; Groneberg, David; Mache, Stefanie

2016-12-01

Pediatricians' job performance, work engagement, and job satisfaction are essential for both the individual physician and quality of care for their little patients and parents. Therefore, it is important to maintain or possibly augment pediatricians' individual and professional competencies. In this study, we developed and implemented a psychosocial competency training (PCT) teaching different psychosocial competencies and stress coping techniques. We investigated (1) the influence of the PCT on work-related characteristics: stress perception, work engagement, job satisfaction and (2) explored pediatricians' outcomes and satisfaction with PCT. Fifty-four junior physicians working in pediatric hospital departments participated in the training and were randomized in an intervention (n = 26) or a control group (n = 28). In the beginning, at follow-up 1 and 2, both groups answered a self-rated questionnaire on perceived training outcomes and work-related factors. The intervention group showed that their job satisfaction significantly increased while perceived stress scores decreased after taking part in the PCT. No substantial changes were observed with regard to pediatricians' work engagement. Participating physicians evaluated PCT with high scores for training design, content, received outcome, and overall satisfaction with the training. Professional psychosocial competency training could improve junior pediatricians' professional skills, reduce stress perception, increase their job satisfaction, and psychosocial skills. In addition, this study indicates that the PCT is beneficial to be implemented as a group training program for junior pediatricians at work. What is Known: • Junior pediatricians often report experiencing high levels of job strain and little supervisory support. • High levels of job demands make pediatricians vulnerable for mental health problems and decreased work ability. What is New: • Development, implementation, and evaluation of a

The Impact of the School-Based Psychosocial Structured Activities (PSSA) Program on Conflict-Affected Children in Northern Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ager, Alastair; Akesson, Bree; Stark, Lindsay; Flouri, Eirini; Okot, Braxton; McCollister, Faith; Boothby, Neil

2011-01-01

Background: Children in northern Uganda have undergone significant psychosocial stress during the region's lengthy conflict. A Psychosocial Structured Activities (PSSA) program was implemented in 21 schools identified as amongst those most severely affected by conflict-induced displacement across Gulu and Amuru Districts. The PSSA intervention…

Chromogranin A: Novel biomarker between periodontal disease and psychosocial stress

PubMed Central

Reshma, Arunima Padmakumar; Arunachalam, Rajeev; Pillai, Jayakumar Kochu; Kurra, Sarath Babu; Varkey, Vini K.; Prince, Mohanraj J.

2013-01-01

Context: The psychosocial stress has long been regarded as a significant pre-disposing factor for periodontal disease. The association between the periodontal disease and the neuroendocrine hormones has been observed. Chromogranin A (CgA) is supposed to link the activity of the neuroendocrine system to local and systemic immune functions and to be related to periodontitis. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the CgA levels in saliva and plasma in periodontal health and disease and to assess their potential relationship to periodontitis. Settings and Designs: In this case-control study, the association between periodontal disease and stress marker has been assessed. Materials and Methods: Sixty subjects were chosen for this study: With case group comprising of 30 subjects with chronic periodontitis and control group comprising of 30 healthy subjects. Salivary and plasma CgA levels were determined by ELISA technique. Clinical parameters included were plaque index, papillary bleeding index and clinical attachment loss and probing depth. Correlation analysis was calculated by independent sample t-test. Results: Significantly higher CgA levels were found in saliva and plasma of patients with chronic periodontitis compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.05). No significant difference were observed between salivary and plasma CgA levels. Conclusions: The elevated level CgA in the plasma and saliva of subjects with stress induced chronic periodontitis has yielded insights into biological plausible association between the psychosocial stress and chronic periodontitis. Thus, our results suggest that CgA is a useful biomarker for evaluating at least in part the etiopathogenesis of periodontitis. PMID:23869129

Effects of dark chocolate consumption on the prothrombotic response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men.

PubMed

von Känel, R; Meister, R E; Stutz, M; Kummer, P; Arpagaus, A; Huber, S; Ehlert, U; Wirtz, P H

2014-12-01

Flavanoid-rich dark chocolate consumption benefits cardiovascular health, but underlying mechanisms are elusive. We investigated the acute effect of dark chocolate on the reactivity of prothrombotic measures to psychosocial stress. Healthy men aged 20-50 years (mean ± SD: 35.7 ± 8.8) were assigned to a single serving of either 50 g of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate (n=31) or 50 g of optically identical flavonoid-free placebo chocolate (n=34). Two hours after chocolate consumption, both groups underwent an acute standardised psychosocial stress task combining public speaking and mental arithmetic. We determined plasma levels of four stress-responsive prothrombotic measures (i. e., fibrinogen, clotting factor VIII activity, von Willebrand Factor antigen, fibrin D-dimer) prior to chocolate consumption, immediately before and after stress, and at 10 minutes and 20 minutes after stress cessation. We also measured the flavonoid epicatechin, and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma. The dark chocolate group showed a significantly attenuated stress reactivity of the hypercoagulability marker D-dimer (F=3.87, p=0.017) relative to the placebo chocolate group. Moreover, the blunted D-dimer stress reactivity related to higher plasma levels of the flavonoid epicatechin assessed before stress (F=3.32, p = 0.031) but not to stress-induced changes in catecholamines (p's=0.35). There were no significant group differences in the other coagulation measures (p's≥0.87). Adjustments for covariates did not alter these findings. In conclusion, our findings indicate that a single consumption of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate blunted the acute prothrombotic response to psychosocial stress, thereby perhaps mitigating the risk of acute coronary syndromes triggered by emotional stress.

Mental stress and psychosocial factors at work in relation to multiple-site musculoskeletal pain: a longitudinal study of kitchen workers.

PubMed

Haukka, Eija; Leino-Arjas, Päivi; Ojajärvi, Anneli; Takala, Esa-Pekka; Viikari-Juntura, Eira; Riihimäki, Hilkka

2011-04-01

Among 385 female kitchen workers, we examined (1) whether mental stress and psychosocial factors at work (job control, skill discretion, supervisor support, co-worker relationships, and hurry) predict multiple-site musculoskeletal pain (MSP; defined as pain at ≥ 3 of seven sites) and (2) reversedly, whether MSP predicts these psychosocial factors. Data were collected by questionnaire at 3-month intervals during 2 years. Trajectory analysis was applied. Four trajectories of MSP prevalence emerged: Low, Descending, Ascending, and High. For the psychosocial factors, a two-trajectory model (Ascending or High vs. Low) yielded the best fit. In logistic regression analysis, with the Low MSP trajectory as reference, poor co-worker relationships (odds ratio [OR] 3.9), mental stress (3.1) and hurry (2.1) at baseline predicted belonging to the High MSP trajectory. Also MSP at baseline predicted the trajectories (Ascending vs. Low) of low job control (2.2) and mental stress (3.2). Adverse changes in most psychosocial factors were associated with belonging to the High (ORs between 2.3 and 8.6) and Ascending (2.7-5.5) MSP trajectories. In generalized estimating equations, time-lagged by 3 months, all psychosocial factors but two predicted MSP (1.4-2.1), allowing, e.g. for MSP at baseline, and vice versa, MSP predicted low job control, low supervisor support, and mental stress (1.4-2.0), after adjustment for e.g. the relevant psychosocial factor at baseline. In conclusion, we found that several psychosocial factors predicted MSP and that MSP predicted several psychosocial factors. The results suggest a cumulative process in which adverse psychosocial factors and MSP influence each other. Copyright © 2010 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of static stress change, dynamic stress change, and the background stress on aftershock focal mechanisms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hardebeck, Jeanne L.

2014-01-01

The focal mechanisms of earthquakes in Southern California before and after four M ≥ 6.7 main shocks provide insight into how fault systems respond to stress and changes in stress. The main shock static stress changes have two observed impacts on the seismicity: changing the focal mechanisms in a given location to favor those aligned with the static stress change and changing the spatial distribution of seismicity to favor locations where the static stress change aligns with the background stress. The aftershock focal mechanisms are significantly aligned with the static stress changes for absolute stress changes of ≥ 0.02 MPa, for up to ~20 years following the main shock. The dynamic stress changes have similar, although smaller, effects on the local focal mechanisms and the spatial seismicity distribution. Dynamic stress effects are best observed at long periods (30–60 s) and for metrics based on repeated stress cycling in the same direction. This implies that dynamic triggering operates, at least in part, through cyclic shear stress loading in the direction of fault slip. The background stress also strongly controls both the preshock and aftershock mechanisms. While most aftershock mechanisms are well oriented in the background stress field, 10% of aftershocks are identified as poorly oriented outliers, which may indicate limited heterogeneity in the postmain shock stress field. The fault plane orientations of the outliers are well oriented in the background stress, while their slip directions are not, implying that the background stress restricts the distribution of available fault planes.

Does Psychosocial Work Environment Factors Predict Stress and Mean Arterial Pressure in the Malaysian Industry Workers?

PubMed

Javaid, Muhammad Umair; Isha, Ahmad Shahrul Nizam; Sabir, Asrar Ahmed; Ghazali, Zulkipli; Nübling, Matthias

2018-01-01

Psychosocial risks are considered as a burning issue in the Asia-Pacific region. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial work environment factors on health of petrochemical industry workers of Malaysia. In lieu to job demands-resources theory, significant positive associations were found between quantitative demands, work-family conflict, and job insecurity with stress, while a significant negative association of role clarity as a resource factor with stress was detected. We also found that quantitative demands were significantly associated with the mean arterial pressure (MAP). Multistage sampling procedure was used to collect study sample. Structural Equation Modeling was used to identify relationship between the endogenous and exogenous variables. Finally, the empirically tested psychosocial work environment model will further help in providing a better risk assessment in different industries and enterprises.

Developmental Regression, Depression, and Psychosocial Stress in an Adolescent with Down Syndrome

PubMed Central

Stein, David S.; Munir, Kerim M.; Karweck, Andrea J.; Davidson, Emily J.; Stein, Martin T.

2013-01-01

CASE: Kristen is a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome (DS) who was seen urgently with concerns of cognitive and developmental regression including loss of language, social, and toileting skills. The evaluation in the DS clinic focused on potential medical diagnoses including atlantoaxial joint instability, vitamin deficiency, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and seizures. A comprehensive medical evaluation yielded only a finding of moderate OSA. A reactive depression was considered in association with several psychosocial factors including moving homes, entering puberty/onset of menses, and classroom change from an integrated setting to a self-contained classroom comprising unfamiliar peers with behavior challenges. Urgent referrals for psychological and psychiatric evaluations were initiated. Neuropsychological testing did not suggest true regression in cognitive, language, and academic skills, although decreases in motivation and performance were noted with a reaction to stress and multiple environmental changes as a potential causative factor. Psychiatry consultation supported this finding in that psychosocial stress temporally correlated with Kristen’s regression in skills. Working collaboratively, the team determined that Kristen’s presentation was consistent with a reactive form of depression (DSM-IV-TR: depressive disorder, not otherwise specified). Kristen’s presentation was exacerbated by salient environmental stress and sleep apnea, rather than a cognitive regression associated with a medical cause. Treatment consisted of an antidepressant medication, continuous positive airway pressure for OSA, and increased psychosocial supports. Her school initiated a change in classroom placement. With this multimodal approach to evaluation and intervention, Kristen steadily improved and she returned to her baseline function. PMID:23572173

Developmental Regression, Depression, and Psychosocial Stress in an Adolescent with Down Syndrome

PubMed Central

Stein, David S.; Munir, Kerim M.; Karweck, Andrea J.; Davidson, Emily J.; Stein, Martin T.

2017-01-01

CASE Kristen is a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome (DS) who was seen urgently with concerns of cognitive and developmental regression including loss of language, social, and toileting skills. The evaluation in the DS clinic focused on potential medical diagnoses including atlantoaxial joint instability, vitamin deficiency, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and seizures. A comprehensive medical evaluation yielded only a finding of moderate OSA. A reactive depression was considered in association with several psychosocial factors including moving homes, entering puberty/onset of menses, and classroom change from an integrated setting to a self- contained classroom comprising unfamiliar peers with behavior challenges. Urgent referrals for psychological and psychiatric evaluations were initiated. Neuropsychological testing did not suggest true regression in cognitive, language, and academic skills, although decreases in motivation and performance were noted with a reaction to stress and multiple environmental changes as a potential causative factor. Psychiatry consultation supported this finding in that psychosocial stress temporally correlated with Kristen’s regression in skills. Working collaboratively, the team determined that Kristen’s presentation was consistent with a reactive form of depression (DSM-IV-TR: depressive disorder, not otherwise specified). Kristen’s presentation was exacerbated by salient environmental stress and sleep apnea, rather than a cognitive regression associated with a medical cause. Treatment consisted of an antidepressant medication, continuous positive airway pressure for OSA, and increased psychosocial supports. Her school initiated a change in classroom placement. With this multimodal approach to evaluation and intervention, Kristen steadily improved and she returned to her baseline function. PMID:28141713

Smoking cessation in pregnancy: psychosocial interventions and patient-focused perspectives

PubMed Central

Miyazaki, Yukiko; Hayashi, Kunihiko; Imazeki, Setsuko

2015-01-01

Background Smoking during pregnancy causes obstetric and fetal complications, and smoking cessation may have great benefits for the mother and the child. However, some pregnant women continue smoking even in pregnancy. Objective To review the literature addressing the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy, explore psychosocial factors associated with smoking, and review the evidence of psychosocial interventions for smoking cessation during pregnancy in recent years. Literature review Computerized Internet search results in PubMed for the years spanning from 2004 to 2014, as well as references cited in articles, were reviewed. A search for the keywords “smoking cessation pregnancy” and “intervention” and “clinical trials” yielded 52 citations. Thirty-five citations were identified as useful to this review for the evidence of psychosocial interventions for smoking cessation during pregnancy. Results The prevalence of smoking during pregnancy differs by country, reflecting the countries’ social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Women who had socioeconomic disadvantages, problems in their interpersonal relationships, higher stress, depression, less social support, and who engaged in health-risk behaviors were more prone to smoking during pregnancy. Psychosocial interventions, such as counseling, are effective methods for increasing smoking cessation. Conclusion Smokers may have various psychosocial problems in addition to health problems. It is important to understand each individual’s social situation or psychosocial characteristics, and a psychosocial intervention focused on the characteristics of the individual is required. PMID:25960677

Psychosocial Stress During First Pregnancy Predicts Infant Health Outcomes in the First Postnatal Year.

PubMed

Phelan, A L; DiBenedetto, M R; Paul, I M; Zhu, J; Kjerulff, K H

2015-12-01

To evaluate the impact of psychosocial stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first postnatal year. A sample of 3000 women completed a stress inventory (the Psychosocial Hassles Scale) during their third trimester before first childbirth. Infant health outcomes were measured via maternal report at 1, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Poisson regression was used to model the effect of maternal stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first year, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, education, insurance coverage, marital status, and cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Women who were younger, minority, unmarried, publicly insured and without a college degree were more likely to report high levels of prenatal stress. High prenatal stress was a significant predictor of maternal reporting of gastrointestinal illness (p < 0.0001), respiratory illness (p = 0.025), and total illness in the first year (p < 0.0001). High prenatal stress was also a significant predictor of urgent care visits (p < 0.0001) and emergency department visits (p = 0.001). It was not a significant predictor of hospitalizations (p = 0.36). Maternal prenatal stress is associated with increased maternal reporting of infant illness, as well as increased frequency of both urgent care visits and emergency department visits.

Streptococcal upper respiratory tract infections and psychosocial stress predict future tic and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder

PubMed Central

Lin, Haiqun; Williams, Kyle A.; Katsovich, Liliya; Findley, Diane B.; Grantz, Heidi; Lombroso, Paul J.; King, Robert A.; Bessen, Debra E.; Johnson, Dwight; Kaplan, Edward L.; Landeros-Weisenberger, Angeli; Zhang, Heping; Leckman, James F.

2009-01-01

Background: One goal of this prospective longitudinal study was to identify new group A beta hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infections in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome (TS) and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) compared to healthy control subjects. We then examined the power of GABHS infections and measures of psychosocial stress to predict future tic, obsessive-compulsive (OC), and depressive symptom severity. Methods: Consecutive ratings of tic, OC and depressive symptom severity were obtained for 45 cases and 41 matched control subjects over a two-year period. Clinical raters were blinded to the results of laboratory tests. Laboratory personnel were blinded to case or control status and clinical ratings. Structural equation modeling for unbalanced repeated measures was used to assess the sequence of new GABHS infections and psychosocial stress and their impact on future symptom severity. Results: Increases in tic and OC symptom severity did not occur after every new GABHS infection. However, the structural equation model found that these newly diagnosed infections were predictive of modest increases in future tic and OC symptom severity, but did not predict future depressive symptom severity. In addition, the inclusion of new infections in the model greatly enhanced, by a factor of three, the power of psychosocial stress in predicting future tic and OC symptom severity. Conclusions: Our data suggest that a minority of children with TS and early-onset OCD were sensitive to antecedent GABHS infections. These infections also enhanced the predictive power of current psychosocial stress on future tic and OC symptom severity. PMID:19833320

Does Psychosocial Work Environment Factors Predict Stress and Mean Arterial Pressure in the Malaysian Industry Workers?

PubMed Central

Isha, Ahmad Shahrul Nizam; Sabir, Asrar Ahmed; Ghazali, Zulkipli; Nübling, Matthias

2018-01-01

Psychosocial risks are considered as a burning issue in the Asia-Pacific region. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial work environment factors on health of petrochemical industry workers of Malaysia. In lieu to job demands-resources theory, significant positive associations were found between quantitative demands, work-family conflict, and job insecurity with stress, while a significant negative association of role clarity as a resource factor with stress was detected. We also found that quantitative demands were significantly associated with the mean arterial pressure (MAP). Multistage sampling procedure was used to collect study sample. Structural Equation Modeling was used to identify relationship between the endogenous and exogenous variables. Finally, the empirically tested psychosocial work environment model will further help in providing a better risk assessment in different industries and enterprises. PMID:29568773

Anti-stress effects of drinking green tea with lowered caffeine and enriched theanine, epigallocatechin and arginine on psychosocial stress induced adrenal hypertrophy in mice.

PubMed

Unno, Keiko; Hara, Ayane; Nakagawa, Aimi; Iguchi, Kazuaki; Ohshio, Megumi; Morita, Akio; Nakamura, Yoriyuki

2016-11-15

Theanine, an amino acid in tea, has significant anti-stress effects on animals and humans. However, the anti-stress effects of drinking green tea have not yet been elucidated. The present study aimed to explore anti-stress effects of green tea and roles of tea components in a mouse model of psychosocial stress. We examined anti-stress effects of three types of green teas, theanine-rich "Gyokuro", standard "Sencha", and Sencha with lowered caffeine (low-caffeine green tea). Furthermore, the roles of tea components such as caffeine, catechins, and other amino acids in anti-stress effects were examined. To prepare low-caffeine green tea, plucked new tea leaves were treated with a hot-water spray. Mice were psychosocially stressed from a conflict among male mice under confrontational housing. Mice consumed each tea that was eluted with room temperature water ad libitum. As a marker for the stress response, adrenal hypertrophy was compared with mice that ingested water. Caffeine was significantly lowered by spraying hot-water on tea leaves. While epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the main catechin in tea leaves, epigallocatechin (EGC) was mainly infused into water at room temperature. Adrenal hypertrophy was significantly suppressed in mice that ingested theanine-rich and low-caffeine green tea that were eluted with water at room temperature. Caffeine and EGCG suppressed the anti-stress effects of theanine while EGC and arginine (Arg) retained these effects. These results suggest that drinking green tea exhibits anti-stress effects, where theanine, EGC and Arg cooperatively abolish the counter-effect of caffeine and EGCG on psychosocial stress induced adrenal hypertrophy in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Does psychosocial stress explain socioeconomic inequities in 9-year weight gain among young women?

PubMed

Ball, Kylie; Schoenaker, Danielle A J M; Mishra, Gita D

2017-06-01

This study investigated the contribution of psychosocial stress to mediating inequities in weight gain by educational status in a large cohort of young Australian women over a 9-year follow-up. This observational cohort study used survey data drawn from 4,806 women, aged 22 to 27 years at baseline (2000), participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, who reported their education level (2000), perceived stress (2003), and weight (2003 and 2012). Using a causal inference framework based on counterfactuals for mediation analysis, we fitted linear or logistic regression models to examine the total effect, decomposed into natural direct and indirect effects via perceived stress, of education level (highest qualification completed: up to year 12/trade or diploma vs. university) on weight change. Women with lower education gained more weight over 9 years (6.1 kg, standard deviation [SD] 9.5) than women with higher education (3.8 kg, SD 7.7; P < 0.0001) and were more likely to be very or extremely stressed. The higher weight gain associated with low education was not mediated through perceived stress (per SD increase, percent mediated: 1.0%). Education-based inequities in weight gain over time were not attributable to greater psychosocial stress among women with lower education levels. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Association of suboptimal health status with psychosocial stress, plasma cortisol and mRNA expression of glucocorticoid receptor α/β in lymphocyte.

PubMed

Yan, Yu-Xiang; Dong, Jing; Liu, You-Qin; Zhang, Jie; Song, Man-Shu; He, Yan; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

Suboptimal health status (SHS) has become a new public health challenge in China. This study investigated whether high SHS is associated with psychosocial stress, changes in cortisol level and/or glucocorticoid receptor (GR) isoform expression. Three-hundred eighty-six workers employed in three companies in Beijing were recruited. The SHS score was derived from data collection in the SHS questionnaire (SHSQ-25). The short standard version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) was used to assess job-related psychosocial stress. The mean value of the five scales of COPSOQ and distribution of plasma cortisol and mRNA expression of GRα/GRβ between the high level of SHS group and the low level of SHS group were compared using a general linear model procedure. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of psychosocial stress on SHS. We identified three factors that were predictive of SHS, including "demands at work", "interpersonal relations and leadership" and "insecurity at work". Significantly higher levels of plasma cortisol and GRβ/GRα mRNA ratio were observed among the high SHS group. High level of SHS is associated with decreased mRNA expression of GRα. This study confirmed the association between chronic psychosocial stress and SHS, indicating that improving the psychosocial work environment may reduce SHS and then prevent chronic diseases effectively.

Psychosocial work environment and stress-related disorders, a systematic review.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuijsen, K; Bruinvels, D; Frings-Dresen, M

2010-06-01

Knowledge on the impact of the psychosocial work environment on the occurrence of stress-related disorders (SRDs) can assist occupational physicians in the assessment of the work-relatedness of these disorders. To systematically review the contribution of work-related psychosocial risk factors to SRDs. A systematic review of the literature was carried out by searching Medline, PsycINFO and Embase for studies published up until October 2008. Studies eligible for inclusion were prospective cohort studies or patient-control studies of workers at risk for SRDs. Studies were included in the review when data on the association between exposure to psychosocial work factors and the occurrence of SRDs were presented. Where possible, meta-analysis was conducted to obtain summary odds ratios of the association. The strength of the evidence was assessed using four levels of evidence. From the 2426 studies identified, seven prospective studies were included in this review. Strong evidence was found that high job demands, low job control, low co-worker support, low supervisor support, low procedural justice, low relational justice and a high effort-reward imbalance predicted the incidence of SRDs. This systematic review points to the potential of preventing SRDs by improving the psychosocial work environment. However, more prospective studies are needed on the remaining factors, exposure assessment and the relative contributions of single factors, in order to enable consistent assessment of the work-relatedness of SRDs by occupational physicians.

Cumulative IT Use Is Associated with Psychosocial Stress Factors and Musculoskeletal Symptoms.

PubMed

So, Billy C L; Cheng, Andy S K; Szeto, Grace P Y

2017-12-08

This study aimed to examine the relationship between cumulative use of electronic devices and musculoskeletal symptoms. Smartphones and tablet computers are very popular and people may own or operate several devices at the same time. High prevalence rates of musculoskeletal symptoms associated with intensive computer use have been reported. However, research focusing on mobile devices is only just emerging in recent years. In this study, 285 persons participated including 140 males and 145 females (age range 18-50). The survey consisted of self-reported estimation of daily information technology (IT) exposure hours, tasks performed, psychosocial stress factors and relationship to musculoskeletal discomfort in the past 12 months. Total IT exposure time was an average of 7.38 h (±5.2) per day. The psychosocial factor of "working through pain" showed the most significant association with odds ratio (OR) ranging from 1.078 (95% CI = 1.021-1.138) for elbow discomfort, to 1.111 (95% CI = 1.046-1.180) for shoulder discomfort. Desktop time was also significantly associated with wrist/hand discomfort (OR = 1.103). These findings indicate only a modest relationship but one that is statistically significant with accounting for confounders. It is anticipated that prevalence rates of musculoskeletal disorders would rise in the future with increasing contribution due to psychosocial stress factors.

[Psychosocial disadvantages in incarcerated girls and boys].

PubMed

Plattner, Belinda; Bessler, Cornelia; Vogt, Gunnar; Linhart, Susanne; Thun-Hohenstein, Leonhard; Aebi, Marcel

2016-01-01

Longitudinal studies found that criminal behavior in juveniles often concurs with neighborhood disadvantage and family dysfunction, especially in girls. In this study we assessed the psychosocial background in incarcerated juveniles and analyzed the data for each gender separately. The Multidimensional Clinical Screening Inventory for delinquent juveniles (MCSI) was used to assess school history, psychiatric history, family background, abuse and neglect and motive for crime. The sample consisted of 294 juveniles (46 females and 248 males). Innerfamilial abuse/neglect was reported by 91% (girls) and 79% (boys). 76% (girls) and 88% (boys) reported school-problems. 57% (girls) and 29% (boys) reported to have recieved psychiatric pretreatment. In girls we found significantly higher prevalence rates for parental divorce, incarceration of mother, abuse/neglect and psychiatric pretreatment. Significantly more girls reported a co-occurrence of school-problems and experiences of separation and loss and abuse (65.2% vs. 46.4%, χ²=5.51, df=1, p<.05). Incarcerated juveniles, especially females, are and have been exposed to multiple psychosocial burdens. Therefore it is necessary to implement prevention programs for psychosocially stressed families. Forensic intervention in and after detention has to include a family centered approach.

An Intervention to Reduce Psychosocial and Biological Indicators of Stress in African American Lupus Patients: The Balancing Lupus Experiences with Stress Strategies Study.

PubMed

Williams, Edith M; Penfield, Megan; Kamen, Diane; Oates, James C

2014-01-01

Very little is known about the impact of psychosocial stress on African American lupus patients. Due to the exposure of African Americans to a unique trajectory of stressors throughout life, it may be critical to understand the relationship between psychosocial stress and underlying biological mechanisms that influence disease activity and pathology in this high risk group. The Balancing Lupus Experiences with Stress Strategies (BLESS) study piloted the validated "Better Choices, Better Health" Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) in 30 African-American lupus patients participating in the SLE Clinic Database Project at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Measures of psychosocial and biological indicators of stress were collected in all of the patients in each of the study conditions before and after intervention activities, as well as four months post-intervention, to assess the effectiveness of the program in reducing perceived and biological indicators of stress. Participation in the workshops had large effects upon depression ( d =1.63 and d = 1.68), social/role activities limitations ( d =1.15), health distress ( d =1.13 and d = 0.78), fatigue ( d =1.03), pain ( d =0.96), and lupus self-efficacy ( d =0.85). Neither the differences in cortisol or DHEA levels pre- and post-intervention were found to be significantly different between intervention participants and controls. The intervention workshops acted to reduce perceived stress and improve quality of life. Our findings imply that comparable, if not more significant gains in relevant health indicators are possible in African American patients when provided the opportunity to participate in CDSMP's.

[Acculturation orientations and psychosocial adaptation among adolescents with immigrant background].

PubMed

Goutaudier, N; Chauchard, E; Melioli, T; Valls, M; van Leeuwen, N; Chabrol, H

2015-09-01

The aim of the study was to explore the typology of adolescents with immigrant background based on the orientations of acculturation and to estimate the psychosocial adaptation of the various subtypes. A sample of 228 French high school students with an immigrant background completed a questionnaire assessing acculturation orientations (Immigrant Acculturation Scale; Barrette et al., 2004), antisocial behaviors, depressive symptoms and self-esteem. Cluster analysis based on acculturation orientations was performed using the k-means method. Cluster analysis produced four distinct acculturation profiles: bicultural (31%), separated (28%), marginalized (21%), and assimilated-individualistic (20%). Adolescents in the separated and marginalized clusters, both characterized by rejection of the host culture, reported higher levels of antisocial behavior. Depressive symptoms and self-esteem did not differ between clusters. Several hypotheses may explain the association between separation and delinquency. First, separation and rejection of the host culture may lead to rebellious behavior such as delinquency. Conversely, delinquent behavior may provoke rejection or discrimination by peers or school, or legal sanctions that induce a reciprocal process of rejection of the host culture and separation. The relationship between separation and antisocial behavior may be bidirectional, each one reinforcing the other, resulting in a negative spiral. This study confirms the interest of the study of the orientations of acculturation in the understanding of the antisocial behavior of adolescents with immigrant background. Copyright © 2014 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Stressful Psychosocial Work Environment, Poor Sleep, and Depressive Symptoms among Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gluschkoff, Kia; Elovainio, Marko; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa; Hintsanen, Mirka; Mullola, Sari; Hintsa, Taina

2016-01-01

Introduction: We examined the associations and proportionate contributions of three well-validated models of stressful psychosocial work environment (job strain, effort-reward imbalance, and organizational injustice) in explaining depressive symptoms among primary school teachers. In addition, we tested the mediating role of different types of…

Stress and Coping as Predictors of Young Children's Development and Psychosocial Adjustment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, David K.; Swanson, Dee M.

A total of 38 children of 5-6 years in one of four early childhood or kindergarten programs participated in a study of the predictive relationship of stress and coping to development and psychosocial adjustment. Measures of independent variables included the Life Events Scale for Children, Family Invulnerability Test, Hassles Scale for Children,…

Acute psycho-social stress does not disrupt item-method directed forgetting, emotional stimulus content does.

PubMed

Zwissler, Bastian; Koessler, Susanne; Engler, Harald; Schedlowski, Manfred; Kissler, Johanna

2011-03-01

It has been shown that stress affects episodic memory in general, but knowledge about stress effects on memory control processes such as directed forgetting is sparse. Whereas in previous studies item-method directed forgetting was found to be altered in post-traumatic stress disorder patients and abolished for highly arousing negative pictorial stimuli in students, no study so far has investigated the effects of experimentally induced psycho-social stress on this task or examined the role of positive picture stimuli. In the present study, 41 participants performed an item-method directed forgetting experiment while being exposed either to a psychosocial laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), or a cognitively challenging but non-stressful control condition. Neutral and positive pictures were presented as stimuli. As predicted, salivary cortisol level as a biological marker of the human stress response increased only in the TSST group. Still, both groups showed directed forgetting. However, emotional content of the employed stimuli affected memory control: Directed forgetting was intact for neutral pictures whereas it was attenuated for positive ones. This attenuation was primarily due to selective rehearsal improving discrimination accuracy for neutral, but not positive, to-be-remembered items. Results suggest that acute experimentally induced stress does not alter item-method directed forgetting while emotional stimulus content does. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial stress based on public speech in humans: is there a real life/laboratory setting cross-adaptation?

PubMed

Jezova, D; Hlavacova, N; Dicko, I; Solarikova, P; Brezina, I

2016-07-01

Repeated or chronic exposure to stressors is associated with changes in neuroendocrine responses depending on the type, intensity, number and frequency of stress exposure as well as previous stress experience. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that salivary cortisol and cardiovascular responses to real-life psychosocial stressors related to public performance can cross-adapt with responses to psychosocial stress induced by public speech under laboratory setting. The sample consisted of 22 healthy male volunteers, which were either actors, more precisely students of dramatic arts or non-actors, students of other fields. The stress task consisted of 15 min anticipatory preparation phase and 15 min of public speech on an emotionally charged topic. The actors, who were accustomed to public speaking, responded with a rise in salivary cortisol as well as blood pressure to laboratory public speech. The values of salivary cortisol, systolic blood pressure and state anxiety were lower in actors compared to non-actors. Unlike non-actors, subjects with experience in public speaking did not show stress-induced rise in the heart rate. Evaluation of personality traits revealed that actors scored significantly higher in extraversion than the subjects in the non-actor group. In conclusion, neuroendocrine responses to real-life stressors in actors can partially cross-adapt with responses to psychosocial stress under laboratory setting. The most evident adaptation was at the level of heart rate responses. The public speech tasks may be of help in evaluation of the ability to cope with stress in real life in artists by simple laboratory testing.

Psychosocial risks and stress as predictors of burnout in junior doctors performing emergency guards

PubMed

Fernández-Prada, María; González-Cabrera, Joaquín; Iribar-Ibabe, Concepción; Peinado, José María

2017-01-01

To study the stress, the psychosocial risks associated to the job and the burnout, in a group of junior doctors working at the emergency ward; and to analyze what of those variables could predict and are better related with burnout. Cross-sectional study, with a sample of 42 junior doctors which are on duty in the emergency ward of the University Hospital San Cecilio, Granada (Spain). The Spanish adapted version of the Perceived Stress Scale was used to evaluate stress, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to evaluate the professional burnout and the adapted and scaled questionnaire for the self-evaluation of psychosocial risks at work (CopSoQ-ISTAS21). 78% of the junior doctors are in the unfavorable or intermediate range for all CopSoQ-ISTAS21 dimensions, being particularly relevant that 90% of them display unfavorable score in psychological demands. In addition, MBI results show that 45% of our population presents high emotional exhaustion simultaneously to high depersonalization. ISTAS21 psychological demands dimensions (ß = 0.393; p < 0.003) and stress scores (ß = 0.451; p < 0.001) significantly predict emotional exhaustion (r 2 = 0.443). Finally, 38% of junior doctors experienced a threat/aggression during their work in the emergency ward urgencies. Junior doctors develop its professional activity under adverse circumstances probably due to the high psychosocial risk associated to the job. Psychological demands are suggested as the main predicting factor of burnout. These results indicate the need of psychological and structural interventions in order to improve the professional performance of junior doctors at the emergency ward. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud

Associations between poor sleep quality and psychosocial stress with obesity in reproductive-age women of lower socioeconomic status.

PubMed

Tom, Sarah E; Berenson, Abbey B

2013-01-01

Prior studies have not examined the role of psychosocial stress in the relationship between poor sleep quality and obesity among women of lower socioeconomic status (SES). We tested the following hypotheses in a sample of reproductive-age women of lower SES: 1) Poor sleep quality is related to increased risk of obesity, and 2) psychosocial stress confounds this association between poor sleep quality and obesity. A total of 927 women age 16 to 40 years attending public health clinics in Southeastern Texas provided information on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and sociodemographic and health characteristics, including the Perceived Stress Scale. Height, weight, and waist circumference (WC) were measured in clinic. A series of models examined the associations between sleep disturbance, perceived stress, and weight outcomes, accounting for potential confounding factors. Nearly 30% of women were overweight, and 35% were obese. Half of women had a WC of greater than 35 inches. Most women had poor sleep quality and high levels of stress. Sleep quality and perceived stress were not related to body mass index category or WC in models that adjusted for age and race/ethnicity. Adjusting for potential confounding factors did not alter results. Perceived stress did not modify the association between sleep quality and weight outcomes. Poor sleep quality and psychosocial stress were not related to weight in reproductive-aged women of lower SES. However, poor sleep quality, high stress, overweight, and obesity were common in this group. Copyright © 2013 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial interventions for managing occupational stress and burnout among medical doctors: a systematic review.

PubMed

Clough, Bonnie A; March, Sonja; Chan, Raymond J; Casey, Leanne M; Phillips, Rachel; Ireland, Michael J

2017-07-17

Occupational stress and burnout are highly prevalent among medical doctors and can have adverse effects on patient, doctor, and organisational outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to review and evaluate evidence on psychosocial interventions aimed at reducing occupational stress and burnout among medical doctors. A systematic review was conducted for original research articles reporting on psychosocial interventions targeting occupational stress or burnout among medical doctors, published in the English language, and with data collected at a minimum of two time points. Searches were conducted across five electronic databases, as well as by manual search of Google Scholar. Data was extracted relating to study characteristics and outcomes, quality and rigour, as well as modes of delivery and engagement. Studies were appraised using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). Twenty-three articles were reviewed, which reported on interventions utilising cognitive-behavioural, relaxation, and supportive discussion strategies. Only 12 studies allowed estimation of pre- to post-intervention effects. Cognitive behavioural interventions demonstrated the strongest evidence, particularly for reducing stress. Some evidence was identified to support the efficacy of relaxation-based approaches, but no such evidence was found for the efficacy of discussion-based interventions, such as Balint groups. There was a lack of quality among reviewed studies, with no studies receiving a quality rating of 1, and the overall body of evidence being rated as level B, according to the SORT. Effect sizes were not pooled due to a lack of quality among the study sample. This review found that despite increased scientific attention, the quality of research examining the benefits of psychosocial/behavioural interventions for occupational stress and burnout in medical doctors remains low. Despite this, interventions focused on cognitive

Spirituality moderates the relationship of psychosocial stress to metabolic risk factors among Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the US Virgin Islands

PubMed Central

Tull, Eugene S.; Doswell, Willa M.; Cort, Malcolm A.

2014-01-01

Objective Spirituality may contribute to the health advantage of foreign-born blacks compared to United States (US)-born blacks. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that spirituality attenuates the association of psychosocial stress to stress-associated metabolic risk factors among foreign-born Caribbean blacks living in a US jurisdiction. Methods Data on demographic factors, anthropometric measurements (height, weight and waist), fasting glucose and insulin, lifestyle behaviors (smoking and alcohol use), psychosocial stress and spirituality were collected from a population-based sample of 319 Afro-Caribbean immigrants, ages 20 and older, who were recruited between 1995 and 2000 in the Virgin Islands of the United States (USVI). Glucose and insulin measurements were used to estimate insulin resistance by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) method. Participants were classified into three levels of spirituality, “low”, “medium” and “high” based on the distribution of spirituality scores. Stepwise regression analyses were used to identify the significant predictors of waist circumference and HOMA-IR within each level of spirituality. Results The predictors of waist circumference and HOMA-IR varied across the levels of spirituality. Psychosocial stress was an independent predictor of waist and HOMA-IR only among participants with a low level of spirituality. Conclusion Spirituality appears to attenuate the association of psychosocial stress to waist circumference and insulin resistance among Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the USVI. PMID:25745593

Spirituality moderates the relationship of psychosocial stress to metabolic risk factors among Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the US Virgin Islands.

PubMed

Tull, Eugene S; Doswell, Willa M; Cort, Malcolm A

2015-03-01

Spirituality may contribute to the health advantage of foreign-born blacks compared to United States (US)-born blacks. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that spirituality attenuates the association of psychosocial stress to stress-associated metabolic risk factors among foreign-born Caribbean blacks living in a US jurisdiction. Data on demographic factors, anthropometric measurements (height, weight and waist), fasting glucose and insulin, lifestyle behaviors (smoking and alcohol use), psychosocial stress and spirituality were collected from a population-based sample of 319 Afro-Caribbean immigrants, ages 20 and older, who were recruited between 1995 and 2000 in the Virgin Islands of the United States (USVI). Glucose and insulin measurements were used to estimate insulin resistance by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) method. Participants were classified into three levels of spirituality, "low", "medium" and "high" based on the distribution of spirituality scores. Stepwise regression analyses were used to identify the significant predictors of waist circumference and HOMA-IR within each level of spirituality. The predictors of waist circumference and HOMA-IR varied across the levels of spirituality. Psychosocial stress was an independent predictor of waist and HOMA-IR only among participants with a low level of spirituality. Spirituality appears to attenuate the association of psychosocial stress to waist circumference and insulin resistance among Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the USVI.

The role of psychosocial stress in the development of chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Buscemi, Valentina; Chang, Wei-Ju; Liston, Matthew B; McAuley, James H; Schabrun, Siobhan

2017-11-03

Psychosocial factors play an important role in chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders. Although psychosocial stress is likely to contribute to the development of chronic musculoskeletal pain, investigations are limited to work-related stress or examination of specific conditions such as upper limb pain. The purpose of this review is to assess the evidence for an aetiological role of psychological stress in chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders. A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted. Electronic databases will be searched using predefined search terms to identify relevant studies. Data will be extracted by two independent reviewers, and disagreement will be resolved by a third reviewer. Only prospective longitudinal studies that assess psychosocial stress at baseline will be included. The population of interest will be inception cohorts or cohorts of people who have not yet developed chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders. The primary outcome measure will be the onset of chronic musculoskeletal pain. To our knowledge, this review will be the first to systematically explore the available evidence on the aetiological role of psychosocial stress for the development of chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders. This review has the capacity to inform clinical practice on the importance of an early identification and, consequently, treatment of individuals who present with acute musculoskeletal disorders accompanied by a high level of stress. PROSPERO CRD42017059949.

Glucocorticoid levels after exposure to predator odor and chronic psychosocial stress with dexamethasone application in rats.

PubMed

Starcevic, Ana; Petricevic, Sasa; Radojicic, Zoran; Djulejic, Vuk; Ilankovic, Andrej; Starcevic, Branislav; Filipovic, Branislav

2016-05-01

This study was conducted to explore the effects of specific psychosocial paradigm on predator animal posttraumatic stress model and to test the hypothesis that psychosocially stressed rats would exibit abnormal levels of cortisol and a larger suppression of cortisol levels after the application of dexamethasone. Animals were divided in two groups: experimental and control groups. The experimental group was exposed to two types of stressors: acute immobilization stress, and combined predator stress and daily social stress with application of dexamethasone. Blood sampling was performed at three different times. We found statistically significant results after analyzing the differences between cortisol levels in different times of blood sampling in the group of animals exposed to stress with dexamethasone application. Statistical significance was found when we compared the experimental group with the control group in terms of elevated cortisol levels during blood sampling after stress paradigm exposition. Many significant disruptions in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis were observed, such as decrease in basal cortisol levels and enhanced dexamethasone-induced inhibition of cortisol levels. These findings are important because their impact can translate to human individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder, which is the most important role of every animal model in research. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Expressive Writing for Gay-Related Stress: Psychosocial Benefits and Mechanisms Underlying Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pachankis, John E.; Goldfried, Marvin R.

2010-01-01

Objective: This study tested the effectiveness of an expressive writing intervention for gay men on outcomes related to psychosocial functioning. Method: Seventy-seven gay male college students (mean age = 20.19 years, SD = 1.99) were randomly assigned to write for 20 min a day for 3 consecutive days about either (a) the most stressful or…

The Hispanic Stress Inventory-Adolescent Version: A Culturally Informed Psychosocial Assessment

PubMed Central

Cervantes, Richard C.; Fisher, Dennis G.; Córdova, David; Napper, Lucy

2012-01-01

A 2-phase study was conducted to develop a culturally informed measure of psychosocial stress for adolescents, the Hispanic Stress Inventory-Adolescent Version (HSI-A). Phase I involved item development through the collection of open-ended focus group interview data (n=170) from a heterogeneous sample of Hispanic youth residing in the southwest and northeast United States. Phase 2 examined the psychometric properties of the HSI-A (n=1651) involving the use of factor analytic procedures to determine the underlying scale structure of the HSI-A, for foreign-born and U.S.-born participants in an aggregated analytic approach. An eight factor solution was established with factors that include Family Economic Stress, Acculturation Gaps Stress, Culture and Educational Stress, Immigration Related Stress, Discrimination Stress, Family Immigration Stress, Community and Gang Violence Stress and Family Drug Related Stress. Concurrent related validity estimates were calculated to determine relationships between HSI-A and other measures of child psychopathology, behavioral and emotional disturbances. HSI-A Total Stress Appraisal Scores were significantly correlated with both the CDI and YSR (p<.001 respectively). Reliability estimates for the HSI-A were conducted and yielded high reliability coefficients for most all factor sub-scales with HSI-A Total Stress Appraisal score reliability at alpha=.92. PMID:21942232

Work-related psychosocial stress as a risk factor for asthma, allergy, and respiratory infections in the Swedish workforce.

PubMed

Runeson-Broberg, Roma; Norbäck, Dan

2014-04-01

This study examined the association between work-related psychosocial stress and asthma, atopy, and respiratory infections. 532 randomly selected occupationally active people (272 men, 260 women; M age = 41 yr., SD = 13) in Sweden participated. Information on history of asthma, atopy, and respiratory infections was collected by a postal self-report questionnaire. Work stress was assessed based on the demands-control-support model. Current asthma and respiratory infections were associated with work-related psychosocial stress. When stratified for sex, these associations were only found in men. Associations between low control, low support, and current asthma were found among young participants (< 40 years), whereas among older participants (> 40 years) low supervisor support was associated with frequent respiratory infections.

70. Cortisol Response to Psychosocial Stress and Working Memory Performance in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Reed, Alexandra; Lake, Jessica; Hamilton, Holly; Bachman, Peter; Clayson, Peter; Miller, Gregory; Subotnik, Kenneth; Nuechterlein, Keith; Yee, Cindy

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Working memory (WM) deficits are part of the constellation of cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia (SZ). Although WM efficiency may be especially important for patients functioning within academic and employment settings, much of the research on WM in SZ neglects the social context of cognitive performance and fails to consider the extent to which stress may contribute to cognitive dysfunction. This is a crucial oversight considering growing evidence that high levels of cortisol disrupt WM in healthy individuals. Stress may be especially detrimental to cognitive functions in patients who often demonstrate HPA dysregulation including high basal cortisol and attenuated cortisol responses to acute stressors. Methods: The present study examined effects of a laboratory psychosocial stress task, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), on WM performance in patients with SZ (n = 87) and healthy comparison subjects (HCs; n = 68). Each participant completed an n-back task before and after the TSST. Salivary cortisol samples collected at baseline, post-TSST, and recovery were available from participants with chronic SZ (n = 23, mean illness duration = 11.21, SD = 6.79 years), first-episode SZ (n = 43, mean illness duration = 0.78, SD = 0.85 years), and HCs (n = 51). Results: As predicted, the TSST disrupted performance accuracy during the WM task, but only in SZ. Post-TSST cortisol levels were positively correlated with sensitivity to detect match trials and overall accuracy on n-back performance in chronic patients but not in first episode patients or in healthy participants. Total cortisol response in chronic patients, summarized as area under the curve, accounted for approximately 26% of the variance in WM accuracy after stress. Conclusion: Results replicate findings of blunted cortisol reactivity in SZ and extend prior work by connecting cortisol stress response to specific changes in WM performance in a chronic sample

Split-shift work in relation to stress, health and psychosocial work factors among bus drivers.

PubMed

Ihlström, Jonas; Kecklund, Göran; Anund, Anna

2017-01-01

Shift work has been associated with poor health, sleep and fatigue problems and low satisfaction with working hours. However, one type of shift working, namely split shifts, have received little attention. This study examined stress, health and psychosocial aspects of split-shift schedules among bus drivers in urban transport. A questionnaire was distributed to drivers working more than 70% of full time which 235 drivers in total answered. In general, drivers working split-shift schedules (n = 146) did not differ from drivers not working such shifts (n = 83) as regards any of the outcome variables that were studied. However, when individual perceptions towards split-shift schedules were taken into account, a different picture appeared. Bus drivers who reported problems working split shifts (36%) reported poorer health, higher perceived stress, working hours interfering with social life, lower sleep quality, more persistent fatigue and lower general work satisfaction than those who did not view split shifts as a problem. Moreover, drivers who reported problems with split shifts also perceived lower possibilities to influence working hours, indicating lower work time control. This study indicates that split shifts were not associated with increased stress, poorer health and adverse psychosocial work factors for the entire study sample. However, the results showed that individual differences were important and approximately one third of the drivers reported problems with split shifts, which in turn was associated with stress, poor health and negative psychosocial work conditions. More research is needed to understand the individual and organizational determinants of tolerance to split shifts.

Perceived early-life maternal care and the cortisol response to repeated psychosocial stress

PubMed Central

Engert, Veronika; Efanov, Simona I.; Dedovic, Katarina; Duchesne, Annie; Dagher, Alain; Pruessner, Jens C.

2010-01-01

Background In the past decade, a body of animal and human research has revealed a profound influence of early-life experiences, ranging from variations in parenting behaviour to severe adversity, on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis regulation in adulthood. In our own previous studies, we have shown how variations in early-life parental care influence the development of the hippocampus and modify the cortisol awakening response. Methods In the present study, we investigated the influence of early-life maternal care on cortisol, heart rate and subjective psychological responses to the repeated administration of a psychosocial laboratory stressor in a population of 63 healthy young adults. Low, medium and high early-life maternal care groups were identified using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Results Controlling for the effect of sex, we found an inverted u-shaped relation between increasing levels of maternal care and cortisol stress responsivity. Specifically, overall and stress-induced cortisol levels went from below normal in the low maternal care, to normal in the medium care, back to below normal in the high maternal care groups. We found no group differences with respect to heart rate and subjective psychological stress measures. Whereas low and high maternal care groups exhibited similarly low endocrine stress responses, their psychological profiles were opposed with increased levels of depression and anxiety and decreased self-esteem in the low care group. Limitations Sex was unequally distributed among maternal care groups, whereby the number of men with low maternal care was too small to allow introducing sex as a second between-group variable. Conclusion We discuss the potential significance of this dissociation between endocrine and psychological parameters with respect to stress vulnerability and resistance for each maternal care group. PMID:20964960

Stressful psychosocial factors and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a population-based study in Norway.

PubMed

Jansson, Catarina; Wallander, Mari-Ann; Johansson, Saga; Johnsen, Roar; Hveem, Kristian

2010-01-01

Adverse psychosocial factors, including work-related stress, are, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), increasing health problems in industrialized countries. The importance of clarifying the relation between psychosocial factors and GERD has been stressed, but there are few population-based studies. This was a population-based, cross-sectional, case-control study based on two health surveys conducted in the Norwegian county Nord-Trondelag in 1984-86 and 1995-97. GERD symptoms were assessed in the second survey, which included 65,333 participants, representing 70% of the county's adult population. The 3153 persons reporting severe GERD symptoms were defined as cases and the 40,210 persons without such symptoms were defined as controls. Data on psychosocial factors and potential confounders were collected using questionnaires. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. In models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, obesity and socioeconomic status, positive associations were observed between high job demands (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.6-2.2), low job control (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2) and job strain (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.6-2.4) and risk of GERD symptoms. Persons reporting low job satisfaction had a twofold (95% CI 1.6-2.5) increased risk of GERD compared to persons reporting high job satisfaction. Self pressure (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.6-2.1) and time pressure (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.7-2.4) were positively associated with GERD symptoms. These associations were attenuated after further adjustment for anxiety, depression, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke and insomnia, but remained statistically significant. This population-based study reveals a link between stressful psychosocial factors, including job strain, and GERD symptoms.

Psychosocial work conditions, perceived stress, perceived muscular tension, and neck/shoulder symptoms among medical secretaries.

PubMed

Larsman, Pernilla; Kadefors, Roland; Sandsjö, Leif

2013-01-01

Unfavorable psychosocial working conditions are hypothesized to lead to perceived stress, which, in turn, can be related to an increased risk of development of neck/shoulder symptoms through increased and sustained muscle activation. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesized process model among medical secretaries, a female-dominated profession characterized by a high amount of visual display unit use and a high prevalence of neck/shoulder symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was conducted among medical secretaries (n = 200). The proposed process model was tested using a path model framework. The results indicate that high work demands were related to high perceived stress, which in turn was related to a high perceived muscle tension and neck/shoulder symptoms. Low influence at work was not related to perceived stress, but was directly related to a high perceived muscle tension. In general, these cross-sectional results lend tentative support for the hypothesis that adverse psychosocial work conditions (high work demands) may contribute to the development of neck/shoulder symptoms through the mechanism of stress-induced sustained muscular activation. This process model needs to be further tested in longitudinal studies.

Sleep deprived and sweating it out: the effects of total sleep deprivation on skin conductance reactivity to psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Liu, Jean C J; Verhulst, Silvan; Massar, Stijn A A; Chee, Michael W L

2015-01-01

We examined how sleep deprivation alters physiological responses to psychosocial stress by evaluating changes in skin conductance. Between-subjects design with one group allocated to 24 h of total sleep deprivation and the other to rested wakefulness. The study took place in a research laboratory. Participants were 40 healthy young adults recruited from a university. Sleep deprivation and feedback. Electrodermal activity was monitored while participants completed a difficult perceptual task with false feedback. All participants showed increased skin conductance levels following stress. However, compared to well-rested participants, sleep deprived participants showed higher skin conductance reactivity with increasing stress levels. Our results suggest that sleep deprivation augments allostatic responses to increasing psychosocial stress. Consequentially, we propose sleep loss as a risk factor that can influence the pathogenic effects of stress. © 2014 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Neighborhood food environment role in modifying psychosocial stress-diet relationships

PubMed Central

Zenk, Shannon N.; Schulz, Amy J.; Izumi, Betty T.; Mentz, Graciela; Israel, Barbara A.; Lockett, Murlisa

2013-01-01

Exposure to highly palatable foods may increase eating in response to stress, but this behavioral response has not been examined in relation to the neighborhood food environment. This study examined whether the neighborhood food environment modified relationships between psychosocial stress and dietary behaviors. Probability-sample survey (n=460) and in-person food environment audit data were used. Dietary behaviors were measured using 17 snack food items and a single eating-out-of-home item. Chronic stress was derived from five subscales; major life events was a count of 9 items. The neighborhood food environment was measured as availability of large grocery stores, small grocery stores, and convenience stores, as well as proportion of restaurants that were fast food. Two-level hierarchical regression models were estimated. Snack food intake was positively associated with convenience store availability and negatively associated with large grocery store availability. The measures of chronic stress and major life events were generally not associated with either dietary behavior overall, although Latinos were less likely to eat out at high levels of major life events than African Americans. Stress-neighborhood food environment interactions were not statistically significant. Important questions remain regarding the role of the neighborhood food environment in the stress-diet relationship that warrant further investigation. PMID:23415977

Sleep quality but not sleep quantity effects on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Bassett, Sarah M; Lupis, Sarah B; Gianferante, Danielle; Rohleder, Nicolas; Wolf, Jutta M

2015-01-01

Given the well-documented deleterious health effects, poor sleep has become a serious public health concern and increasing efforts are directed toward understanding underlying pathways. One potential mechanism may be stress and its biological correlates; however, studies investigating the effects of poor sleep on a body's capacity to deal with challenges are lacking. The current study thus aimed at testing the effects of sleep quality and quantity on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress. A total of 73 college-aged adults (44 females) were investigated. Self-reported sleep behavior was assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and salivary cortisol responses to the Trier Social Stress Test were measured. In terms of sleep quality, we found a significant three-way interaction, such that relative to bad sleep quality, men who reported fairly good or very good sleep quality showed blunted or exaggerated cortisol responses, respectively, while women's stress responses were less dependent on their self-reported sleep quality. Contrarily, average sleep duration did not appear to impact cortisol stress responses. Lastly, participants who reported daytime dysfunctions (i.e. having trouble staying awake or keeping up enthusiasm) also showed a trend to blunted cortisol stress responses compared to participants who did not experience these types of daytime dysfunctions. Overall, the current study suggests gender-specific stress reactivity dysfunctions as one mechanism linking poor sleep with detrimental physical health outcomes. Furthermore, the observed differential sleep effects may indicate that while the body may be unable to maintain normal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal functioning in an acute psychosocial stress situation after falling prey to low sleep quality, it may retain capacities to deal with challenges during extended times of sleep deprivation.

Psychosocial work aspects, stress and musculoskeletal pain among musicians. A systematic review in search of correlates and predictors of playing-related pain.

PubMed

Jacukowicz, Aleksandra

2016-06-16

Musicians face numerous psychosocial and physical demands at work resulting in high prevalence of musculoskeletal problems. Unlike physical risks, little is known about psychosocial work factors influencing such health problems in this particular group. The paper aimed to identify psychosocial work demands resulting in musculoskeletal problems among musicians. A systematic review was undertaken to find data linking psychosocial work demands or stress with musculoskeletal disorders among musicians. The exploration of databases resulted in nine research studies linking psychosocial aspects of work or stress with musculoskeletal problems among musicians. The analyzed studies linked psychosocial aspects with musculoskeletal problems in three ways - showing proportions of people indicating particular causes of pain, indicating correlations between these variables or performing regression analysis showing psychosocial predictors of musculoskeletal pain. Only a few studies have undertaken the issue of psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal problems among musicians. The results revealed that some psychosocial aspects of work, e.g. long hours at work, work content, high job demands, low control/influence, lack of social support, were related to musculoskeletal pain, however, the methods and results were inconsistent. The extant studies employed variety of definitions of psychosocial aspects that hindered the possibility for consistent conclusions. Basing on those conclusions, future directions were offered.

The Hispanic Stress Inventory--Adolescent Version: a culturally informed psychosocial assessment.

PubMed

Cervantes, Richard C; Fisher, Dennis G; Córdova, David; Napper, Lucy E

2012-03-01

A 2-phase study was conducted to develop a culturally informed measure of psychosocial stress for adolescents: the Hispanic Stress Inventory--Adolescent Version (HSI-A). Phase 1 involved item development through the collection of open-ended focus group interview data (n = 170) from a heterogeneous sample of Hispanic youths residing in the southwest and northeast United States. In Phase 2, we examined the psychometric properties of the HSI-A (n = 1,651), which involved the use of factor analytic procedures to determine the underlying scale structure of the HSI-A for foreign-born and U.S.-born participants in an aggregated analytic approach. An 8-factor solution was established, with factors that include Family Economic Stress, Acculturation-Gap Stress, Culture and Educational Stress, Immigration-Related Stress, Discrimination Stress, Family Immigration Stress, Community and Gang-Related Stress, and Family and Drug-Related Stress. Concurrent, related validity estimates were calculated to determine relations between HSI-A and other measures of child psychopathology and behavioral and emotional disturbances. HSI-A total stress appraisal scores were significantly correlated with both the Children's Depression Inventory and the Youth Self Report (p < .001). Reliability estimates for the HSI-A were conducted, and they yielded high reliability coefficients for most factor subscales, with the HSI-A total stress appraisal score reliability alpha at .92.

Cumulative Psychosocial and Medical Risk as Predictors of Early Infant Development and Parenting Stress in an African-American Preterm Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Candelaria, Margo A.; O'Connell, Melissa A.; Teti, Douglas M.

2006-01-01

The present study examined predictive linkages between cumulative psychosocial and medical risk, assessed neonatally, and infant development and parenting stress at 4 months of infant corrected age. Predominantly low-income, African-American mothers and their preterm infants served as participants. Cumulative psychosocial risk predicted early…

Increased anxiety, voluntary alcohol consumption and ethanol-induced place preference in mice following chronic psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Bahi, Amine

2013-07-01

Stress exposure is known to be a risk factor for alcohol use and anxiety disorders. Comorbid chronic stress and alcohol dependence may lead to a complicated and potentially severe treatment profile. To gain an understanding of the interaction between chronic psychosocial stress and drug exposure, we studied the effects of concomitant chronic stress exposure on alcohol reward using two-bottle choice and ethanol-conditioned place preference (CPP). The study consisted of exposure of the chronic subordinate colony (CSC) mice "intruders" to an aggressive "resident" mouse for 19 consecutive days. Control mice were single housed (SHC). Ethanol consumption using two-bottle choice paradigm and ethanol CPP acquisition was assessed at the end of this time period. As expected, CSC exposure increased anxiety-like behavior and reduced weight gain as compared to SHC controls. Importantly, in the two-bottle choice procedure, CSC mice showed higher alcohol intake than SHC. When testing their response to ethanol-induced CPP, CSC mice achieved higher preference for the ethanol-paired chamber. In fact, CSC exposure increased ethanol-CPP acquisition. Taken together, these data demonstrate the long-term consequences of chronic psychosocial stress on alcohol intake in male mice, suggesting chronic stress as a risk factor for developing alcohol consumption and/or anxiety disorders.

Expressive writing for gay-related stress: psychosocial benefits and mechanisms underlying improvement.

PubMed

Pachankis, John E; Goldfried, Marvin R

2010-02-01

This study tested the effectiveness of an expressive writing intervention for gay men on outcomes related to psychosocial functioning. Seventy-seven gay male college students (mean age = 20.19 years, SD = 1.99) were randomly assigned to write for 20 min a day for 3 consecutive days about either (a) the most stressful or traumatic gay-related event in their lives or (b) a neutral topic. We tested an exposure-based hypothesis of written emotional expression by asking half of the participants who were assigned to write about gay-related stress to read their previous day's narrative before writing, whereas the other half did not. Posttest and 3-month follow-up outcomes were assessed with common measures of overall psychological distress, depression, physical health symptoms, and positive and negative affect. Gay-specific social functioning was assessed with measures of gay-related rejection sensitivity, gay-specific self-esteem, and items regarding openness and comfort with one's sexual orientation. Participants who wrote about gay-related stress, regardless of whether they read their previous day's writing, reported significantly greater openness with their sexual orientation 3 months following writing than participants who wrote about a neutral topic, F(1, 74) = 6.66, p < .05, eta(2) = .08. Additional analyses examined the impact of emotional engagement in the writing, severity of the expressed topic, previous disclosure of writing topic, tendency to conceal, and level of perceived social support on mental health outcomes. The findings suggest that an expressive writing task targeting gay-related stress can improve gay men's psychosocial functioning, especially openness with sexual orientation. The intervention seems to be particularly beneficial for those men who write about more severe topics and for those with lower levels of social support. The findings suggest future tests of expressive writing tasks for different aspects of stigma-related stress.

Children's psychosocial stress and emotional eating: A role for leptin?

PubMed

Michels, Nathalie; Sioen, Isabelle; Ruige, Johannes; De Henauw, Stefaan

2017-05-01

Psychosocial stress can be a health threat by stimulating unhealthier eating behaviors. We aim to test the role of the hormone leptin in the association between stress and diet/emotional eating as detected in primary school children. In a two-wave longitudinal study with 308 Belgian children (5-12y) in 2010-2012, the association of fasting serum leptin with reported stress (negative events and emotional problems), measured stress by salivary cortisol (overall cortisol output and awakening response), emotional eating and food consumption frequency was examined. Analyses were split by sex. Mediation and moderation by leptin change were tested. One stress marker (overall cortisol output) was significantly correlated with high leptin levels, but only in girls and cross-sectionally. Only in boys, leptin was associated with low emotional eating. Leptin was not a significant predictor of unhealthy food consumption. Leptin change was not a mediator but an enhancing moderator in the link between stress (high cortisol output and emotional problems) and emotional eating in girls: high reports of emotional eating in 2012 were present in the case of combined high 2-year leptin increase and high stress at baseline. Stress (represented by emotional problems and high daily cortisol) seems to lead to hyperleptinemia in girls; and the combination of high stress and hyperleptinemia might make girls more vulnerable to stress-induced eating. No functional data on leptin sensitivity were present, but results might suggest that stress induces lower sensitivity to the anorexigenic leptin activity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:471-480). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychosocial safety climate: a multilevel theory of work stress in the health and community service sector.

PubMed

Dollard, M F; McTernan, W

2011-12-01

Work stress is widely thought to be a significant problem in the health and community services sector. We reviewed evidence from a range of different data sources that confirms this belief. High levels of psychosocial risk factors, psychological health problems and workers compensation claims for stress are found in the sector. We propose a multilevel theoretical model of work stress to account for the results. Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) refers to a climate for psychological health and safety. It reflects the balance of concern by management about psychological health v. productivity. By extending the health erosion and motivational paths of the Job Demands-Resources model we propose that PSC within work organisations predicts work conditions and in turn psychological health and engagement. Over and above this, however, we expect that the external environment of the sector particularly government policies, driven by economic rationalist ideology, is increasing work pressure and exhaustion. These conditions are likely to lead to a reduced quality of service, errors and mistakes.

[What do we know about psychosocial risks at work? Part II.The analysis of employee's knowledge of sources and consequences of stress at work].

PubMed

Potocka, Adrianna; Merecz-Kot, Dorota

2010-01-01

Psychosocial risks at work are the challenge facing the occupational health and safety protection. They are seen as a threat to the employees' health and functioning. They also contribute to negative outcomes in the organizations. The study was focused on the assessment of employees' knowledge of occupational stressors, their consequences and preventive measures. The assessment results will help in the development of an educational program aimed at increasing awareness of occupational stress among employees. 210 employees participated in the study. By the mean of survey "Psychosocial Risks at Work-place" the information on the respondents' knowledge of occupational stress issues was collected. Stressors intrinsic to the job (mostly work overload) were recognized as best known to employees (67.62%). The second place was occupied by stressors originating from interpersonal relationships at work (51.9% of respondents pointed out that problem). Almost no one (0.48%) mentioned home-work interference as a source of occupational stress. According to the respondents' opinion, occupational stress mostly results in health decline. The employees who participated in the study believe that the employer (13.81%) or the superior (19.05%) is responsible for psychosocial risks prevention at the work place. Almost a half of subjects (46.67%) did not know whether there are any law regulations on psychosocial risk at work in Poland. The respondents showed an average level of knowledge of psychosocial risk at the work place and knew almost nothing about occupational stress prevention. The results of the study point to the need for systematic education of employees about stress and stress related issues.

Chronic psychosocial stress causes delayed extinction and exacerbates reinstatement of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference in mice.

PubMed

Bahi, Amine; Dreyer, Jean-Luc

2014-01-01

We have shown previously, using an animal model of voluntary ethanol intake and ethanol-conditioned place preference (EtOH-CPP), that exposure to chronic psychosocial stress induces increased ethanol intake and EtOH-CPP acquisition in mice. Here, we examined the impact of chronic subordinate colony (CSC) exposure on EtOH-CPP extinction, as well as ethanol-induced reinstatement of CPP. Mice were conditioned with saline or 1.5 g/kg ethanol and were tested in the EtOH-CPP model. In the first experiment, the mice were subjected to 19 days of chronic stress, and EtOH-CPP extinction was assessed during seven daily trials without ethanol injection. In the second experiment and after the EtOH-CPP test, the mice were subjected to 7 days of extinction trials before the 19 days of chronic stress. Drug-induced EtOH-CPP reinstatement was induced by a priming injection of 0.5 g/kg ethanol. Compared to the single-housed colony mice, CSC mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and the open field tests. Interestingly, the CSC mice showed delayed EtOH-CPP extinction. More importantly, CSC mice showed increased alcohol-induced reinstatement of the EtOH-CPP behavior. Taken together, this study indicates that chronic psychosocial stress can have long-term effects on EtOH-CPP extinction as well as drug-induced reinstatement behavior and may provide a suitable model to study the latent effects of chronic psychosocial stress on extinction and relapse to drug abuse.

Psychosocial stress in pregnancy and its relation to the onset of premature labour.

PubMed Central

Newton, R W; Webster, P A; Binu, P S; Maskrey, N; Phillips, A B

1979-01-01

A modified life events inventory was presented over a four-month period to 132 consecutive women going into spontaneous labour in Hull and Manchester. Three study groups were identified according to the duration of pregnancy. The levels of psychosocial stress in pregnancy were found to be particularly high in the mothers whose babies were born preterm. Stressful events may precipitate preterm labour in some women. The concept of antenatal care may have to be broadened if the incidence of premature labour and resulting perinatal mortality are to be reduced. PMID:486966

Psychosocial stress in pregnancy and its relation to the onset of premature labour.

PubMed

Newton, R W; Webster, P A; Binu, P S; Maskrey, N; Phillips, A B

1979-08-18

A modified life events inventory was presented over a four-month period to 132 consecutive women going into spontaneous labour in Hull and Manchester. Three study groups were identified according to the duration of pregnancy. The levels of psychosocial stress in pregnancy were found to be particularly high in the mothers whose babies were born preterm. Stressful events may precipitate preterm labour in some women. The concept of antenatal care may have to be broadened if the incidence of premature labour and resulting perinatal mortality are to be reduced.

Impact of occupational stress and other psychosocial factors on musculoskeletal pain among Chinese offshore oil installation workers

PubMed Central

Chen, W; Yu, I; Wong, T

2005-01-01

Aims: To explore the relation between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal pain in Chinese offshore oil installation workers. Methods: Half of all offshore workers (being a representative sample) in a Chinese oil company were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire providing information on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational stressors, type A behaviour, social support, coping style, health related behaviour, past injuries, and musculoskeletal pain. Factor analysis was used to identify the sources of occupational stress and the domains of type A behaviour and coping style. Logistic regression analyses were used to study the relations between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal pain in each body region. Results: The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain over the previous 12 months varied between 7.5% for elbow pain and 32% for low back pain; 56% workers had at least one complaint. Significant associations were found between various psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal pain in different body regions after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Occupational stressors, in particular stress from safety, physical environment, and ergonomics, were important predictors of musculoskeletal pain, as was coping by eating behaviour. Conclusions: These observations supported the widely accepted biopsychosocial model of musculoskeletal disorders and suggested that in future studies of work related musculoskeletal disorders, psychosocial factors must be given due consideration. PMID:15778258

Men, hearts and minds: developing and piloting culturally specific psychometric tools assessing psychosocial stress and depression in central Australian Aboriginal men.

PubMed

Brown, Alex; Mentha, Ricky; Howard, Michael; Rowley, Kevin; Reilly, Rachel; Paquet, Catherine; O'Dea, Kerin

2016-02-01

The health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are well documented but there are few empirical data outlining the burden, consequences, experience and expression of depressive illness. This paper seeks to address the lack of accessible, culturally specific measures of psychosocial stress, depression or quality of life developed for, and validated within, this population. Building on an extensive qualitative phase of research, a psychosocial questionnaire comprising novel and adapted scales was developed and piloted with 189 Aboriginal men across urban and remote settings in central Australia. With a view to refining this tool for future use, its underlying structure was assessed using exploratory factor analysis, and the predictive ability of the emergent psychosocial constructs assessed with respect to depressive symptomatology. The latent structure of the psychosocial questionnaire was conceptually aligned with the components of the a priori model on which the questionnaire was based. Regression modelling indicated that depressive symptoms were driven by a sense of injury and chronic stress and had a non-linear association with socioeconomic position. This represents the first community-based survey of psychosocial stress and depression in Aboriginal men. It provides both knowledge of, and an appropriate process for, the further development of psychometric tools, including quality of life, in this population. Further research with larger and more diverse samples of Aboriginal people is required to refine the measurement of key constructs such as chronic stress, socioeconomic position, social support and connectedness. The further refinement, validation against criterion-based methods and incorporation within primary care services is essential.

Differentiating anticipatory from reactive cortisol responses to psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Engert, Veronika; Efanov, Simona I; Duchesne, Annie; Vogel, Susanne; Corbo, Vincent; Pruessner, Jens C

2013-08-01

Most psychosocial stress studies assess the overall cortisol response without further identifying the temporal dynamics within hormone levels. It has been shown, however, that the amplitude of anticipatory cortisol stress levels has a unique predictive value for psychological health. So far, no "best practice" in how to investigate the anticipatory cortisol stress response has emerged. The goal of the current research was to develop a protocol that would allow for a sensitive and easy-to-implement laboratory-based investigation into anticipatory cortisol stress levels. We initially tested 26 healthy men in either an anticipation- or stress-only condition of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to map the distinct timelines of anticipatory and reactive cortisol release profiles (study 1). Subsequently, we administered the TSST to 50 healthy men such that the cortisol responses to anticipatory and reactive stress components could be dissociated (study 2). In both studies we sampled saliva cortisol at high frequency (at baseline, during 10min of anticipation and during and after 10min of acute stress) and the current mood state pre- and post-stress. We found anticipatory responder rates of 20% and 40%, with peak anticipatory cortisol levels between 14 and 20min after onset of anticipation. Visible changes in reactive cortisol levels occurred only after the termination of the acute stressor. We conclude that the best practice to detect a maximum number of anticipatory responders in the TSST would be to extend the anticipation phase to 15min. In doing so, the anticipatory cortisol peak could be captured at a time-point of the actual stressor that is uninfluenced by reactive cortisol levels. Overall, we could reveal several features of anticipatory responders. Most importantly, there was a positive correlation between anticipatory and reactive stress responses. There was no association between anticipatory cortisol and alpha-amylase as well as subjective

Sleep quality but not sleep quantity effects on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress

PubMed Central

Bassett, Sarah M.; Lupis, Sarah B.; Gianferante, Danielle; Rohleder, Nicolas; Wolf, Jutta M.

2016-01-01

Given the well-documented deleterious health effects, poor sleep has become a serious public health concern and increasing efforts are directed towards understanding underlying pathways. One potential mechanism may be stress and its biological correlates; however, studies investigating the effects of poor sleep on a body’s capacity to deal with challenges are lacking. The current study thus aimed at testing the effects of sleep quality and sleep quantity on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress. A total of 73 college-aged adults (44 females) were investigated. Self-reported sleep behavior was assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and salivary cortisol responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were measured. In terms of sleep quality, we found a significant three-way interaction, such that relative to bad sleep quality, men who reported fairly good or very good sleep quality showed blunted or exaggerated cortisol responses, respectively, while women’s stress responses were less dependent on their self-reported sleep quality. Contrarily, average sleep duration did not appear to impact cortisol stress responses. Lastly, participants who reported daytime dysfunctions (i.e., having trouble staying awake or keeping up enthusiasm) also showed a trend to blunted cortisol stress responses compared to participants who did not experience these types of daytime dysfunctions. Overall, the current study suggests gender-specific stress reactivity dysfunctions as one mechanism linking poor sleep with detrimental physical health outcomes. Furthermore, the observed differential sleep effects may indicate that while the body may be unable to maintain normal HPA functioning in an acute psychosocial stress situation after falling prey to low sleep quality, it may retain capacities to deal with challenges during extended times of sleep deprivation. PMID:26414625

Neuropeptide Y gene-by-psychosocial stress interaction effect is associated with obesity in a Korean population.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Jin; Min, Kyoung-Bok; Min, Jin-Young

2016-07-01

Chronic psychosocial stress is a crucial risk factor in the development of many diseases including obesity. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), distributed throughout the peripheral and central nervous system, is believed to pay a role in the pathophysiologic relationship between stress and obesity. Although several animal studies have investigated the impact on obesity of interactions between NPY single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and stress, the same remains to be analyzed in humans. To identify NPY gene-by-stress interaction effects on human obesity, we analyzed the interaction between four NPY SNPs and stress with obesity-related traits, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT). A total of 1468 adult subjects were included for this analysis. In a SNP-only model without interaction with stress, no significant SNPs were found (pSNP>0.05). However, NPY SNPs-by-stress interaction effects were significantly linked to body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and VAT (pint<0.05), even though a significant interaction effect for rs16135 on BMI was not identified. These significant interaction effects were also detected in interaction results for the binary traits of obesity. Among the obesity traits, mean changes of VAT by increased stress levels in homozygous risk allele carriers were the greatest (range of mean increases for four SNPs (min-max)=12.57cm(2)-29.86cm(2)). This study suggests that common polymorphisms for NPY were associated with human obesity by interacting with psychosocial stress, emphasizing the need for stress management in obesity prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neighborhood food environment role in modifying psychosocial stress-diet relationships.

PubMed

Zenk, Shannon N; Schulz, Amy J; Izumi, Betty T; Mentz, Graciela; Israel, Barbara A; Lockett, Murlisa

2013-06-01

Exposure to highly palatable foods may increase eating in response to stress, but this behavioral response has not been examined in relation to the neighborhood food environment. This study examined whether the neighborhood food environment modified relationships between psychosocial stress and dietary behaviors. Probability-sample survey (n=460) and in-person food environment audit data were used. Dietary behaviors were measured using 17 snack food items and a single eating-out-of-home item. Chronic stress was derived from five subscales; major life events was a count of nine items. The neighborhood food environment was measured as availability of large grocery stores, small grocery stores, and convenience stores, as well as proportion of restaurants that were fast food. Two-level hierarchical regression models were estimated. Snack food intake was positively associated with convenience store availability and negatively associated with large grocery store availability. The measures of chronic stress and major life events were generally not associated with either dietary behavior overall, although Latinos were less likely to eat out at high levels of major life events than African Americans. Stress-neighborhood food environment interactions were not statistically significant. Important questions remain regarding the role of the neighborhood food environment in the stress-diet relationship that warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships between occupational functioning and stress among radio journalists--Assessment by means of the Psychosocial Risk Scale.

PubMed

Najder, Anna; Merecz-Kot, Dorota; Wójcik, Aleksandra

2016-01-01

Job characteristics and the consequences of everyday stress among radio journalists who are not exposed to traumatic events have not been studied sufficiently before. We aimed at determining the most common job characteristics and their stressfulness; relationships between stress exposure, health and occupational functioning; differences between radio journalists and other journalists, and also the psychosocial risk for health and functioning in this group. The studied group involved 208 journalists, 134 of whom worked in radio stations. The respondents filled in the Psychosocial Risks Scale (PRS) developed by the Department of Health and Work Psychology of the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland. Requirement of mental effort and readiness to response quickly for most of the time as well as limited possibilities for promotion were the most frequent journalists' complaints. We confirmed that higher levels of stress resulted in worse functioning--the radio journalists who experienced lower stress assessed their health status and ability to work better, were more satisfied with particular aspects of their work, and were more involved in their work. They also presented a significantly lower turnover intention. Moreover, the radio journalists were more involved in their work than other journalists, but experienced lower satisfaction, took more sick leaves and had more days of absence. Well-known relationships between stress level, satisfaction and occupational functioning were confirmed. The most important conclusion refers to the fact that psychosocial risks and stress analysis should be based on the understanding of specificity of each occupation or even position. It is so, because the same job characteristic may pose a challenge for one person, while for another--it can result in extreme discomfort and anxiety--such an attitude broadens understanding of the phenomenon. We also confirmed that the PRS is a well-designed method, appropriate to

Boosting recovery rather than buffering reactivity: Higher stress-induced oxytocin secretion is associated with increased cortisol reactivity and faster vagal recovery after acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Engert, Veronika; Koester, Anna M; Riepenhausen, Antje; Singer, Tania

2016-12-01

Animal models and human studies using paradigms designed to stimulate endogenous oxytocin release suggest a stress-buffering role of oxytocin. We here examined the involvement of stress-induced peripheral oxytocin secretion in reactivity and recovery phases of the human psychosocial stress response. Healthy male and female participants (N=114) were subjected to a standardized laboratory stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. In addition to plasma oxytocin, cortisol was assessed as a marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA-) axis activity, alpha-amylase and heart rate as markers of sympathetic activity, high frequency heart rate variability as a marker of vagal tone and self-rated anxiety as an indicator of subjective stress experience. On average, oxytocin levels increased by 51% following psychosocial stress. The stress-induced oxytocin secretion, however, did not reduce stress reactivity. To the contrary, higher oxytocin secretion was associated with greater cortisol reactivity and peak cortisol levels in both sexes. In the second phase of the stress response the opposite pattern was observed, with higher oxytocin secretion associated with faster vagal recovery. We suggest that after an early stage of oxytocin and HPA-axis co-activation, the stress-reducing action of oxytocin unfolds. Due to the time lag it manifests as a recovery-boosting rather than a reactivity-buffering effect. By reinforcing parasympathetic autonomic activity, specifically during stress recovery, oxytocin may provide an important protective function against the health-compromising effects of sustained stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dose-related effects of delta-9-THC on emotional responses to acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Childs, Emma; Lutz, Joseph A; de Wit, Harriet

2017-08-01

Cannabis smokers often report that they use the drug to relax or to relieve emotional stress. However, few clinical studies have shown evidence of the stress-relieving effects of cannabis or cannabinoid agonists. In this study, we sought to assess the influence of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a main active ingredient of cannabis, upon emotional responses to an acute psychosocial stressor among healthy young adults. Healthy volunteers (N=42) participated in two experimental sessions, one with psychosocial stress (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) and another with a non-stressful task, after receiving 0 (N=13), 7.5mg (N=14) or 12.5mg (N=15) oral THC. Capsules were administered under randomized, double blind conditions, 2.5h before the tasks began. We measured subjective mood and drug effects, vital signs and salivary cortisol before and at repeated times after the capsule and tasks. Subjects also appraised the tasks, before and after completion. In comparison to placebo, 7.5mg THC significantly reduced self-reported subjective distress after the TSST and attenuated post-task appraisals of the TSST as threatening and challenging. By contrast, 12.5mg THC increased negative mood overall i.e., both before and throughout the tasks, and pre-task ratings of the TSST as threatening and challenging. It also impaired TSST performance and attenuated blood pressure reactivity to the stressor. Our findings suggest that a low dose of THC produces subjective stress-relieving effects in line with those commonly reported among cannabis users, but that higher doses may non-specifically increase negative mood. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Relationship Between Psychosocial Stress and Allergic Disease Among Children and Adolescents in Gwangyang Bay, Korea

PubMed Central

Lee, Mee-Ri; Son, Bu-Soon; Park, Yoo-Ri; Kim, Hye-Mi; Moon, Jong-Youn; Lee, Yong-Jin

2012-01-01

Objectives Stress is considered a causal factor in many diseases, allergic disease being one of them. The prevalence of allergic disease is increasing in Korea, but the relationship between allergic symptoms and stress is not empirically well known. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between allergy-related symptoms and stress in children and adolescents. Methods We investigated 698 children and adolescents living in Gwangyang Bay, Korea, using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood and the Psychosocial Well-being Index, these subjects were surveyed on allergy-related symptoms and psychosocial stressors in their lives, respectively. We used a multivariate logistic analysis for odds ratios for the complaint rate of allergic symptoms, after adjusting for age, gender, household income, body mass index, and residence. Results After adjustments, lifetime rhinitis (odds ratio [OR], 1.024), rhinoconjunctivitis (OR, 1.090), diagnosis of itchy eczema (OR, 1.040), treatment of itchy eczema (OR, 1.049), 12-month allergic conjunctivitis (OR, 1.026), diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis (OR, 1.031), and treatment of allergic conjunctivitis (OR, 1.034) were found to be significantly associated with stress. Conclusions Our results support the notion that there is a relationship between stress and allergic symptoms in children and adolescents. Further research into any causal relationship between stress and allergies, as well as preventative public health plans for decreasing stress in children and adolescents are needed. PMID:23230467

Psychosocial work load and stress in the geriatric care.

PubMed

Nübling, Matthias; Vomstein, Martin; Schmidt, Sascha G; Gregersen, Sabine; Dulon, Madeleine; Nienhaus, Albert

2010-07-21

Due to the decrease in informal care by family members and the demographic development, the importance of professional geriatric care will rise considerably. Aim of this study was to investigate the psychosocial workplace situation for employees in this profession. The German version of the COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) was used for the assessment of psychosocial factors at work. The instrument includes 22 scales and 3 single items concerning demands, control, stress, support, and strain.Results between two study groups of geriatric care were compared to each other as well as to employees in general hospital care and a general population mean (COPSOQ database).Statistical analysis included t-tests, ANOVA and multiple comparisons of means. Statistical significance (p < 0.01, two-tailed) and a difference of at least 5 points in mean values were defined as the relevant threshold. In total 889 respondents from 36 institutions took part in the study. 412 worked in Home Care (HC), 313 in Geriatric Nursing Homes (GNH), 164 in other professions (e.g. administration).Comparison between HC and GNH showed more favourable values for the first group for the most scales, e.g. lower quantitative and emotional demands and less work-privacy conflict, better possibilities for development etc. Compared to external values from the German COPSOQ database for general hospital care (N = 1.195) and the total mean across all professions, COPSOQ-total (N = 11.168), the results are again positive for HC workers on most of the scales concerning demands and social support. The only negative finding is the very low amount of social relations at work due to the obligation to work alone most of the time. Employees in GNH rate predictability, quality of leadership and feedback higher when compared to general hospital care and show some further favourable mean values compared to the COPSOQ mean value for all professions. A disadvantage for GNH is the high rating for job insecurity

Writing About Past Failures Attenuates Cortisol Responses and Sustained Attention Deficits Following Psychosocial Stress

PubMed Central

DiMenichi, Brynne C.; Lempert, Karolina M.; Bejjani, Christina; Tricomi, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

Acute stress can harm performance. Paradoxically, writing about stressful events—such as past failures—has been shown to improve cognitive functioning and performance, especially in tasks that require sustained attention. Yet, there is little physiological evidence for whether writing about past failures or other negative events improves performance by reducing stress. In this experiment, we studied the effects of an acute psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test, on attentional performance and salivary cortisol release in humans. Additionally, we investigated whether an expressive writing task could reduce the detrimental effects of stress, both on performance and physiological response. We found that when individuals were asked to write about a past failure before experiencing a stressor, they exhibited attenuated stress responses. Moreover, those who wrote about a past failure before being exposed to stress also exhibited better behavioral performance. Our results suggest that writing about a previous failure may allow an individual to experience a new stressor as less stressful, reducing its physiological and behavioral effects. PMID:29628878

Synergistic Effects of Psychosocial Stress and Mild Peripheral Infection on Inducing Microglial Activation in the Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus and Long-Lasting Deficits in Hippocampus-Related Memory.

PubMed

Tzeng, Wen-Yu; Su, Chien-Chou; Sun, Li-Han; Cherng, Chianfang G.; Yu, Lung

2018-04-30

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment and stress may cause immune activation in the brain, an event which has been thought to play a role in mediating stress-induced cognitive dysfunction. However, the enduring impact of psychosocial stress on brain immune activation or cognitive deficits has not been well investigated. Likewise, it remains unexplored whether there exist synergistic effects of psychosocial stress and a weak systemic LPS treatment on brain immune activation and/or cognitive function. In this work, a 10-day social defeat regimen was used to model psychosocial stress and the number and density of ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1)-stained microglia was used to reveal brain immune activation in male Balb/C mice. The social defeat regimen did not cause observable microglial activation in dentate gyrus (DG) 24 h after the conclusion of the regimen. Microglial activation peaked in DG 24 h following a single 1 mg/kg intra-peritoneal LPS injection. At this time point, DG microglial activation was not evident providing 0.125 mg/kg or lower of LPS was used, this dose of LPS was, thus, regarded as the “sub-threshold” in this study. Twenty-four h after the conclusion of the defeat regimen, mice received a social interaction test to determine their defeat stress susceptibility and a “sub-threshold” LPS injection. DG microglial activation was observed in the defeat-stress susceptible, but not in the resilient, mice. Furthermore, the stress-susceptible mice showed impairment in object location and Y maze tasks 24 and 72 h after the “sub-threshold” LPS injection. These results suggest that psychosocial stress, when combined with a negligible peripheral infection, may induce long-lasting hippocampus-related memory deficits exclusively in subjects susceptible to psychosocial stresses.

[The relationship of work-related psychosocial risk factors with depressive symptoms among Hungarian workers: preliminary results of the Hungarian Work Stress Survey].

PubMed

Nistor, Katalin; Nistor, Anikó; Ádám, Szilvia; Szabó, Anita; Konkolÿ Thege, Barna; Stauder, Adrienne

2015-03-01

Research has shown that psychosocial stress acts as a risk factor for mental disorders. The present study aims at processing the preliminary results of the Hungarian Survey of Work Stress, concerning the relationship between depressive symptoms and work stress. Cross-sectional survey among Hungarian workers was carried out (n = 1058, 27.5% man, 72.5% woman, age 37.2 years, SD = 11 years). Psychosocial factors were measured using the COPSOQ II questionnaire, while BDI-9 was used for the assessment of depressive symptoms. Statistical analysis was carried out applying Spearman's correlation and logistic regression. A quarter of the workers reported moderate or severe symptoms of depression (BDI≥19). The study confirmed the association between depressive symptoms and work-family conflict (OR = 2.21, CI: 1.82-2.68), possibilities for development (OR = 0.76, CI: 0.59-0.97) meaning of work (OR = 0.69, CI: 0.59-0.89) and commitment (OR = 0.60, CI: 0.47-0.78). The results point toward the need of such organizational measures that allow for the reduction of psychosocial stress.

Chronic Psychosocial Factors and Acute Physiological Responses to Laboratory-Induced Stress in Healthy Populations: A Quantitative Review of 30 Years of Investigations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chida, Yoichi; Hamer, Mark

2008-01-01

This meta-analysis included 729 studies from 161 articles investigating how acute stress responsivity (including stress reactivity and recovery of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis, autonomic, and cardiovascular systems) changes with various chronic psychosocial exposures (job stress; general life stress; depression or hopelessness;…

Breast feeding and resilience against psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Montgomery, S M; Ehlin, A; Sacker, A

2006-12-01

Some early life exposures may result in a well controlled stress response, which can reduce stress related anxiety. Breast feeding may be a marker of some relevant exposures. To assess whether breast feeding is associated with modification of the relation between parental divorce and anxiety. Observational study using longitudinal birth cohort data. Linear regression was used to assess whether breast feeding modifies the association of parental divorce/separation with anxiety using stratification and interaction testing. Data were obtained from the 1970 British Cohort Study, which is following the lives of those born in one week in 1970 and living in Great Britain. This study uses information collected at birth and at ages 5 and 10 years for 8958 subjects. Class teachers answered a question on anxiety among 10 year olds using an analogue scale (range 0-50) that was log transformed to minimise skewness. Among 5672 non-breast fed subjects, parental divorce/separation was associated with a statistically significantly raised risk of anxiety, with a regression coefficient (95% CI) of 9.4 (6.1 to 12.8). Among the breast fed group this association was much lower: 2.2 (-2.6 to 7.0). Interaction testing confirmed statistically significant effect modification by breast feeding, independent of simultaneous adjustment for multiple potential confounding factors, producing an interaction coefficient of -7.0 (-12.8 to -1.2), indicating a 7% reduction in anxiety after adjustment. Breast feeding is associated with resilience against the psychosocial stress linked with parental divorce/separation. This could be because breast feeding is a marker of exposures related to maternal characteristics and parent-child interaction.

Acculturation and psychosocial stress show differential relationships to insulin resistance (HOMA) and body fat distribution in two groups of blacks living in the US Virgin Islands.

PubMed Central

Tull, Eugene S.; Thurland, Anne; LaPorte, Ronald E.; Chambers, Earle C.

2003-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether acculturation and psychosocial stress exert differential effects on body fat distribution and insulin resistance among native-born African Americans and African-Caribbean immigrants living in the US Virgin Islands (USVI). Data collected from a non-diabetic sample of 183 USVI-born African Americans and 296 African-Caribbean immigrants age > 20 on the island of St. Croix, USVI were studied. Information on demographic characteristics, acculturation and psychosocial stress was collected by questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and serum glucose and insulin were measured from fasting blood samples. Insulin resistance was estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) method. The results showed that in multivariate regression analyses, controlling for age, education, gender, BMI, waist circumference, family history of diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption, acculturation was independently related to logarithm of HOMA (InHOMA) scores among USVI-born African Americans, but not among African-Caribbean immigrants. In contrast, among USVI-born African Americans psychosocial stress was not significantly related to InHOMA, while among African-Caribbean immigrants psychosocial stress was independently related to InHOMA in models that included BMI, but not in those which included waist circumference. This study suggests that acculturation and psychosocial stress may have a differential effect on body fat distribution and insulin resistance among native-born and immigrant blacks living in the US Virgin Islands. PMID:12911254

The antidepressant fluoxetine normalizes the nuclear glucocorticoid receptor evoked by psychosocial stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitić, M.; Simić, I.; Djordjević, J.; Radojčić, M. B.; Adžić, M.

2011-12-01

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and stress disorders. Glucocorticoids, key regulators of the stress response, exert diverse effects on cellular processes in the hippocampus. Beside non-genomic pathways, glucocorticoid effects are mediated through activation of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a ligand activated transcriptional factor that belongs to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. We analysed the GR protein levels both in the cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments of the hippocampus of Wistar rats exposed to chronic psychosocial isolation stress upon chronic fluoxetine (FLU) treatment. Under chronic stress, corticosterone levels (CORT) were decreased compared to the control, and treatment with FLU did not change its level in the stressed rats. At the molecular level, FLU normalized the level of nuclear GR protein in the hippocampus of the stressed rats. Discrepancy between normalization of nuclear GR in the hippocampus and lack of normalization of HPA axis activity judged by CORT, suggests that other brain structures such as the amygdale and prefrontal cortex that also regulate HPA axis activity, seem not to be normalized by the FLU treatment used in our study.

The Mediating Role of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Tendency to Forgive, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning of Terror Survivors.

PubMed

Weinberg, Michael

2018-06-12

The study reported in this article examined the relationship between psychosocial functioning and tendency to forgive, social support, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms of terror survivors (N = 108). Structural equation modeling was used to examine whether PTSD symptoms mediated the association between tendency to forgive, social support, and psychosocial functioning. The findings demonstrated that the association between tendency to forgive and psychosocial functioning was mediated exclusively by PTSD symptoms, whereas the association between social support and psychosocial functioning was partially mediated by PTSD symptoms. The study reinforces the importance of addressing trauma survivors' psychosocial functioning as an emotional state associated with tendency to forgive, social support, and PTSD symptoms. In addition, the findings suggest that when treating trauma survivors, therapists should be aware of PTSD not only as an emotional consequence of trauma, but also as a mediator of numerous emotional and cognitive coping mechanisms.

The effect of acute exercise and psychosocial stress on fine motor skills and testosterone concentration in the saliva of high school students.

PubMed

Wegner, Mirko; Koedijker, Johan M; Budde, Henning

2014-01-01

Little is known about the influence of different stressors on fine motor skills, the concentration of testosterone (T), and their interaction in adolescents. Therefore, 62 high school students aged 14-15 years were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (exercise, psychosocial stress) and a control group. Exercise stress was induced at 65-75% of the maximum heart rate by running for 15 minutes (n = 24). Psychosocial stress was generated by an intelligence test (HAWIK-IV), which was uncontrollable and characterized by social-evaluative-threat to the students (n = 21). The control group followed was part of a regular school lesson with the same duration (n = 28). Saliva was collected after a normal school lesson (pre-test) as well as after the intervention/control period (post-test) and was analyzed for testosterone. Fine motor skills were assessed pre- and post-intervention using a manual dexterity test (Flower Trail) from the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2. A repeated measure ANCOVA including gender as a covariate revealed a significant group by test interaction, indicating an increase in manual dexterity only for the psychosocial stress group. Correlation analysis of all students shows that the change of testosterone from pre- to post-test was directly linked (r = -.31, p = .01) to the changes in manual dexterity performance. Participants showing high increases in testosterone from pre- to post-test made fewer mistakes in the fine motor skills task. Findings suggest that manual dexterity increases when psychosocial stress is induced and that improvement of manual dexterity performance corresponds with the increase of testosterone.

COMT Val158Met Genotype Selectively Alters Prefrontal [18F]Fallypride Displacement and Subjective Feelings of Stress in Response to a Psychosocial Stress Challenge

PubMed Central

Lataster, Johan; Ceccarini, Jenny; Kenis, Gunther; Booij, Linda; Pruessner, Jens; Van Laere, Koen; van Winkel, Ruud; van Os, Jim; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2013-01-01

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays an essential role in degradation of extracellular dopamine in prefrontal regions of the brain. Although a polymorphism in this gene, COMT Val158Met, affects human behavior in response to stress little is known about its effect on dopaminergic activity associated with the human stress response, which may be of interest for stress-related psychiatric disorders such as psychosis. We aimed to investigate the effect of variations in COMT genotype on in vivo measures of stress-induced prefrontal cortex (PFC) dopaminergic processing and subjective stress responses. A combined sample of healthy controls and healthy first-degree relatives of psychosis patients (n = 26) were subjected to an [18F]fallypride Positron Emission Tomography scan. Psychosocial stress during the scan was induced using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task and subjective stress was assessed every 12 minutes. Parametric t-maps, generated using the linear extension of the simplified reference region model, revealed an effect of COMT genotype on the spatial extent of [18F]fallypride displacement. Detected effects of exposure to psychosocial stress were unilateral and remained restricted to the left superior and right inferior frontal gyrus, with Met-hetero- and homozygotes showing less [18F]fallypride displacement than Val-homozygotes. Additionally, Met-hetero- and homozygotes experienced larger subjective stress responses than Val-homozygotes. The direction of the effects remained the same when the data was analyzed separately for controls and first-degree relatives. The human stress response may be mediated in part by COMT-dependent dopaminergic PFC activity, providing speculation for the neurobiology underlying COMT-dependent differences in human behaviour following stress. Implications of these results for stress-related psychopathology and models of dopaminergic functioning are discussed. PMID:23799032

COMT Val158Met genotype selectively alters prefrontal [18F]fallypride displacement and subjective feelings of stress in response to a psychosocial stress challenge.

PubMed

Hernaus, Dennis; Collip, Dina; Lataster, Johan; Ceccarini, Jenny; Kenis, Gunther; Booij, Linda; Pruessner, Jens; Van Laere, Koen; van Winkel, Ruud; van Os, Jim; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2013-01-01

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays an essential role in degradation of extracellular dopamine in prefrontal regions of the brain. Although a polymorphism in this gene, COMT Val(158)Met, affects human behavior in response to stress little is known about its effect on dopaminergic activity associated with the human stress response, which may be of interest for stress-related psychiatric disorders such as psychosis. We aimed to investigate the effect of variations in COMT genotype on in vivo measures of stress-induced prefrontal cortex (PFC) dopaminergic processing and subjective stress responses. A combined sample of healthy controls and healthy first-degree relatives of psychosis patients (n = 26) were subjected to an [(18)F]fallypride Positron Emission Tomography scan. Psychosocial stress during the scan was induced using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task and subjective stress was assessed every 12 minutes. Parametric t-maps, generated using the linear extension of the simplified reference region model, revealed an effect of COMT genotype on the spatial extent of [(18)F]fallypride displacement. Detected effects of exposure to psychosocial stress were unilateral and remained restricted to the left superior and right inferior frontal gyrus, with Met-hetero- and homozygotes showing less [(18)F]fallypride displacement than Val-homozygotes. Additionally, Met-hetero- and homozygotes experienced larger subjective stress responses than Val-homozygotes. The direction of the effects remained the same when the data was analyzed separately for controls and first-degree relatives. The human stress response may be mediated in part by COMT-dependent dopaminergic PFC activity, providing speculation for the neurobiology underlying COMT-dependent differences in human behaviour following stress. Implications of these results for stress-related psychopathology and models of dopaminergic functioning are discussed.

Occupational role stress is associated with higher cortisol reactivity to acute stress.

PubMed

Wirtz, Petra H; Ehlert, Ulrike; Kottwitz, Maria U; La Marca, Roberto; Semmer, Norbert K

2013-04-01

We investigated whether occupational role stress is associated with differential levels of the stress hormone cortisol in response to acute psychosocial stress. Forty-three medication-free nonsmoking men aged between 22 and 65 years (mean ± SEM: 44.5 ± 2) underwent an acute standardized psychosocial stress task combining public speaking and mental arithmetic in front of an audience. We assessed occupational role stress in terms of role conflict and role ambiguity (combined into a measure of role uncertainty) as well as further work characteristics and psychological control variables including time pressure, overcommitment, perfectionism, and stress appraisal. Moreover, we repeatedly measured salivary cortisol and blood pressure levels before and after stress exposure, and several times up to 60 min thereafter. Higher role uncertainty was associated with a more pronounced cortisol stress reactivity (p = .016), even when controlling for the full set of potential confounders (p < .001). Blood pressure stress reactivity was not associated with role uncertainty. Our findings suggest that occupational role stress in terms of role uncertainty acts as a background stressor that is associated with increased HPA-axis reactivity to acute stress. This finding may represent a potential mechanism regarding how occupational role stress may precipitate adverse health outcomes.

Path Analysis Associations Between Perceived Social Support, Stressful Life Events and Other Psychosocial Risk Factors During Pregnancy and Preterm Delivery

PubMed Central

Mirabzadeh, Arash; Dolatian, Mahrokh; Forouzan, Ameneh Setare; Sajjadi, Homeira; Majd, Hamid Alavi; Mahmoodi, Zohreh

2013-01-01

Background Although several socio-medical risk factors have been identified for preterm labor, there is a gap in understanding the underlying etiology of preterm labor. Objectives The current study aimed to analyze the relationship pathway of perceived social support, stressful life events, and other psychosocial risk factors during pregnancy with incidence of preterm labor. Materials and Methods In a prospective cohort study in four hospitals in Tehran, 500 pregnant women in their 24th to 28th gestational weeks were studied. They filled out a self-report questionnaire on perceived social support, depression, anxiety, stress and stressful life events. Sociodemographic characteristics were also assessed. The participants were followed up until labor, and the data about mother and the newborn were collected after labor. The data were analyzed by SPSS 16 and Lisrel 8.8 software programs using pathway analysis. Results The final path model fit well (CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = .064). The results showed that depression, anxiety, and stress (β = -0.18) directly, and stressful life events indirectly (β= -0.0396) had the most predict on gestational age at labor. Perceived social support, directly through socioeconomic status (β=0.25), and indirectly through stress, depression and anxiety (β= -0.26) affected the gestational age at birth (β= 0.0468). Conclusions The current study showed that supporting pregnant mother moderates psychological problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression, and hence reduces preterm labor. PMID:24349750

Sex differences in cognitive regulation of psychosocial achievement stress: brain and behavior.

PubMed

Kogler, Lydia; Gur, Ruben C; Derntl, Birgit

2015-03-01

Although cognitive regulation of emotion has been extensively examined, there is a lack of studies assessing cognitive regulation in stressful achievement situations. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging in 23 females and 20 males to investigate cognitive downregulation of negative, stressful sensations during a frequently used psychosocial stress task. Additionally, subjective responses, cognitive regulation strategies, salivary cortisol, and skin conductance response were assessed. Subjective response supported the experimental manipulation by showing higher anger and negative affect ratings after stress regulation than after the mere exposure to stress. On a neural level, right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and right superior temporal gyrus (STG) were more strongly activated during regulation than nonregulation, whereas the hippocampus was less activated during regulation. Sex differences were evident: after regulation females expressed higher subjective stress ratings than males, and these ratings were associated with right hippocampal activation. In the nonregulation block, females showed greater activation of the left amygdala and the right STG during stress than males while males recruited the putamen more robustly in this condition. Thus, cognitive regulation of stressful achievement situations seems to induce additional stress, to recruit regions implicated in attention integration and working memory and to deactivate memory retrieval. Stress itself is associated with greater activation of limbic as well as attention areas in females than males. Additionally, activation of the memory system during cognitive regulation of stress is associated with greater perceived stress in females. Sex differences in cognitive regulation strategies merit further investigation that can guide sex sensitive interventions for stress-associated disorders. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Work-related psychosocial stress and the risk of type 2 diabetes in later life.

PubMed

Pan, K-Y; Xu, W; Mangialasche, F; Fratiglioni, L; Wang, H-X

2017-06-01

Although work-related psychosocial stress and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been investigated, the association between lifelong work stress and T2DM in later life remains unclear. This study examined whether high work stress increased the risk of T2DM risk in later life, accounting also for other sources of stress outside work, such as burden from household chores. From the population-based prospective study SNAC-K, 2719 diabetes-free participants aged ≥60 years were identified and followed up for 6 years. T2DM was ascertained by glycated haemoglobin level, self-report, hypoglycaemic medication use and clinical records. Levels of job control and demands over the whole working life were assessed by a validated matrix. Household chores load was assessed by hours spent on such chores. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between job strain and T2DM. During the 6-year follow-up, 154 incident cases of T2DM were identified. High job strain was associated with T2DM occurrence amongst the 60-year-old cohort (OR = 3.14, 95% CI: 1.27-7.77), and only amongst women (OR = 6.18, 95% CI: 1.22-31.26), but not in men. When taking into account household chores load, a more pronounced risk of T2DM was associated with high job strain in combination with heavy household chores load in women aged 60 years at baseline (OR = 9.45, 95% CI: 1.17-76.53). Work-related psychosocial stress may increase the risk of T2DM only amongst women in their early 60s. The risk can be amplified by high household chores load. © 2017 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Webinar Presentation: Air Pollution, Social and Psychosocial Stress, and Respitory Health in the Southern California Children's Health Study

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation, Air Pollution, Social and Psychosocial Stress, and Respitory Health in the Southern California Children's Health Study, was given at the NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2016 Webinar Series: Exposome held on May 11, 2016.

The Work-Health-Check (WHC): a brief new tool for assessing psychosocial stress in the workplace.

PubMed

Gadinger, M C; Schilling, O; Litaker, D; Fischer, J E

2012-01-01

Brief, psychometrically robust questionnaires assessing work-related psychosocial stressors are lacking. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of a brief new questionnaire for assessing sources of work-related psychosocial stress. Managers, blue- and white-collar workers (n= 628 at measurement point one, n=459 at measurement point two), sampled from an online panel of a German marketing research institute. We either developed or identified appropriate items from existing questionnaires for ten scales, which are conceptually based in work stress models and reflected either work-related demands or resources. Factorial structure was evaluated by confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Scale reliability was assessed by Cronbach's Alpha, and test-retest; correlations with work-related efforts demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity for the demand and resource scales, respectively. Scale correlations with health indicators tested criterion validity. All scales had satisfactory reliability (Cronbach's Alpha: 0.74-0.93, retest reliabilities: 0.66-0.81). CFA supported the anticipated factorial structure. Significant correlations between job-related efforts and demand scales (mean r=0.44) and non-significant correlations with the resource scales (mean r=0.07) suggested good convergent and discriminant validity, respectively. Scale correlations with health indicators demonstrated good criterion validity. The WHC appears to be a brief, psychometrically robust instrument for assessing work-related psychosocial stressors.

Relationship between cortisol reactivity to psychosocial stress and declarative memory decline during aging: Impact of age and sex.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Aline Talita; Leyendecker, Dayse Maria D; Costa, Ana Lucia Siqueira; de Souza-Talarico, Juliana Nery

2018-01-01

To analyze the relationship between memory performance and the neuroendocrine and cardiovascular response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy older people, and the sex and age impact in this relationship. We randomly selected 100 literate older adults, without cognitive or functional impairment. The neuroendocrine stress response was evaluated by measuring the concentration of salivary cortisol, whereas cardiovascular reactions were determined based on blood pressure and heart rate measures taken before, during and after participant exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor (the Trier social stress test [TSST]). Memory performance was evaluated by applying the word pairs test before and after the TSST. A significant reduction in the word pair test scores was observed after the TSST, and a negative correlation between cortisol concentration and immediate and delayed recall of the word pair. Cortisol concentration associated with age, sex and education explained memory performance variability before and after the TSST. The results showed that the influence of acute stress on memory performance during aging might vary according to age and sex, highlighting potential differences in the vulnerability of older individuals to the neurotoxic effects of stress exposure on memory and consequently on the development of cognitive disorders. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 169-176. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Psychosocial Treatment for Recurrent Genital Herpes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longo, David J.; And Others

1988-01-01

Assigned 21 individuals with recurrent genital herpes to psychosocial intervention, social support, or waiting-list control conditions. Those receiving psychosocial intervention (herpes simplex virus information, relaxation training, stress management instructions, and an imagery technique) reported significantly greater reductions in herpes…

Psychosocial predator-based animal model of PTSD produces physiological and behavioral sequelae and a traumatic memory four months following stress onset.

PubMed

Zoladz, Phillip R; Park, Collin R; Fleshner, Monika; Diamond, David M

2015-08-01

We have a well-established animal model of PTSD composed of predator exposure administered in conjunction with social instability that produces PTSD-like behavioral and physiological abnormalities one month after stress initiation. Here, we assessed whether the PTSD-like effects would persist for at least 4months after the initiation of the psychosocial stress regimen. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to either 2 or 3 predator-based fear conditioning sessions. During each session, rats were placed in a chamber for a 3-min period that terminated with a 30-s tone, followed by 1h of immobilization of the rats during cat exposure (Day 1). All rats in the stress groups received a second fear conditioning session 10days later (Day 11). Half of the stress rats received a third fear conditioning session 3weeks later (Day 32). The two cat-exposed groups were also exposed to daily unstable housing conditions for the entire duration of the psychosocial stress regimen. The control group received stable (conventional) housing conditions and an equivalent amount of chamber exposure on Days 1, 11 and 32, without cat exposure. Behavioral testing commenced for all groups on Day 116. The stress groups demonstrated increased anxiety on the elevated plus maze, impaired object recognition memory and robust contextual and cued fear conditioned memory 3months after the last conditioning session. Combined data from the two stress groups revealed lower post-stress corticosterone levels and greater diastolic blood pressure relative to the control group. These findings indicate that predator-based psychosocial stress produces persistent PTSD-like physiological and behavioral abnormalities that may provide insight into the neurobiological and endocrine sequelae in traumatized people with PTSD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial state of the adult evacuees and risk factors of negative change.

PubMed

Buzunov, V O; Loganovsky, K M; Krasnikova, L I; Bomko, M O; Belyayev, Yu M; Yaroshenko, Zh S; Domashevska, T E

2017-12-01

, namely there were «change of radiation and ecological situation», «ionizing irradiation», «evacuation», and «radical breaking of dynamic stereotype of behavior and life». In parallel there was selected a block of stress factors generated by that background, i.e. psychological, social, economic, and cultural, on which a nuclear disaster was imposed upon. The effects of stress have manifested as a persistent syndrome of «anxiety» for the personal health and health of fami ly members, primarily the children, and as a stable state of «dissatisfaction» with fullness and quality of life. The nuclear accident at the ChNPP has been the cause of a strong psychosocial stress in adult evacu ated population, especially in women. Further in a remote period the stress was transformed into a stable, chronic form. Nature of stress is polygenic and includes stressors directly related to the accident, and stressors that are not directly related to the accident consequences, but are due to the level of social, economic, medical, and informa tional protection of survivors. Data presented in the paper are rather enough important for the formation of strate gies and measures for social and psychological protection of population in an event of nuclear accidents and incidents. V. O. Buzunov, K. M. Loganovsky, L. I. Krasnikova, M. O. Bomko, Yu. M. Belyayev, Zh. S. Yaroshenko, T. E. Domashevska.

Psychosocial stress predicts abnormal glucose metabolism: the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study.

PubMed

Williams, Emily D; Magliano, Dianna J; Tapp, Robyn J; Oldenburg, Brian F; Shaw, Jonathan E

2013-08-01

The evidence supporting a relationship between stress and diabetes has been inconsistent. This study examined the effects of stress on abnormal glucose metabolism, using a population-based sample of 3,759, with normoglycemia at baseline, from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle study. Perceived stress and stressful life events were measured at baseline, with health behavior and anthropometric information also collected. Oral glucose tolerance tests were undertaken at baseline and 5-year follow-up. The primary outcome was the development of abnormal glucose metabolism (impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes), according to WHO 1999 criteria. Perceived stress predicted incident abnormal glucose metabolism in women but not men, after multivariate adjustment. Life events showed an inconsistent relationship with abnormal glucose metabolism. Perceived stress predicted abnormal glucose metabolism in women. Healthcare professionals should consider psychosocial adversity when assessing risk factor profiles for the development of diabetes.

Psychosocial Stress and Cardiovascular Disease Part 2: Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation Program in Treatment and Prevention

PubMed Central

Walton, Kenneth G.; Schneider, Robert H.; Nidich, Sanford I.; Salerno, John W.; Nordstrom, Cheryl K.; Merz, C. Noel Bairey

2009-01-01

Psychosocial stress is a nontraditional risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality that may respond to behavioral or psychosocial interventions. To date, studies applying such interventions have reported a wide range of success rates in treatment or prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The authors focus on a natural medicine approach that research indicates reduces both psychosocial and traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease—the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program. Randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and other controlled studies indicate this meditation technique reduces risk factors and can slow or reverse the progression of pathophysiological changes underlying cardiovascular disease. Studies with this technique have revealed reductions in blood pressure, carotid artery intima-media thickness, myocardial ischemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, mortality, and other relevant outcomes. The magnitudes of these effects compare favorably with those of conventional interventions for secondary prevention. PMID:16463759

ADRA2B genotype modulates effects of acute psychosocial stress on emotional memory retrieval in healthy young men.

PubMed

Li, Shijia; Weerda, Riklef; Guenzel, Friederike; Wolf, Oliver T; Thiel, Christiane M

2013-07-01

Previous studies have shown that acute psychosocial stress impairs retrieval of declarative memory with emotional material being especially sensitive to this effect. A functional deletion variant of the ADRA2B gene encoding the α2B-adrenergic receptor has been shown to increase emotional memory and neural activity in the amygdala. We investigated the effects of acute psychosocial stress and the ADRA2B allele on recognition memory for emotional and neutral faces. Fourty-two healthy, non-smoker male volunteers (30 deletion carriers, 12 noncarriers) were tested with a face recognition paradigm. During encoding they were presented with emotional and neutral faces. One hour later, participants underwent either a stress ("Trier Social Stress Test (TSST)") or a control procedure which was followed immediately by the retrieval session where subjects had to indicate whether the presented face was old or new. Stress increased salivary cortisol concentrations, blood pressure and pulse and impaired recognition memory for faces independent of emotional valence and genotype. Participants showed generally slower reaction times to emotional faces. Carriers of the ADRA2B functional deletion variant showed an impaired recognition and slower retrieval of neutral faces under stress. Further, they were significantly slower in retrieving fearful faces in the control condition. The findings indicate that a genetic variation of the noradrenergic system may preserve emotional faces from stress-induced memory impairments seen for neutral faces and heighten reactivity to emotional stimuli under control conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Configurations of Common Childhood Psychosocial Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, William; Shanahan, Lilly; Costello, E. Jane; Angold, Adrian

2009-01-01

Background: Co-occurrence of psychosocial risk factors is commonplace, but little is known about psychiatrically-predictive configurations of psychosocial risk factors. Methods: Latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to 17 putative psychosocial risk factors in a representative population sample of 920 children ages 9 to 17. The resultant class…

Parental Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms as Predictors of Psychosocial Problems in Children Treated for Cancer

PubMed Central

Nakajima-Yamaguchi, Ryoko; Morita, Nobuaki; Nakao, Tomohei; Shimizu, Takashi; Ogai, Yasukazu; Takahashi, Hideto; Saito, Tamaki; Nakatani, Yoji; Fukushima, Takashi

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the association between psychosocial functioning of children treated for cancer and that of their parents. Factors associated with psychosocial functioning were also examined. The present study was a cross-sectional survey of 33 mothers and one father (mean age: 37.9), each of whom had a child that had been treated for cancer. The participants answered a package of questionnaires consisting of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Parent Experience of Child Illness (PECI), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Information about the children’s illnesses was collected from medical records. The CBCL total problems T score was correlated with the parental IES-R total scores. Intensity of treatment independently predicted the variance of parental long-term uncertainty. In conclusion, psychosocial problems of children with cancer were associated with parental post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Provision of early, adequate support to parents who are vulnerable to PTSS will help not only the parents, but also their children with cancer. PMID:27529259

Heart rate variability during acute psychosocial stress: A randomized cross-over trial of verbal and non-verbal laboratory stressors.

PubMed

Brugnera, Agostino; Zarbo, Cristina; Tarvainen, Mika P; Marchettini, Paolo; Adorni, Roberta; Compare, Angelo

2018-05-01

Acute psychosocial stress is typically investigated in laboratory settings using protocols with distinctive characteristics. For example, some tasks involve the action of speaking, which seems to alter Heart Rate Variability (HRV) through acute changes in respiration patterns. However, it is still unknown which task induces the strongest subjective and autonomic stress response. The present cross-over randomized trial sought to investigate the differences in perceived stress and in linear and non-linear analyses of HRV between three different verbal (Speech and Stroop) and non-verbal (Montreal Imaging Stress Task; MIST) stress tasks, in a sample of 60 healthy adults (51.7% females; mean age = 25.6 ± 3.83 years). Analyses were run controlling for respiration rates. Participants reported similar levels of perceived stress across the three tasks. However, MIST induced a stronger cardiovascular response than Speech and Stroop tasks, even after controlling for respiration rates. Finally, women reported higher levels of perceived stress and lower HRV both at rest and in response to acute psychosocial stressors, compared to men. Taken together, our results suggest the presence of gender-related differences during psychophysiological experiments on stress. They also suggest that verbal activity masked the vagal withdrawal through altered respiration patterns imposed by speaking. Therefore, our findings support the use of highly-standardized math task, such as MIST, as a valid and reliable alternative to verbal protocols during laboratory studies on stress. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Developing and testing the effects of a psychosocial intervention on stress response and coping in Korean breast cancer survivors: a pilot study].

PubMed

Kim, Cho-Ja; Hur, Hea-Kung; Kang, Duck-Hee; Kim, Bo-Hwan

2004-10-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a socioculturally-appropriate psychosocial intervention program for Korean patients with breast cancer and test its effects on stress, anxiety, depression, and coping strategies. One group pretest and posttest design was used to test the effects of the intervention. A post-intervention interview was conducted to refine the nature of the intervention. A convenience sample of 10 breast cancer survivors was recruited from the outpatients clinics. Psychosocial intervention was developed to provide the health education, stress management, coping skill training and support weekly (90 min) for 6 weeks. There was a significant decrease in stress scores following the intervention (Z= -2.388, p=0.017). However, no significant changes were noted in the use of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, nor in the changes of anxiety and depression levels. Content analysis of interview data revealed six clusters; changes in perception, changes in problem solving approaches, changes in anger management, changes in life pattern, social support and reduction of perceived stress. Based on quantitative and qualitative data, we recommend the refinements of the intervention in the following areas for future studies: 1) duration, activities, and progression of psychosocial intervention; 2) research design and sample size; and 3) measurements.

Psychosocial stress at work doubles the risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged women: evidence from the Whitehall II study.

PubMed

Heraclides, Alexandros; Chandola, Tarani; Witte, Daniel R; Brunner, Eric J

2009-12-01

To investigate the effect of psychosocial stress at work on risk of type 2 diabetes, adjusting for conventional risk factors, among a sample of British, white-collar, middle-aged men and women. This was a prospective analysis (1991-2004) from the Whitehall II cohort study. The current sample consists of 5,895 Caucasian middle-aged civil servants free from diabetes at baseline. Type 2 diabetes was ascertained by an oral glucose tolerance test supplemented by self-reports at baseline and four consecutive waves of data collection including two screening phases. The job strain and iso-strain models were used to assess psychosocial work stress. Iso-strain in the workplace was associated with a twofold higher risk of type 2 diabetes in age-adjusted analysis in women but not in men (hazard ratio 1.94 [95% CI 1.17-3.21). This effect remained robust to adjustment for socioeconomic position and outside work stressors and was only attenuated by 20% after adjustment for health behaviors, obesity, and other type 2 diabetes risk factors. Psychosocial work stress was an independent predictor of type 2 diabetes among women after a 15-year follow-up. This association was not explained by potential confounding and mediating factors. More evidence from prospective studies using the same work stress models is needed to support the current findings and provide further information on sex differences.

[The prevalence of suicide ideas and their psychosocial backgrounds among physicians].

PubMed

Gyorffy, Zsuzsa; Adám, Szilvia; Csoboth, Csilla; Kopp, Mária

2005-01-01

A growing body of evidence in the literature suggests that the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity including suicide is high among physicians. Suicidal ideas are the most important predictors of suicides and suicide attempts. The prevalence of suicidal ideas is higher among physicians compared to the general population. Our goal was to search the factors of suicidal ideas among Hungarian physicians on basis of nationwide representative survey, helping to elaborate prevention programs. Data were collected from 298 female and 109 male physicians using questionnaires. 1,754 white-collar workers from a representative survey (Hungarostudy 2002) served as controls. Statistical analysis examined background factors of suicidal thoughts. We found that the prevalence of suicidal ideas among both female (20,3%) and male physicians (12,1%) was significantly higher than that in the respective control groups (12,3% - 7,6%). Female physicians also exhibited significantly higher prevalence of suicidal ideas (p=0.0058 és OR=1,901). Suicidal ideas were associated with work-related stress. Correlation analyses confirmed a significant relationship between high prevalence of suicidal ideas and long working hours (>8 hours), severe anxiety and work-related stress, and role conflict. Further examination of the background factors of suicidal thoughts may help to elaborate more effective health-prevention and conflict-dealing methods.

A prospective study of musculoskeletal outcomes among manufacturing workers: II. Effects of psychosocial stress and work organization factors.

PubMed

Gerr, Fredric; Fethke, Nathan B; Anton, Dan; Merlino, Linda; Rosecrance, John; Marcus, Michele; Jones, Michael P

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to characterize associations between psychosocial and work organizational risk factors and upper-extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. Methodological limitations of previous studies of psychosocial and work organizational risk factors and musculoskeletal outcomes have produced inconsistent associations. In this prospective epidemiologic study of 386 workers, questionnaires to assess decision latitude ("control") and psychological job demands ("demand") were administered to study participants and were used to classify them into job strain "quadrants". Measures of job stress and job change were collected during each week of follow-up. Incident hand/arm and neck/shoulder symptoms and disorders were ascertained weekly. Associations between exposure measures and musculoskeletal outcomes were estimated with proportional hazard methods. When compared to the low-demand/high-control job strain referent category, large increases in risk of hand/arm disorders were observed for both high-demand/high-control (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.23, 16.4]) and high-demand/low-control job strain categories (HR = 5.18,95% CI = [1.39, 19.4]). Similar associations were observed for hand/arm symptoms. A strong association was also observed between the low-demand/low-control job strain category and neck/shoulder disorders (HR = 6.46, 95% CI = [1.46, 28.6]). Statistically significant associations were also observed between weekly stress level and weekly job change and several musculoskeletal outcomes. Associations between psychosocial risk factors and work organizational factors and musculoskeletal outcomes were large and in the hypothesized direction. Prevention of occupational musculoskeletal disorders may require attention to psychosocial and work organizational factors in addition to physical factors. Methods to control adverse effects of psychosocial and work organizational risk factors should be explored.

Psychosocial functioning and stress-processing of children with asthma in the school context: differences and similarities with children without asthma.

PubMed

Röder, Irma; Kroonenberg, Pieter M; Boekaerts, Monique

2003-01-01

To characterize children with asthma by their stress processing at school and their psychosocial functioning. To establish similarities and differences between children with and without asthma. Participants were 79 children with asthma and 359 children without asthma (ages 8-12). Children completed questionnaires on stress processing and their well-being at school. Parents filled in a questionnaire on behavior problems, and teachers provided data on school performance and absence rate. Children with asthma had higher scores on absence rates, teacher-rated well-being, internalizing behavior problems, occurrence of "rejection by peers," and use of aggression when coping with "problems with school work." However, using discriminant analyses, the groups could not reliably be distinguished from one another by these variables. Children with asthma are similar to other children with regard to their stress processing at school and their psychosocial functioning. The value of conducting multivariate analysis over several univariate tests is underscored.

No effects of psychosocial stress on memory retrieval in non-treated young students with Generalized Social Phobia.

PubMed

Espín, Laura; Marquina, Mónica; Hidalgo, Vanesa; Salvador, Alicia; Gómez-Amor, Jesús

2016-11-01

Generalized Social Phobia (GSP) is a common anxiety disorder that produces clear social life disruptions. There is no consensus on the specific processes involved in its development, but the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been suggested. This study analyzed the effects of the cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) on the memory retrieval of pictures with different emotional valences in 45 non-treated young students with GSP and 50 non-anxious (NA) subjects (mean=19.35years, SD=0.18). No differences were found in the cortisol response of GSP and NA subjects to the TSST and control sessions. In addition, psychosocial stress impaired memory retrieval in both the GSP and NA groups, with no differences between them. Regarding the sex factor, no effects were found in the cortisol response to the TSST. However, during the encoding session, GSP men had higher cortisol levels than GSP women and NA subjects. There was also a significant interaction between sex and stress exposure on memory retrieval. Women recognized more unpleasant and neutral pictures than men; however, under stress, the women's advantage disappeared, and the men's performance improved. Sex also interacted with social phobia on positive mood, with GSP women exposed to the TSST showing the lowest positive mood. These results suggest that GSP subjects do not present an HPA axis sensitization to psychosocial stress, and they emphasize the importance of Sex in understanding stress effects on memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of acute psychosocial stress on neural activity to emotional and neutral faces in a face recognition memory paradigm.

PubMed

Li, Shijia; Weerda, Riklef; Milde, Christopher; Wolf, Oliver T; Thiel, Christiane M

2014-12-01

Previous studies have shown that acute psychosocial stress impairs recognition of declarative memory and that emotional material is especially sensitive to this effect. Animal studies suggest a central role of the amygdala which modulates memory processes in hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and other brain areas. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural correlates of stress-induced modulation of emotional recognition memory in humans. Twenty-seven healthy, right-handed, non-smoker male volunteers performed an emotional face recognition task. During encoding, participants were presented with 50 fearful and 50 neutral faces. One hour later, they underwent either a stress (Trier Social Stress Test) or a control procedure outside the scanner which was followed immediately by the recognition session inside the scanner, where participants had to discriminate between 100 old and 50 new faces. Stress increased salivary cortisol, blood pressure and pulse, and decreased the mood of participants but did not impact recognition memory. BOLD data during recognition revealed a stress condition by emotion interaction in the left inferior frontal gyrus and right hippocampus which was due to a stress-induced increase of neural activity to fearful and a decrease to neutral faces. Functional connectivity analyses revealed a stress-induced increase in coupling between the right amygdala and the right fusiform gyrus, when processing fearful as compared to neutral faces. Our results provide evidence that acute psychosocial stress affects medial temporal and frontal brain areas differentially for neutral and emotional items, with a stress-induced privileged processing of emotional stimuli.

Testing a Moderated Mediation Model of Mindfulness, Psychosocial Stress, and Alcohol Use among African American Smokers

PubMed Central

Cano, Miguel A.; Heppner, Whitney L.; Stewart, Diana W.; Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Vidrine, Jennifer Irvin; Li, Yisheng; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.; Wetter, David W.

2014-01-01

Mindfulness-based strategies have received empirical support for improving coping with stress and reducing alcohol use. The present study presents a moderated mediation model to explain how mindfulness might promote healthier drinking patterns. This model posits that mindfulness reduces perceived stress, leading to less alcohol use, and also weakens the linkage between stress and alcohol use. African American smokers (N = 399, 51% female, Mage = 42) completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, perceived stress, quantity of alcohol use, frequency of binge drinking, and alcohol use disorder symptoms. Participants with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness reported less psychosocial stress and lower alcohol use on all measures. Furthermore, mindfulness moderated the relationship between perceived stress and quantity of alcohol consumption. Specifically, higher perceived stress was associated with increased alcohol use among participants low, but not high, in mindfulness. Mindfulness may be one strategy to reduce perceived stress and associated alcohol use among African American smokers. PMID:25848408

A pilot study of psychosocial functioning and vascular endothelial growth factor in head and neck cancer patients

PubMed Central

Fang, Carolyn Y.; Egleston, Brian L.; Ridge, John A.; Lango, Miriam N.; Bovbjerg, Dana H.; Studts, Jamie L.; Burtness, Barbara A.; Einarson, Margret B.; Klein-Szanto, Andres J. P.

2013-01-01

Background Psychosocial functioning is associated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in various patient populations. This study examined whether psychosocial functioning in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is associated with tumor VEGF expression, a protein that stimulates angiogenesis and is associated with poor prognosis. Methods Forty-two newly diagnosed patients completed assessments of psychosocial functioning (i.e. depressive symptoms, perceived stress, anxiety, social support) prior to surgery. Tumor samples were obtained for VEGF analysis and HPV-typing. Results Poorer psychosocial functioning was associated with greater VEGF expression controlling for disease stage (OR=4.55, 95% CI = 1.72, 12.0, p < 0.01). When examined by HPV-status, the association between psychosocial functioning and VEGF remained significant among HPV-negative patients (OR=5.50, 95% CI = 1.68, 17.3, p < 0.01), but not among HPV-positive patients. Conclusions These findings inform our understanding of the biobehavioral pathways that may contribute to poor outcomes in non-HPV-associated HNSCCs. PMID:23804308

Estrogen Treatment Impairs Cognitive Performance following Psychosocial Stress and Monoamine Depletion in Postmenopausal Women

PubMed Central

Newhouse, Paul A.; Dumas, Julie; Wilkins, Heather; Coderre, Emily; Sites, Cynthia K.; Naylor, Magdalena; Benkelfat, Chawki; Young, Simon N.

2010-01-01

Objective Recent studies have shown women experience an acceleration of cognitive problems after menopause, and that estrogen treatment can improve or at least maintain current levels of cognitive functioning in postmenopausal women. However, we have previously shown that the negative emotional effects of psychosocial stress are magnified in normal postmenopausal women after estrogen treatment. This study examined whether estradiol administration can modify cognitive performance after exposure to psychological stress and monoamine depletion. Methods Participants consisted of 22 postmenopausal women placed on either oral placebo or 17β-estradiol (E2) (1 mg/day for 1 month, then 2 mg/day for 2 months). At the end of the 3 month treatment phase, participants underwent three depletion challenges in which they ingested one of three amino acid mixtures: deficient in tryptophan, deficient in phenylalanine/tyrosine, or balanced. Five hours later, participants performed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), followed by mood and anxiety ratings and cognitive testing. Cognitive measures included tests of attention, psychomotor function, and verbal episodic memory. Results E2-treated compared to placebo-treated participants exhibited significant worsening of cognitive performance on tasks measuring attentional performance and psychomotor speed. Similar trends for impairment were seen in measures of long-term episodic memory compared to placebo-treated postmenopausal women. E2-treated participants also showed a significant increase in negative mood and anxiety compared to placebo-treated women after but not before the TSST, though the worsening of both cognitive and behavioral functioning were not correlated. These effects were independent of tryptophan or tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion and were not manifest before the TSST or at baseline. Conclusions These data suggest that the relationship between estrogen administration and cognitive/behavioral performance in

Psychosocial Readjustment of Canadian Vietnam Veterans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stretch, Robert H.

1991-01-01

Examined the psychosocial readjustment of 164 Canadian Vietnam veterans. Found significantly greater rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared with U.S. Vietnam veterans and evidence of other psychosocial adjustment problems. Suggests that problems are a result, in part, of prolonged isolation from other Vietnam veterans, lack of…

Tic Frequency Decreases during Short-term Psychosocial Stress - An Experimental Study on Children with Tic Disorders.

PubMed

Buse, Judith; Enghardt, Stephanie; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Ehrlich, Stefan; Roessner, Veit

2016-01-01

It has been suggested that psychosocial stress influences situational fluctuations of tic frequency. However, evidence from experimental studies is lacking. The current study investigated the effects of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-C) on tic frequency in 31 children and adolescents with tic disorders. A relaxation and a concentration situation served as control conditions. Patients were asked either to suppress their tics or to "tic freely." Physiological measures of stress were measured throughout the experiment. The TSST-C elicited a clear stress response with elevated levels of saliva cortisol, increased heart rate, and a larger number of skin conductance responses. During relaxation and concentration, the instruction to suppress tics reduced the number of tics, whereas during stress, the number of tics was low, regardless of the given instruction. Our study suggests that the stress might result in a situational decrease of tic frequency.

Work and home stress: associations with anxiety and depression symptoms

PubMed Central

Fan, L.-B.; Blumenthal, J. A.; Watkins, L. L.

2015-01-01

Background In the evolving work environment of global competition, the associations between work and home stress and psychological well-being are not well understood. Aims To examine the impact of psychosocial stress at work and at home on anxiety and depression. Methods In medically healthy employed men and women (aged 30–60), serial regression analyses were used to determine the independent association of psychosocial stress at work and at home with depression symptoms, measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and anxiety symptoms, measured using the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Psychosocial stress at work was measured using the Job Content Questionnaire to assess job psychological demands, job control, job social support and job insecurity. Psychosocial stress at home was assessed by 12 questions including stress at home, personal problems, family demands and feelings about home life. Results Serial regression analyses in 129 subjects revealed that job insecurity and home stress were most strongly associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Job insecurity accounted for 9% of the variation both in BDI-II scores and in STAI scores. Home stress accounted for 13 and 17% of the variation in BDI-II scores and STAI scores, respectively. In addition, job social support was significantly and independently associated with STAI scores but not BDI-II scores. Conclusions Work and home stress were associated with anxiety and depression symptoms in both men and women. Both work and home stress should be considered in studies evaluating anxiety and depression in working populations. PMID:25589707

Psychosocial impact, perceived stress and learning effect in undergraduate dental students during transition from pre-clinical to clinical education.

PubMed

Frese, C; Wolff, D; Saure, D; Staehle, H J; Schulte, A

2018-04-10

This study aimed to develop a suitable instrument for a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative assessment of perceived psychosocial impact, levels of stress and learning effect in undergraduate dental students during the transition from pre-clinical to clinical education. These findings might improve curricular structures and didactic organisation during this period. At the beginning of their first clinical year, undergraduate dental students were asked to complete an anonymous forty-item questionnaire. Two hundred and seventy-six undergraduate dental students were willing to participate and completed the questionnaire and participated during the years 2011-2016. The response rate was between 45% and 96%. Correlational analysis (Spearman-Rho) in the field of psychosocial impact showed the dental teacher to be the most important multiplier of students' feelings. If the students feel that their teacher acts cooperatively, positive items increase and negative items decrease significantly (P < .0001). Also, students who report high levels of stress are affected significantly in their psychosocial interaction (P < .0001). Wilcoxon test yielded highest levels of stress in endodontology during the first weeks (P < .0001). During the same period, the greatest learning increment was seen for diagnostics and caries excavation. In conclusion, teaching of undergraduate dental students during the transition period from pre-clinical to clinical education can be positively influenced by a supportive learning environment and by specific chronological modifications in the curriculum. Students should start their clinical training with diagnostics, preventive dentistry and initial periodontal treatment. Due to high levels of perceived stress, endodontology should be introduced later in the clinical curriculum. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prefrontal glucose deficits in murderers lacking psychosocial deprivation.

PubMed

Raine, A; Phil, D; Stoddard, J; Bihrle, S; Buchsbaum, M

1998-01-01

Previous research has suggested that links between autonomic nervous system functioning and violence are strongest in those who come from benign home backgrounds, but there appears to be no similar research using brain-imaging measures of central nervous system functioning. It was hypothesized that murderers who had no early psychosocial deprivation (e.g., no childhood abuse, family neglect) would demonstrate lower prefrontal glucose metabolism than murderers with early psychosocial deprivation and a group of normal controls. Murderers from a previous study, which showed prefrontal deficits in murderers, were assessed for psychosocial deprivation and divided into those with and without deprivation. Murderers without any clear psychosocial deficits were significantly lower on prefrontal glucose metabolism than murderers with psychosocial deficits and controls. These results suggest that murderers lacking psychosocial deficits are characterized by prefrontal deficits. It is argued that among violent offenders without deprived home backgrounds, the "social push" to violence is minimized, and consequently, brain abnormalities provide a relatively stronger predisposition to violence in this group.

76 FR 2447 - Gulf War and Health, Volume 6, Physiologic, Psychologic, and Psychosocial Effects of Deployment...

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2011-01-13

... Psychosocial Effects of Deployment-Related Stress AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Notice... Psychosocial Effects of Deployment-Related Stress.'' This determination does not in any way preclude VA from...-Related Stress In ``Gulf War & Health, Volume 6, Physiologic, Psychologic, and Psychosocial Effects of...

Re-conceptualizing stress: Shifting views on the consequences of stress and its effects on stress reactivity

PubMed Central

Liu, Jenny J. W.

2017-01-01

Background The consequences of stress are typically regarded from a deficit-oriented approach, conceptualizing stress to be entirely negative in its outcomes. This approach is unbalanced, and may further hinder individuals from engaging in adaptive coping. In the current study, we explored whether negative views and beliefs regarding stress interacted with a stress framing manipulation (positive, neutral and negative) on measures of stress reactivity for both psychosocial and physiological stressors. Method Ninety participants were randomized into one of three framing conditions that conceptualized the experience of stress in balanced, unbalanced-negative or unbalanced-positive ways. After watching a video on stress, participants underwent a psychosocial (Trier Social Stress Test), or a physiological (CO2 challenge) method of stress-induction. Subjective and objective markers of stress were assessed. Results Most of the sampled population regarded stress as negative prior to framing. Further, subjective and objective reactivity were greater to the TSST compared to the CO2 challenge. Additionally, significant cubic trends were observed in the interactions of stress framing and stress-induction methodologies on heart rate and blood pressure. Balanced framing conditions in the TSST group had a significantly larger decrease in heart rate and diastolic blood pressure following stress compared to the positive and negative framing conditions. Conclusion Findings confirmed a deficit-orientation of stress within the sampled population. In addition, results highlighted the relative efficacy of the TSST compared to CO2 as a method of stress provocation. Finally, individuals in framing conditions that posited stress outcomes in unbalanced manners responded to stressors less efficiently. This suggests that unbalanced framing of stress may have set forth unrealistic expectations regarding stress that later hindered individuals from adaptive responses to stress. Potential

Conservation laws and stress-energy-momentum tensors for systems with background fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gratus, Jonathan, E-mail: j.gratus@lancaster.ac.uk; The Cockcroft Institute, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington WA4 4AD; Obukhov, Yuri N., E-mail: yo@thp.uni-koeln.de

2012-10-15

This article attempts to delineate the roles played by non-dynamical background structures and Killing symmetries in the construction of stress-energy-momentum tensors generated from a diffeomorphism invariant action density. An intrinsic coordinate independent approach puts into perspective a number of spurious arguments that have historically lead to the main contenders, viz the Belinfante-Rosenfeld stress-energy-momentum tensor derived from a Noether current and the Einstein-Hilbert stress-energy-momentum tensor derived in the context of Einstein's theory of general relativity. Emphasis is placed on the role played by non-dynamical background (phenomenological) structures that discriminate between properties of these tensors particularly in the context of electrodynamics inmore » media. These tensors are used to construct conservation laws in the presence of Killing Lie-symmetric background fields. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The role of background fields in diffeomorphism invariant actions is demonstrated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Interrelations between different stress-energy-momentum tensors are emphasised. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Abraham and Minkowski electromagnetic tensors are discussed in this context. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Conservation laws in the presence of nondynamic background fields are formulated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The discussion is facilitated by the development of a new variational calculus.« less

Psychosocial Factors Are Associated With Blood Pressure Progression Among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study

PubMed Central

Sims, Mario; Higginbotham, John C.; Crowther, Martha R.; Wyatt, Sharon B.; Musani, Solomon K.; Payne, Thomas J.; Fox, Ervin R.; Parton, Jason M.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Research that examines the associations of psychosocial factors with incident hypertension among African Americans (AA) is limited. Using Jackson Heart Study (JHS) data, we examined associations of negative affect and stress with incident hypertension and blood pressure (BP) progression among AA. METHODS Our sample consisted of 1,656 normotensive participants at baseline (2000–2004) (mean age 47±12; 61% women). We investigated associations of negative affect (cynical distrust, anger-in, anger-out, and depressive symptoms) and stress (perceived stress, weekly stress inventory (WSI)-event, WSI-impact, and major life events) with BP progression (an increase by one BP stage as defined by JNC VII) and incident hypertension by examination 2 (2005–2008). Poisson regression analysis was utilized to examine the prevalence ratios (PRs; 95% confidence interval (CI)) of BP tracking and incident hypertension with psychosocial factors, adjusting for baseline age, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), and hypertension risk factors. RESULTS Fifty-six percentage of the sample (922 cases) had BP progression from 2005 to 2008. After adjustment for age, sex, and SES, a high anger-out score was associated with a 20% increased risk of BP progression compared to a low anger-out score (PR 1.20; 95% CI 1.05–1.36). High depressive symptoms score was associated with BP progression in the age, sex, and SES-adjusted model (PR 1.14; 95% CI 1.00–1.30). High WSI-event scores were associated with BP progression in the fully adjusted model (PR 1.21; 95% CI 1.04–1.40). We did not observe significant associations with any of the psychosocial measures and incident hypertension. CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial factors were associated with BP progression, with the strongest evidence for number of stressful events that occurred. PMID:26964661

Psychosocial correlates of cortisol levels in fingernails among middle-aged workers.

PubMed

Izawa, Shuhei; Matsudaira, Ko; Miki, Keiichi; Arisaka, Mayumi; Tsuchiya, Masao

2017-07-01

It was recently suggested that cortisol levels in fingernails reflect cumulative hormone exposure over a relatively long period. This exploratory study cross-sectionally investigated the relationships between fingernail cortisol level and psychosocial stress in a sample of middle-aged workers (94 men and 29 women). The participants were asked to grow their fingernails for ∼2 weeks and then provide fingernail samples from every digit by using nail clippers. Further, they completed questionnaires for assessment of exposure to psychosocial stress in the past (stressful life events in the workplace in the previous year; e.g. change to a different line of work) and in the present (job stress and perceived stress). Results of a regression analysis adjusting for the effects of demographic variables showed that experience of stressful life events, but not job stress and perceived stress, was associated with elevated fingernail cortisol level. These findings indicate the potential of fingernail samples to retrospectively reflect individual differences in cortisol levels related to past psychosocial stress.

Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents and Psychosocial Outcomes at Age 30

PubMed Central

Essau, Cecilia A.; Lewinsohn, Peter M.; Olaya, Beatriz; Seeley, John R.

2014-01-01

Background Anxiety disorders are associated with adverse psychosocial functioning, and are predictive of a wide range of psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Objective The present study examined the associations between anxiety disorders during childhood and adolescence and psychosocial outcomes at age 30, and sought to address the extent to which psychopathology after age 19 mediated these relations. Method Eight hundred and sixteen participants from a large community sample were interviewed twice during adolescence, at age 24, and at age 30. They completed self-report measures of psychosocial functioning and semi-structured diagnostic interviews during adolescence and young adulthood. Results Childhood anxiety only predicted less years of completed education at age 30, whereas adolescent anxiety predicted income, unemployment, maladjustment, poor coping skills, more chronic stress and life events. Adult major depressive disorder (MDD) was the only disorder predicted by childhood anxiety, whereas adolescent anxiety predicted MDD, substance (SUD) and alcohol abuse/dependence (AUD) in adulthood. No adult psychopathology mediated the relationship between childhood anxiety disorders and psychosocial outcomes at age 30. Adult MDD, SUD and AUD partially or completely mediated the association between adolescent anxiety and most domains of psychosocial functioning at age 30. Limitations The participants are ethically and geographically homogenous, and changes in the diagnostic criteria and the interview schedules across the assessment periods. Conclusion Adolescent anxiety, compared to childhood anxiety, is associated with more adverse psychosocial outcomes at age 30. Adolescent anxiety affects negative outcomes at age 30 directly and through MDD, SUD and AUD. PMID:24456837

Psychosocial Distress in Bladder Cancer Stratified by Gender, Age, Treatment, and Tumour Stage.

PubMed

Draeger, Désirée Louise; Sievert, Karl-Dietrich; Hakenberg, Oliver W

2018-05-14

Cancer patients have to cope with anxieties -concerning their prognosis, potential recurrence/progression, and treatment-associated sequelae. Stress-related psychosocial factors influence survival and disease-related mortality in cancer patients. Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, bladder cancer (BC) remains characterized by high rates of recurrence and progression. We screened -pre-therapeutically the stress level of BC patients stratified by gender, disease state, treatment, and other factors by -self-administered validated questionnaires to integrate them into psychosocial support as needed. A cross-sectional analysis of distress and need of psychosocial care was done in 301 patients undergoing treatment for BC by 2 questionnaires (Distress Thermometer [DT] and Hornheider Screening Instrument). Of the 301 patients, 230 patients underwent transurethral resection for a first -diagnosis, 63 for recurrent disease, 37 had progressive disease, and 25 had advanced metastatic disease and eventually died of BC. The mean stress level in all patients was 4.6. Twenty-eight percent of the patients expressed a need for psychosocial support. In patients with progressive disease, significantly higher stress scores were seen as well as a higher need of psychosocial care (5.4 and 41%). The median DT-level of 4.6 indicates moderate psychosocial stress in BC patients. From a stress level of 5, the recommendations of a psycho-oncological supervision are pronounced, so that our study showed that early systematic evaluation of psychosocial needs in BC patients is important. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise Training on Psychosocial Status and Serum Uric Acid in Men with Essential Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Lamina, S; Okoye, GC

2012-01-01

Background: Chronic psychosocial stress and serum uric acid (SUA) level have been implicated in the etiology and cardiovascular events risk factors in hypertension. Studies have reported significant benefit of exercise in the overall management of hypertension. However, studies on the effect of exercise on psychosocial stress and SUA in the management of hypertension seem scanty. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of continuous training program on SUA and psychosocial status of black African (Nigerian) population with hypertension. Subjects and Methods: Age-matched randomized controlled trial was used; subjects with diagnosis of hypertension attending the hypertensive clinic of Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital (MMSH), Kano, Nigeria form the population for the study. Two hundred and seventeen subjects with mild to moderate (systolic blood pressure (SBP) between 140 and180 and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between 90 and 109 mmHg) essential hypertension were grouped into continuous (112) and control groups (105). The continuous group involved in an 8 weeks continuous training (60%-79% HR max) of between 45 and 60 min, 3 times per week, while the controls group remain sedentary. SBP, DBP, SUA, VO2 max and psychosocial status were assessed. Student t-test and Pearson correlation test were used in data analysis. Results: The study revealed significant beneficial effect of continuous training programs on VO2 max, SBP, DBP, SUA, and psychosocial status (P < 0.05). Psychosocial status and SUA was significantly and positively and negatively correlated respectively with VO2 max at P < 0.01. Conclusions: This study concludes and supports the recommendations of moderate intensity (continuous) training program in blood pressure reduction, SUA and psychosocial stress management in hypertension. PMID:23439606

A Multidimensional Approach to Characterizing Psychosocial Health During Pregnancy.

PubMed

Maxson, Pamela J; Edwards, Sharon E; Valentiner, Ellis M; Miranda, Marie Lynn

2016-06-01

Objectives Domains of psychosocial health have been separately connected to pregnancy outcomes. This study explores the relationship between five domains of psychosocial health and their joint association with prenatal health and pregnancy outcomes. Methods Women from a prospective cohort study in Durham, North Carolina were clustered based on measures of paternal support, perceived stress, social support, depression, and self-efficacy. Clusters were constructed using the K-means algorithm. We examined associations between psychosocial health and maternal health correlates, pregnancy intention, and pregnancy outcomes using Chi square tests and multivariable models. Results Three psychosocial health profiles were identified, with the first (Resilient; n = 509) characterized by low depression and perceived stress and high interpersonal support, paternal support, and self-efficacy. The second profile (Vulnerable; n = 278) was marked by high depression and perceived stress, and low interpersonal support, paternal support, and self-efficacy. The third profile (Moderate, n = 526) fell between the other profiles on all domains. Health correlates, pregnancy intention, and pregnancy outcomes varied significantly across profiles. Women with the vulnerable profile were more likely to have risky health correlates, have an unintended pregnancy, and deliver preterm. Women with the resilient profile had better birth outcomes and fewer deleterious health correlates, preconception and prenatally. Conclusions We posit that vulnerable psychosocial health, deleterious health correlates, and the stress which often accompanies pregnancy may interact to magnify risk during pregnancy. Identifying and intervening with women experiencing vulnerable psychosocial health may improve outcomes for women and their children.

Which method of posttraumatic stress disorder classification best predicts psychosocial function in children with traumatic brain injury?

PubMed

Iselin, Greg; Le Brocque, Robyne; Kenardy, Justin; Anderson, Vicki; McKinlay, Lynne

2010-10-01

Controversy surrounds the classification of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In these populations, it is difficult to differentiate TBI-related organic memory loss from dissociative amnesia. Several alternative PTSD classification algorithms have been proposed for use with children. This paper investigates DSM-IV-TR and alternative PTSD classification algorithms, including and excluding the dissociative amnesia item, in terms of their ability to predict psychosocial function following pediatric TBI. A sample of 184 children aged 6-14 years were recruited following emergency department presentation and/or hospital admission for TBI. PTSD was assessed via semi-structured clinical interview (CAPS-CA) with the child at 3 months post-injury. Psychosocial function was assessed using the parent report CHQ-PF50. Two alternative classification algorithms, the PTSD-AA and 2 of 3 algorithms, reached statistical significance. While the inclusion of the dissociative amnesia item increased prevalence rates across algorithms, it generally resulted in weaker associations with psychosocial function. The PTSD-AA algorithm appears to have the strongest association with psychosocial function following TBI in children and adolescents. Removing the dissociative amnesia item from the diagnostic algorithm generally results in improved validity. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psycho-social and Mental Variables and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Traffic Accident Survivors in Northern Iran.

PubMed

Khodadadi-Hassankiadeh, Naema; Dehghan-Nayeri, Nahid; Shahsavari, Hooman; Yousefzadeh-Chabok, Shahrokh; Haghani, Hamid

2017-07-01

To assess the psycho-social and mental variables associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a series of Iranian patients. A total of 528 eligible accident survivors in pre-sampling of a randomized controlled trial targeting PTSD were included in this cross-sectional study. Psycho-social characteristics associated to PTSD were explored in these survivors in an outpatient clinic. They completed the questionnaires via interview between six weeks to six months after accident. Data collection tools were PSS (DSM-V version) for PTSD and BDI-II for depression and a researcher-made questionnaire for psycho-social variables. There was a significant association between PTSD and the following variables; family communication, current depression, return to work, history of death of relatives, witnessed the death, length of amnesia, hospitalization, injured situation, and accident severity. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that some variables were associated with PTSD such as accident severity, ( p <0.001), injured situation, ( p <0.001), current depression, ( p <0.001), RTW ( p <0.001), and family communication ( p =0.01). Psychiatric nursing prevention efforts is best directed toward motorcycle depressed drivers with severe accident and poor family communication who do not return to work. Thus, routine assessment of PTSD, depression and psycho-social variables after traffic accidents must be taken into account.

Psychosocial factors and obesity in 17 high-, middle- and low-income countries: the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiologic study

PubMed Central

Rosengren, A; Teo, K; Rangarajan, S; Kabali, C; Khumalo, I; Kutty, V R; Gupta, R; Yusuf, R; Iqbal, R; Ismail, N; Altuntas, Y; Kelishadi, R; Diaz, R; Avezum, A; Chifamba, J; Zatonska, K; Wei, L; Liao, X; Lopez-Jaramillo, P; Yusufali, A; Seron, P; Lear, S A; Yusuf, S

2015-01-01

Background/Objectives: Psychosocial stress has been proposed to contribute to obesity, particularly abdominal, or central obesity, through chronic activation of the neuroendocrine systems. However, these putative relationships are complex and dependent on country and cultural context. We investigated the association between psychosocial factors and general and abdominal obesity in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiologic study. Subjects/Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study enrolled 151 966 individuals aged 35–70 years from 628 urban and rural communities in 17 high-, middle- and low-income countries. Data were collected for 125 290 individuals regarding education, anthropometrics, hypertension/diabetes, tobacco/alcohol use, diet and psychosocial factors (self-perceived stress and depression). Results: After standardization for age, sex, country income and urban/rural location, the proportion with obesity (body mass index ⩾30 kg m−2) increased from 15.7% in 40 831 individuals with no stress to 20.5% in 7720 individuals with permanent stress, with corresponding proportions for ethnicity- and sex-specific central obesity of 48.6% and 53.5%, respectively (P<0.0001 for both). Associations between stress and hypertension/diabetes tended to be inverse. Estimating the total effect of permanent stress with age, sex, physical activity, education and region as confounders, no relationship between stress and obesity persisted (adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) for obesity 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 0.99–1.10)). There was no relationship between ethnicity- and sex-specific central obesity (adjusted PR 1.00 (0.97–1.02)). Stratification by region yielded inconsistent associations. Depression was weakly but independently linked to obesity (PR 1.08 (1.04–1.12)), and very marginally to abdominal obesity (PR 1.01 (1.00–1.03)). Conclusions: Although individuals with permanent stress tended to be slightly more obese, there was no overall

Low Vagal Tone Magnifies the Association Between Psychosocial Stress Exposure and Internalizing Psychopathology in Adolescents

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.; Rith-Najarian, Leslie; Dirks, Melanie A.; Sheridan, Margaret A.

2014-01-01

Vagal tone is a measure of cardiovascular function that facilitates adaptive responses to environmental challenge. Low vagal tone is associated with poor emotional and attentional regulation in children and has been conceptualized as a marker of sensitivity to stress. We investigated whether the associations of a wide range of psychosocial stressors with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology were magnified in adolescents with low vagal tone. Resting heart period data were collected from a diverse community sample of adolescents (ages 13–17; N =168). Adolescents completed measures assessing internalizing and externalizing psychopathology and exposure to stressors occurring in family, peer, and community contexts. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was calculated from the interbeat interval time series. We estimated interactions between RSA and stress exposure in predicting internalizing and externalizing symptoms and evaluated whether interactions differed by gender. Exposure to psychosocial stressors was associated strongly with psychopathology. RSA was unrelated to internalizing or externalizing problems. Significant interactions were observed between RSA and child abuse, community violence, peer victimization, and traumatic events in predicting internalizing but not externalizing symptoms. Stressors were positively associated with internalizing symptoms in adolescents with low RSA but not in those with high RSA. Similar patterns were observed for anxiety and depression. These interactions were more consistently observed for male than female individuals. Low vagal tone is associated with internalizing psychopathology in adolescents exposed to high levels of stressors. Measurement of vagal tone in clinical settings might provide useful information about sensitivity to stress in child and adolescent clients. PMID:24156380

Tic Frequency Decreases during Short-term Psychosocial Stress – An Experimental Study on Children with Tic Disorders

PubMed Central

Buse, Judith; Enghardt, Stephanie; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Ehrlich, Stefan; Roessner, Veit

2016-01-01

It has been suggested that psychosocial stress influences situational fluctuations of tic frequency. However, evidence from experimental studies is lacking. The current study investigated the effects of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-C) on tic frequency in 31 children and adolescents with tic disorders. A relaxation and a concentration situation served as control conditions. Patients were asked either to suppress their tics or to “tic freely.” Physiological measures of stress were measured throughout the experiment. The TSST-C elicited a clear stress response with elevated levels of saliva cortisol, increased heart rate, and a larger number of skin conductance responses. During relaxation and concentration, the instruction to suppress tics reduced the number of tics, whereas during stress, the number of tics was low, regardless of the given instruction. Our study suggests that the stress might result in a situational decrease of tic frequency. PMID:27242554

Pituitary gland volume and psychosocial stress among children at elevated risk for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Cullen, A E; Day, F L; Roberts, R E; Pariante, C M; Laurens, K R

2015-11-01

Pituitary volume enlargements have been observed among individuals with first-episode psychosis. These abnormalities are suggestive of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity, which may contribute to the development of psychosis. However, the extent to which these abnormalities characterize individuals at elevated risk for schizophrenia prior to illness onset is currently unclear, as volume increases, decreases and no volume differences have all been reported relative to controls. The current study aimed to determine whether antipsychotic-naive, putatively at-risk children who present multiple antecedents of schizophrenia (ASz) or a family history of illness (FHx) show pituitary volume abnormalities relative to typically developing (TD) children. An additional aim was to explore the association between pituitary volume and experiences of psychosocial stress. ASz (n = 30), FHx (n = 22) and TD (n = 32) children were identified at age 9-12 years using a novel community-screening procedure or as relatives of individuals with schizophrenia. Measures of pituitary volume and psychosocial stress were obtained at age 11-14 years. Neither ASz nor FHx children showed differences in pituitary volume relative to TD children. Among FHx children only, pituitary volume was negatively associated with current distress relating to negative life events and exposure to physical punishment. The lack of pituitary volume abnormalities among ASz and FHx children is consistent with our previous work demonstrating that these children are not characterized by elevated diurnal cortisol levels. The findings imply that these biological markers of HPA axis hyperactivity, observed in some older samples of high-risk individuals, may emerge later, more proximally to disease onset.

Psychosocial sources of stress and burnout in the construction sector: a structural equation model.

PubMed

Meliá, Josep L; Becerril, Marta

2007-11-01

This study develops and tests a structural equation model of social stress factors in the construction industry. Leadership behaviours, role conflict and mobbing behaviours are considered exogenous sources of stress; the experience of tension and burnout are considered mediator variables; and psychological well-being, propensity to quit and perceived quality are the final dependent variables. A sample of Spanish construction workers participated voluntarily and anonymously in the study. After considering the indices of modification, leadership showed direct effects on the propensity to quit and perceived quality. The overall fit of the model is adequate (chi2 (13)= 10.69, p = .637, GFI= .975, AGFI= .93, RMR= .230, NFI= .969, TLI= 1.016, CFI= 1.000, RMSEA= .329). Construction has been considered a sector characterized more by high physical risks than socially-related risks. In this context, these findings about the effects of social sources of stress in construction raise new questions about the organizational characteristics of the sector and their psychosocial risks.

Prenatal psychosocial stress exposure is associated with subsequent working memory performance in young women.

PubMed

Entringer, Sonja; Buss, Claudia; Kumsta, Robert; Hellhammer, Dirk H; Wadhwa, Pathik D; Wüst, Stefan

2009-08-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the association between prenatal psychosocial stress exposure and subsequent prefrontal cortex-dependent working memory performance in human adults. Working memory performance was assessed using an item-recognition task under 10 mg hydrocortisone (cortisol) and placebo conditions in a sample of 32 healthy young women (mean age = 25 +/- 4.34 years) whose mothers experienced a major negative life event during their pregnancy (Prenatal Stress, PS group), and in a comparison group of 27 healthy young women (mean age = 24 +/- 3.4 years). The two groups did not differ in the placebo condition, however, subjects in the PS group showed longer reaction times after hydrocortisone administration compared with subjects in the comparison group (p = .02). These findings provide support for an association between prenatal stress exposure and the potential modulatory effect of cortisol on working memory performance in young adults, which may reflect compromised development of the prefrontal cortex in prenatal life. 2009 APA, all rights reserved

Long-term Effects of Psychosocial Work Stress in Midlife on Health Functioning After Labor Market Exit—Results From the GAZEL Study

PubMed Central

Sembajwe, Grace; Zins, Marie; Berkman, Lisa; Goldberg, Marcel; Siegrist, Johannes

2012-01-01

Objectives. To study long-term effects of psychosocial work stress in mid-life on health functioning after labor market exit using two established work stress models. Methods. In the frame of the prospective French Gazel cohort study, data on psychosocial work stress were assessed using the full questionnaires measuring the demand-control-support model (in 1997 and 1999) and the effort–reward imbalance model (in 1998). In 2007, health functioning was assessed, using the Short Form 36 mental and physical component scores. Multivariate regressions were calculated to predict health functioning in 2007, controlling for age, gender, social position, and baseline self-perceived health. Results. Consistent effects of both work stress models and their single components on mental and physical health functioning during retirement were observed. Effects remained significant after adjustment including baseline self-perceived health. Whereas the predictive power of both work stress models was similar in the case of the physical composite score, in the case of the mental health score, values of model fit were slightly higher for the effort–reward imbalance model (R²: 0.13) compared with the demand-control model (R²: 0.11). Conclusions. Findings underline the importance of working conditions in midlife not only for health in midlife but also for health functioning after labor market exit. PMID:22546992

Long-term effects of psychosocial work stress in midlife on health functioning after labor market exit--results from the GAZEL study.

PubMed

Wahrendorf, Morten; Sembajwe, Grace; Zins, Marie; Berkman, Lisa; Goldberg, Marcel; Siegrist, Johannes

2012-07-01

To study long-term effects of psychosocial work stress in mid-life on health functioning after labor market exit using two established work stress models. In the frame of the prospective French Gazel cohort study, data on psychosocial work stress were assessed using the full questionnaires measuring the demand-control-support model (in 1997 and 1999) and the effort-reward imbalance model (in 1998). In 2007, health functioning was assessed, using the Short Form 36 mental and physical component scores. Multivariate regressions were calculated to predict health functioning in 2007, controlling for age, gender, social position, and baseline self-perceived health. Consistent effects of both work stress models and their single components on mental and physical health functioning during retirement were observed. Effects remained significant after adjustment including baseline self-perceived health. Whereas the predictive power of both work stress models was similar in the case of the physical composite score, in the case of the mental health score, values of model fit were slightly higher for the effort-reward imbalance model (R(2): 0.13) compared with the demand-control model (R²: 0.11). Findings underline the importance of working conditions in midlife not only for health in midlife but also for health functioning after labor market exit.

Anger responses to psychosocial stress predict heart rate and cortisol stress responses in men but not women.

PubMed

Lupis, Sarah B; Lerman, Michelle; Wolf, Jutta M

2014-11-01

While previous research has suggested that anger and fear responses to stress are linked to distinct sympathetic nervous system (SNS) stress responses, little is known about how these emotions predict hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity. Further, earlier research primarily relied on retrospective self-report of emotion. The current study aimed at addressing both issues in male and female individuals by assessing the role of anger and fear in predicting heart rate and cortisol stress responses using both self-report and facial coding analysis to assess emotion responses. We exposed 32 healthy students (18 female; 19.6±1.7 yr) to an acute psychosocial stress paradigm (TSST) and measured heart rate and salivary cortisol levels throughout the protocol. Anger and fear before and after stress exposure was assessed by self-report, and video recordings of the TSST were assessed by a certified facial coder to determine emotion expression (FACS). Self-reported emotions and emotion expressions did not correlate (all p>.23). Increases in self-reported fear predicted blunted cortisol responses in men (β=0.41, p=.04). Also for men, longer durations of anger expression predicted exaggerated cortisol responses (β=0.67 p=.004), and more anger incidences predicted exaggerated cortisol and heart rate responses (β=0.51, p=.033; β=0.46, p=.066, resp.). Anger and fear did not predict SNS or HPA activity for females (all p>.23). The current differential self-report and facial coding findings support the use of multiple modes of emotion assessment. Particularly, FACS but not self-report revealed a robust anger-stress association that could have important downstream health effects for men. For women, future research may clarify the role of other emotions, such as self-conscious expressions of shame, for physiological stress responses. A better understanding of the emotion-stress link may contribute to behavioral interventions targeting health-promoting ways of

Anger responses to psychosocial stress predict heart rate and cortisol stress responses in men but not women

PubMed Central

Lupis, Sarah B.; Lerman, Michelle; Wolf, Jutta M.

2014-01-01

While previous research has suggested that anger and fear responses to stress are linked to distinct sympathetic nervous system (SNS) stress responses, little is known about how these emotions predict hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity. Further, earlier research primarily relied on retrospective self-report of emotion. The current study aimed at addressing both issues in male and female individuals by assessing the role of anger and fear in predicting heart rate and cortisol stress responses using both self-report and facial coding analysis to assess emotion responses. We exposed 32 healthy students (18 female; 19.6+/−1.7 yrs.) to an acute psychosocial stress paradigm (TSST) and measured heart rate and salivary cortisol levels throughout the protocol. Anger and fear before and after stress exposure was assessed by self-report, and video recordings of the TSST were assessed by a certified facial coder to determine emotion expression (FACS). Self-reported emotions and emotion expressions did not correlate (all p > .23). Increases in self-reported fear predicted blunted cortisol responses in men (β = 0.41, p = .04). Also for men, longer durations of anger expression predicted exaggerated cortisol responses (β = 0.67 p = .004), and more anger incidences predicted exaggerated cortisol and heart rate responses (β = 0.51, p = .033; β = 0.46, p = .066, resp.). Anger and fear did not predict SNS or HPA activity for females (all p > .23). The current differential self-report and facial coding findings support the use of multiple modes of emotion assessment. Particularly, FACS but not self-report revealed a robust anger-stress association that could have important downstream health effects for men. For women, future research may clarify the role of other emotions, such as self-conscious expressions of shame, for physiological stress responses. A better understanding of the emotion-stress link may contribute to behavioral interventions targeting health

Psycho-social and Mental Variables and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Traffic Accident Survivors in Northern Iran

PubMed Central

khodadadi-hassankiadeh, Naema; Dehghan-Nayeri, Nahid; Shahsavari, Hooman; Yousefzadeh-Chabok, Shahrokh; Haghani, Hamid

2017-01-01

Objective: To assess the psycho-social and mental variables associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a series of Iranian patients. Methods: A total of 528 eligible accident survivors in pre-sampling of a randomized controlled trial targeting PTSD were included in this cross-sectional study. Psycho-social characteristics associated to PTSD were explored in these survivors in an outpatient clinic. They completed the questionnaires via interview between six weeks to six months after accident. Data collection tools were PSS (DSM-V version) for PTSD and BDI-II for depression and a researcher-made questionnaire for psycho-social variables. Results: There was a significant association between PTSD and the following variables; family communication, current depression, return to work, history of death of relatives, witnessed the death, length of amnesia, hospitalization, injured situation, and accident severity. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that some variables were associated with PTSD such as accident severity, (p<0.001), injured situation, (p<0.001), current depression, (p<0.001), RTW (p<0.001), and family communication (p=0.01). Conclusion: Psychiatric nursing prevention efforts is best directed toward motorcycle depressed drivers with severe accident and poor family communication who do not return to work. Thus, routine assessment of PTSD, depression and psycho-social variables after traffic accidents must be taken into account. PMID:28795065

Perceived Stress at Work Is Associated with Lower Levels of DHEA-S

PubMed Central

Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Theorell, Töres; Rockwood, Alan L.; Kushnir, Mark M.; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H.

2013-01-01

Background It is known that long-term psychosocial stress may cause or contribute to different diseases and symptoms and accelerate aging. One of the consequences of prolonged psychosocial stress may be a negative effect on the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphated metabolite dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S). The aim of this study is to investigate whether levels of DHEA and DHEA-S differ in individuals who report perceived stress at work compared to individuals who report no perceived stress at work. Methods Morning fasting DHEA-S and DHEA levels were measured in serum in a non-stressed group (n = 40) and a stressed group (n = 41). DHEA and DHEA-S levels were compared between the groups using ANCOVA, controlling for age. Results The mean DHEA-S levels were 23% lower in the subjects who reported stress at work compared to the non-stressed group. Statistical analysis (ANCOVA) showed a significant difference in DHEA-S levels between the groups (p = 0.010). There was no difference in DHEA level between the groups. Conclusions This study indicates that stressed individual have markedly lower levels of DHEA-S. Given the important and beneficial functions of DHEA and DHEA-S, lower levels of DHEA-S may constitute one link between psychosocial stress, ill health and accelerated ageing. PMID:24015247

Expanding the psychosocial work environment: workplace norms and work-family conflict as correlates of stress and health.

PubMed

Hammer, Tove Helland; Saksvik, Per Øystein; Nytrø, Kjell; Torvatn, Hans; Bayazit, Mahmut

2004-01-01

This study examined the contributions of organizational level norms about work requirements and social relations, and work-family conflict, to job stress and subjective health symptoms, controlling for Karasek's job demand-control-support model of the psychosocial work environment, in a sample of 1,346 employees from 56 firms in the Norwegian food and beverage industry. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed that organizational norms governing work performance and social relations, and work-to-family and family-to-work conflict, explained significant amounts of variance for job stress. The cross-level interaction between work performance norms and work-to-family conflict was also significantly related to job stress. Work-to-family conflict was significantly related to health symptoms, but family-to-work conflict and organizational norms were not.

Psychosocial stressors and cigarette smoking among African American adults in midlife.

PubMed

Slopen, Natalie; Dutra, Lauren M; Williams, David R; Mujahid, Mahasin S; Lewis, Tené T; Bennett, Gary G; Ryff, Carol D; Albert, Michelle A

2012-10-01

Psychosocial stress is a significant risk factor for smoking, and Blacks experience higher levels of psychosocial stress relative to other racial/ethnic groups. Limited research has comprehensively examined psychosocial stressors in relation to smoking among Blacks. We examined psychosocial stressors in relation to smoking status (current, previous, and never) in middle-aged Blacks (34-85 years, n = 592) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a subset of the Midlife in the United States Study II (2004-2006). Eleven stressor domains were assessed, including psychological and physical work stress, work-family conflict, perceived inequality, relationship stress, neighborhood stress, discrimination, financial stress, recent problems, stressful events, and childhood adversity. We also calculated a cumulative score. Multinomial models were adjusted for age, gender, education, and income. Seven of the 11 stressors and the cumulative score were associated with higher odds of being a current smoker compared with a never-smoker: neighborhood, financial, relationship, and psychological work stress, perceived inequality, stressful events, childhood adversity (p values <.05; ORs ranged from 1.28 to 1.77). Three stressors and the cumulative score were associated with higher odds of being a previous smoker versus a never-smoker (p < .05). Individuals who scored in the top quartile on 5 or more stressors were 3.74 (95% CI = 2.09-6.71) times as likely to be current smokers, and more than twice as likely to be previous smokers, compared with individuals with no high stressors. These results demonstrate a strong relationship between stress and smoking among urban middle-aged Blacks and suggest that cessation programs should address modifiable individual and community-level stressors.

[Gender aspects in female and male physicians : Occupational and psychosocial stress].

PubMed

Beschoner, P; Braun, M; Schönfeldt-Lecuona, C; Freudenmann, R W; von Wietersheim, J

2016-10-01

International studies have shown that physicians have an elevated risk of developing depression or burnout syndrome. Gender aspects with regard to occupation are discussed in German politics and society. Currently, there is little data comparing female and male physicians with regard to stress at work, depression, and burnout. Are there differences between male and female physicians with respect to psychosocial strain, emotional exhaustion, and depression? In different cross-sectional studies, anaesthetists, psychiatrists and dentists filled out a questionnaire containing questions on personal data, occupation, past medical history and medication intake. Additional standardized questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)) were performed. The return rate was 51.8 % (n = 3782). Male and female physicians vary significantly in social data, participation in the job, and health status. Female physicians are on average not married (p < 0.001) and have significantly fewer children (p < 0.05). Leading positions are mostly held by male physicians (p < 0.001); female physicians more often work in part-time jobs (p < 0.001). Female physicians reached higher scores of emotional exhaustion (MBI) (p < 0.01) and depression (BDI) (p < 0.001). The study shows big differences between male and female physicians with respect to their occupation, personal life, and psychosocial wellbeing. Female physicians more often report burnout and depression. Causes might be family and job strain, gender aspects in hierarchy, as well as different recognition and interpretation of symptoms.

Applying the Transactional Stress and Coping Model to Sickle Cell Disorder and Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus: Identifying Psychosocial Variables Related to Adjustment and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hocking, Matthew C.; Lochman, John E.

2005-01-01

This review paper examines the literature on psychosocial factors associated with adjustment to sickle cell disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in children through the framework of the transactional stress and coping (TSC) model. The transactional stress and coping model views adaptation to a childhood chronic illness as mediated by…

Adding insult to injury: The development of psychosocial stress in Ontario wind turbine communities.

PubMed

Walker, Chad; Baxter, Jamie; Ouellette, Danielle

2015-05-01

Though historically dismissed as not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) attitudes, reports of psychosocial stress linked to wind energy developments have emerged in Ontario, Canada. While the debate and rhetoric intensify concerning whether wind turbines 'actually' cause 'health' effects, less sincere attention has been given to the lived experience and mental well-being of those near turbines. Drawing on theories of environmental stress, this grounded theory, mixed-method (n = 26 interviews; n = 152 questionnaires) study of two communities in 2011 and 2012 traces how and why some wind turbine community residents suffer substantial changes to quality of life, develop negative perceptions of 'the other' and in some cases, experience intra-community conflict. Policy-related forces, along with existing community relationships may help explain much of these differences between communities. We suggest a move beyond debating simply whether or not 'annoyance' represents a 'health impact' and instead focus on ways to minimize and attenuate these feelings of threat (risk) and stress at the community level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Delinquent Female Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ariga, Michio; Uehara, Toru; Takeuchi, Kazuo; Ishige, Yoko; Nakano, Reiko; Mikuni, Masahiko

2008-01-01

Background: Although juveniles within the justice system have high psychiatric morbidity, few comprehensive investigations have shown posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female delinquents. Here, we aim to describe the nature and extent of PTSD and trauma exposure and to clarify the relationships among comorbidity and psychosocial factors in…

Burnout and Hypocortisolism - A Matter of Severity? A Study on ACTH and Cortisol Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress.

PubMed

Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Sjörs, Anna; Währborg, Peter; Ljung, Thomas; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H

2015-01-01

Common consequences of long-term psychosocial stress are fatigue and burnout. It has been suggested that burnout could be associated with hypocortisolism, thus, inability to produce sufficient amounts of cortisol. This study aimed to investigate whether patients with clinical burnout exhibit aberrant ACTH and cortisol responses under acute psychosocial stress compared with healthy individuals. Nineteen patients (9 men and 10 women) and 37 healthy subjects (20 men and 17 women), underwent the Trier Social Stress Test. Blood samples and saliva samples were collected before, after, and during the stress test for measurements of plasma ACTH, serum cortisol, and salivary cortisol. Several statistical analyses were conducted to compare the responses between patients and controls. In addition, in order to investigate the possibility that burnout patients with more severe symptoms would respond differently, sub-groups of patients reporting higher and lower burnout scores were compared. In both patients and healthy controls, we observed elevated levels of ACTH and cortisol after exposure to the stressor. There were no differences in responses of ACTH, serum cortisol, or salivary cortisol between patients and controls. Patients reporting higher burnout scores had lower salivary cortisol responses than controls, indicating that patients with more severe burnout symptoms may be suffering from hypocortisolism. In addition, patients with more severe burnout symptoms tended to have smaller ACTH responses than the other patients. However, there was no corresponding difference in serum cortisol. This study indicates that hypocortisolism is not present in a clinical burnout patient group as a whole but may be present in the patients with more severe burnout symptoms.

Indication of attenuated DHEA-s response during acute psychosocial stress in patients with clinical burnout.

PubMed

Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Sjörs, Anna; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H

2015-08-01

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-s) is an anabolic protective hormone. We have previously reported that DHEA-s production capacity is attenuated in stressed individuals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the DHEA-s response during acute psychosocial stress in patients with clinical burnout. Seventeen patients with clinical burnout were compared to 13 non-chronically stressed healthy controls, aged 31-50 years (mean age 41 years, SD 6 years), as they underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). All patients fulfilled diagnostic criteria for stress-related exhaustion disorder, which is a criteria-based diagnosis that has been used in Sweden since 2005 to define patients seeking health-care for clinical burnout. Blood samples were collected before, directly after the stress test, and after 30 min of recovery. DHEA-s levels were measured and delta values (peak levels minus baseline levels) plus area under the curve with respect to increase (AUCI) were calculated. The patients had 43% smaller AUCI DHEA-s (p=0.041) during the stress test. The delta DHEA-s was 34% lower in the patients, however, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.054). The study indicates that DHEA-s production capacity during acute stress may be attenuated in patients with clinical burnout. Reduced DHEA-s production may constitute one of the links between stress, burnout and the associated adverse health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial Functioning of Young Children with Learning Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadeyne, Els; Ghesquiere, Pol; Onghena, Patrick

2004-01-01

Background: In this study, psychosocial functioning of different groups of young children with learning problems was investigated using a diverse set of psychosocial variables (including behaviour problems, academic motivation, social preference, and self-concept). Methods: For this purpose, children with low academic achievement, with a specific…

Solving a methodological challenge in work stress evaluation with the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit (StART): a study protocol

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Stress evaluation is a field of strong interest and challenging due to several methodological aspects in the evaluation process. The aim of this study is to propose a study protocol to test a new method (i.e., the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit) to assess psychosocial risk factors at work. Design This method addresses several methodological issues (e.g., subjective vs. objective, qualitative vs quantitative data) by assessing work-related stressors using different kinds of data: i) organisational archival data (organisational indicators sheet); ii) qualitative data (focus group); iii) worker perception (questionnaire); and iv) observational data (observational checklist) using mixed methods research. In addition, it allows positive and negative aspects of work to be considered conjointly, using an approach that considers at the same time job demands and job resources. Discussion The integration of these sources of data can reduce the theoretical and methodological bias related to stress research in the work setting, allows researchers and professionals to obtain a reliable description of workers’ stress, providing a more articulate vision of psychosocial risks, and allows a large amount of data to be collected. Finally, the implementation of the method ensures in the long term a primary prevention for psychosocial risk management in that it aims to reduce or modify the intensity, frequency or duration of organisational demands. PMID:23799950

Ethnicity versus migration: two hypotheses about the psychosocial adjustment of immigrant adolescents.

PubMed

Slonim-Nevo, Vered; Sharaga, Yana; Mirsky, Julia; Petrovsky, Vadim; Borodenko, Marina

2006-01-01

STUDY BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study investigates the psychosocial adjustment of immigrant adolescents and examines two hypotheses: the ethnicity hypothesis, which suggests that ethnic background determines the psychosocial reactions of immigrant adolescents; and the migration hypothesis, which suggests that the migration experience determines such reactions. The study compared four groups of respondents: first-generation immigrants (N = 63) and second-generation immigrants (N = 64) from the former Soviet Union (FSU) in Israel; and Jewish (N = 212) and non-Jewish (N = 184) adolescents in the FSU. A self-report questionnaire administered to the respondents collected demographic, educational and psychological data using standardised scales. Immigrant adolescents reported higher psychological distress, lower self-esteem and higher alchohol consumption than non-immigrant adolescents. Second-generation immigrants generally showed a higher level of functioning than first-generation immigrants. These findings favor the migration hypothesis. Our findings support the widely accepted view of migration as a potentially distress-provoking experience. They suggest that psychological reactions of immigrant adolescents, and in fact all immigrants, are best interpreted as reactive and are related to the universal stressful qualities of the migration experience. Further multiethnic comparative studies, however, are needed to confirm and refine these findings.

Predator-based psychosocial stress model of PTSD differentially influences voluntary ethanol consumption depending on methodology.

PubMed

Zoladz, Phillip R; Eisenmann, Eric D; Rose, Robert M; Kohls, Brooke A; Johnson, Brandon L; Robinson, Kiera L; Heikkila, Megan E; Mucher, Kasey E; Huntley, Madelaine R

2018-08-01

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychological disorder typified by diagnostic symptom clusters including hyperarousal, avoidance, negative cognitions and mood, and intrusive re-experiencing of the traumatic event. Patients with PTSD have been reported to self-medicate with alcohol to ameliorate hyperarousal symptoms associated with the disorder. Research utilizing rodent models of PTSD to emulate this behavioral phenomenon has thus far yielded inconsistent results. In the present study, we examined the effects of a predator-based psychosocial stress model of PTSD on voluntary ethanol consumption. In the first of two experiments, following exposure to a 31-day stress or control paradigm, rats were singly housed during the dark cycle with free access to 1% sucrose solution or 10% ethanol, which was also sweetened with 1% sucrose. Over the course of a 20-day period of ethanol access, stressed rats consumed significantly less ethanol than non-stressed rats. These counterintuitive results prompted the completion of a second experiment which was identical to the first, except rats were also exposed to the two-bottle paradigm for 20 days before the stress or control paradigm. In the second experiment, after the stress manipulation, stressed rats exhibited significantly greater ethanol preference than non-stressed rats. These findings suggest that prior exposure to ethanol influences the subsequent effect of stress on ethanol intake. They also validate the use of the present model of PTSD to examine potential mechanisms underlying stress-related changes in ethanol-seeking behavior. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-perceived depression, anxiety, stress and their relationships with psychosocial job factors in male automotive assembly workers.

PubMed

Edimansyah, Bin Abdin; Rusli, Bin Nordin; Naing, Lin; Mohamed Rusli, Bin Abdullah; Winn, Than; Tengku Mohamed Ariff, Bin Raja Hussin

2008-01-01

Depression, anxiety and stress have been recognized as important mental outcome measures in stressful working settings. The present study explores the prevalence of self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress; and their relationships with psychosocial job factors. A cross-sectional study involving 728 male automotive assembly workers was conducted in two major automotive assembly plants in Malaysia using the validated Malay versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Based on the DASS cut-off of > or =78 percentile scores, the prevalence of self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress was 35.4%, 47.2% and 31.1%, respectively. Four (0.5%), 29 (4.0%) and 2 (0.3%) workers, respectively, reported extremely severe self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress. Multiple linear regression analyses, controlling for age, education, salary, duration of work and marital status, revealed that psychological job demand, job insecurity and hazardous condition were positively associated with DASS-Depression, DASS-Anxiety and DASS-Stress; supervisor support was inversely associated with DASS-Depression and DASS-Stress. We suggest that reducing psychological job demand, job insecurity and hazardous condition factors may improve the self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress in male automotive assembly workers. Supervisor support is protective for self-perceived depression and stress.

Psychosocial support services for family medicine resident physicians.

PubMed

Addison, Richard B; Riesenberg, Lee Ann; Rosenbaum, Paula

2004-02-01

The stress of residency is well documented. Some residency programs recognize the importance of addressing resident stress and provide psychosocial support services. This study assesses the current state of support services offered to family medicine residents and documents historical trends of support. All US family medicine residency programs were surveyed about program characteristics and the presence or absence of 21 psychosocial support services. The prevalence of current services was compared to that of 10 and 20 years ago. The percentage of family medicine programs offering 17 of 19 support services increased over the previous decades. However, percentages of some key services, especially those that address family life, are still quite low. Increases in services may be due to programs' desire to offer more positive and supportive educational experiences. Offering supportive and reflective opportunities may lessen stress, increase flexibility and balance, create enthusiasm for learning, encourage compassion for patients, and promote future well-being. In times of decreasing interest in family medicine, the presence of effective psychosocial support services may be important for attracting and training the best possible family physicians.

Influence of Serotonin Transporter SLC6A4 Genotype on the Effect of Psychosocial Stress on Cognitive Performance: An Exploratory Pilot Study.

PubMed

Beversdorf, David Q; Carpenter, Allen L; Alexander, Jessica K; Jenkins, Neil T; Tilley, Michael R; White, Catherine A; Hillier, Ashleigh J; Smith, Ryan M; Gu, Howard H

2018-06-01

Previous research has shown an effect of various psychosocial stressors on unconstrained cognitive flexibility, such as searching through a large set of potential solutions in the lexical-semantic network during verbal problem-solving. Functional magnetic resonance imaging has shown that the presence of the short (S) allele (lacking a 43-base pair repeat) of the promoter region of the gene (SLC6A4) encoding the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) protein is associated with a greater amygdalar response to emotional stimuli and a greater response to stressors. Therefore, we hypothesized that the presence of the S-allele is associated with greater stress-associated impairment in performance on an unconstrained cognitive flexibility task, anagrams. In this exploratory pilot study, 28 healthy young adults were genotyped for long (L)-allele versus S-allele promoter region polymorphism of the 5-HTT gene, SLC6A4. Participants solved anagrams during the Trier Social Stress Test, which included public speaking and mental arithmetic stressors. We compared the participants' cognitive response to stress across genotypes. A Gene×Stress interaction effect was observed in this small sample. Comparisons revealed that participants with at least one S-allele performed worse during the Stress condition. Genetic susceptibility to stress conferred by SLC6A4 appeared to modulate unconstrained cognitive flexibility during psychosocial stress in this exploratory sample. If confirmed, this finding may have implications for conditions associated with increased stress response, including performance anxiety and cocaine withdrawal. Future work is needed both to confirm our findings with a larger sample and to explore the mechanisms of this proposed effect.

The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in sheep is attenuated during lactation in response to psychosocial and predator stress

PubMed Central

Ralph, C.R.; Tilbrook, A.J.

2016-01-01

Activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by psychosocial stress is attenuated during lactation. We tested the hypothesis that lactating ewes will have attenuated HPA axis responses to isolation and restraint but will have greater responses to predator stress in the form of barking dogs. We imposed two 4 h stressors: psychosocial stress (isolation and restraint of ewes) and predator stress (barking dogs). Blood was collected intravenous every 10 min from nonlactating ewes (n = 6), lactating ewes with lambs present but not able to be suckled (n = 6), and lactating ewes with lambs present and able to be suckled (n = 6). Plasma cortisol and oxytocin were measured. For nonlactating ewes, cortisol increased (P < 0.01) in response to both stressors, and these increases were greater (P < 0.01) than that in the lactating animals. For lactating ewes with lambs present but unable to be suckled, cortisol increased (P < 0.05) in response to both stressors with a greater response to barking dogs (P < 0.05). For lactating ewes with lambs present and able to be suckled, cortisol increased (P < 0.01) in response to barking dogs only. Plasma oxytocin was greater (P < 0.01) in lactating ewes than in nonlactating ewes and did not change in response to the stressors. In conclusion, lactating ewes are likely to have a greater HPA axis response to a stressor that may be perceived to threaten the welfare of themselves and/or their offspring. The role of oxytocin in attenuation of the HPA axis to stress in sheep is unclear from the current research and requires further investigation. PMID:26773370

Psychosocial support and resilience building among health workers in Sierra Leone: interrelations between coping skills, stress levels, and interpersonal relationships.

PubMed

Vesel, Linda; Waller, Kathryn; Dowden, Justine; Fotso, Jean Christophe

2015-01-01

In low- and middle-income countries, a shortage of properly trained, supervised, motivated and equitably distributed health workers often hinder the delivery of lifesaving interventions. Various health workforce bottlenecks can be addressed by tackling well-being and interpersonal relationships of health workers with their colleagues and clients. This paper uses data from the Helping Health Workers Cope (HHWC) project in a rural district of Sierra Leone to achieve three objectives. First, we describe the effect of counseling and psychosocial training on coping skills, stress levels, and provider-provider and provider-client relationships. Second, we examine whether a change in coping skills is associated with a change in relationships. Finally, we qualitatively identify key ways through which the uptake of coping skills is linked to a change in relationships. The HHWC project was implemented from February 2012 to June 2013 in Kono district in the Eastern province of Sierra Leone, with the neighboring district of Tonkolili selected as the control site. The evaluation followed a mixed-methods approach, which included a quantitative survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with health workers and clients. Mean values of the variables of interest were compared across sub-populations, and correlation analyses were performed between changes in coping skills, stress levels, and changes in relationships. Overall, the results demonstrate that the HHWC intervention had a positive effect on coping skills, stress levels and provider-provider and provider-client relationships. Furthermore, associations were observed between changes in coping skills and changes in relationships as well as changes in stress management skills and changes in relationships. Psychosocial education can have major impacts on health worker well-being and the quality of health care delivery. Integrating psychosocial counseling and training interventions into health worker pre-service and

Psychosocial health risk factors and resources of medical students and physicians: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Voltmer, Edgar; Kieschke, Ulf; Schwappach, David LB; Wirsching, Michael; Spahn, Claudia

2008-01-01

Background Epidemiological data indicate elevated psychosocial health risks for physicians, e. g., burnout, depression, marital disturbances, alcohol and substance abuse, and suicide. The purpose of this study was to identify psychosocial health resources and risk factors in profession-related behaviour and experience patterns of medical students and physicians that may serve as a basis for appropriate health promoting interventions. Methods The questionnaire -Related Behaviour and Experience "Work administered in cross-sectional surveys to students in the first (n = 475) and in the fifth year of studies (n = 355) in required courses at three German universities and to physicians in early professional life in the vicinity of these universities (n = 381). Results Scores reflecting a healthy behaviour pattern were less likely in physicians (16.7%) compared to 5th year (26.0%) and 1st year students (35.1%) while scores representing unambitious and resigned patterns were more common among physicians (43.4% vs. 24.4% vs. 41.0% and 27.3% vs. 17.2% vs. 23.3 respectively). Female and male responders differed in the domains professional commitment, resistance to stress and emotional well-being. Female physicians on average scored higher in the dimensions resignation tendencies, satisfaction with life and experience of social support, and lower in career ambition. Conclusion The results show distinct psychosocial stress patterns among medical students and physicians. Health promotion and prevention of psychosocial symptoms and impairments should be integrated as a required part of the medical curriculum and be considered an important issue during the further training of physicians. PMID:18831732

Racial disparity in bacterial vaginosis: the role of socioeconomic status, psychosocial stress, and neighborhood characteristics, and possible implications for preterm birth.

PubMed

Paul, Kathleen; Boutain, Doris; Manhart, Lisa; Hitti, Jane

2008-09-01

Racial disparity in preterm birth is one of the most salient, yet least well-understood health disparities in the United States. The preterm birth disparity may be due to differences in how women experience their racial identity in light of neighborhood factors, psychosocial stress, or the prevalence of or response to genital tract infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV). The latest research emphasizes a need to explore all these factors simultaneously. This cross-sectional study of parous women in King County, Washington, USA investigated the effects of household income, psychosocial stress, and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics on risk of BV after accounting for known individual-level risk factors. Relevant demographic, socioeconomic, and medical data were linked to U.S. census socioeconomic data by geocoding subjects' residential addresses. It was found that having a low income was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of BV among African American but not White American women. A higher number of stressful life events was significantly associated with higher BV prevalence among both African American and White American women. However, perceived stress was not related to BV risk among either group of women. Among White American women, neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) was univariately associated with increased BV prevalence by principal components analysis, but was no longer significant after adjusting for individual-level risk factors. No neighborhood SES effects were observed for African American women. These results suggest that both the effects of individual- and neighborhood-level risk factors for BV may differ importantly by racial group, and stressful life events may have physiological effects independent of perceived stress.

Relationships between the pituitary-adrenal hormones, insulin, and glucose in middle-aged men: moderating influence of psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Keltikangas-Järvinen, L; Ravaja, N; Räikkönen, K; Hautanen, A; Adlercreutz, H

1998-12-01

We examined whether the relationships between the pituitary-adrenal hormones (corticotropin [ACTH) and cortisol), insulin, and glucose differ as a function of psychosocial stress defined in terms of vital exhaustion (VE) and depressive behavior (DB). The participants were 69 normotensive and 21 unmedicated borderline hypertensive (BH) middle-aged men whose work is stressful. Hormonal and metabolic variables were measured during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and the cortisol response to dexamethasone (DXM) suppression and intravenous ACTH stimulation was also measured. We found that the basal ACTH level during the OGTT was positively associated with the cortisol response to ACTH at 60 minutes, the fasting insulin level, and the insulin to glucose ratio among exhausted and high DB men, while the reverse was true for nonexhausted and low DB men. Also, a high cortisol response to ACTH, a low cortisol level during the OGTT, and a high ratio of these cortisol determinations (cortisol ratio) were associated with high fasting insulin and glucose levels, the summed insulin values, and the insulin to glucose ratio only among nonexhausted and low DB men; among exhausted and high DB men, these associations were less pronounced, absent, or in the opposite direction. The findings suggest that VE and DB have a moderating influence on the relationships among the hormonal and metabolic parameters studied. Psychosocial stress may affect the pituitary-adrenocortical system in complex ways, contributing thereby to insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.

Environmental enrichment reduces chronic psychosocial stress-induced anxiety and ethanol-related behaviors in mice.

PubMed

Bahi, Amine

2017-07-03

Previous research from our laboratory has shown that exposure to chronic psychosocial stress increased voluntary ethanol consumption and preference as well as acquisition of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice. This study was done to determine whether an enriched environment could have "curative" effects on chronic psychosocial stress-induced ethanol intake and CPP. For this purpose, experimental mice "intruders" were exposed to the chronic subordinate colony (CSC) housing for 19 consecutive days in the presence of an aggressive "resident" mouse. At the end of that period, mice were tested for their anxiety-like behavior using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test then housed in a standard or enriched environment (SE or EE respectively). Anxiety and ethanol-related behaviors were investigated using the open field (OF) test, a standard two-bottle choice drinking paradigm, and the CPP procedure. As expected, CSC exposure increased anxiety-like behavior and reduced weight gain as compared to single housed colony (SHC) controls. In addition, CSC exposure increased voluntary ethanol intake and ethanol-CPP. Interestingly, we found that EE significantly and consistently reduced anxiety and ethanol consumption and preference. However, neither tastants' (saccharin and quinine) intake nor blood ethanol metabolism were affected by EE. Finally, and most importantly, EE reduced the acquisition of CPP induced by 1.5g/kg ethanol. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that EE can reduce voluntary ethanol intake and ethanol-induced conditioned reward and seems to be one of the strategies to reduce the behavioral deficits and the risk of anxiety-induced alcohol abuse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhancing effects of acute psychosocial stress on priming of non-declarative memory in healthy young adults.

PubMed

Hidalgo, Vanesa; Villada, Carolina; Almela, Mercedes; Espín, Laura; Gómez-Amor, Jesús; Salvador, Alicia

2012-05-01

Social stress affects cognitive processes in general, and memory performance in particular. However, the direction of these effects has not been clearly established, as it depends on several factors. Our aim was to determine the impact of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) reactivity to psychosocial stress on short-term non-declarative memory and declarative memory performance. Fifty-two young participants (18 men, 34 women) were subjected to the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) and a control condition in a crossover design. Implicit memory was assessed by a priming test, and explicit memory was assessed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). The TSST provoked greater salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) responses than the control task. Men had a higher cortisol response to stress than women, but no sex differences were found for sAA release. Stress was associated with an enhancement of priming but did not affect declarative memory. Additionally, the enhancement on the priming test was higher in those whose sAA levels increased more in response to stress (r(48) = 0.339, p = 0.018). Our results confirm an effect of acute stress on priming, and that this effect is related to SNS activity. In addition, they suggest a different relationship between stress biomarkers and the different memory systems.

Prognostic psychosocial factors for disabling low back pain in Japanese hospital workers

PubMed Central

Yoshimoto, Takahiko; Oka, Hiroyuki; Katsuhira, Junji; Fujii, Tomoko; Masuda, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Sakae; Matsudaira, Ko

2017-01-01

Background Although the occupational health field has identified psychosocial factors as risk factors for low back pain that causes disability, the association between disabling low back pain and psychosocial factors has not been examined adequately in Japanese hospital workers. Therefore, this study examined the association between low back pain, which interfered with work, and psychosocial factors in Japanese hospital workers. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Japan. In total, 280 hospital workers were recruited from various occupational settings. Of these, 203 completed a self-administered questionnaire that included items concerning individual characteristics, severity of low back pain, fear-avoidance beliefs (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire), somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Scale-8), psychological distress (K6), workaholism, and work-related psychosocial factors (response rate: 72.5%). Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with disabling low back pain. Results Of the 203 participants who completed questionnaires, 36 (17.7%) reported low back pain that interfered with their work. Multivariate analyses with individual factors and occupations adjusted for showed statistically significant associations between disabling low back pain and fear-avoidance beliefs (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.619, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.003–6.538], somatic symptoms (OR: 4.034, 95% CI: 1.819–9.337), and interpersonal stress at work (OR: 2.619, 95% CI: 1.067–6.224). Conclusions Psychosocial factors, such as fear-avoidance beliefs, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal relationships at work, were important risk factors in low back pain that interfered with work in Japanese hospital workers. With respect to occupational health, consideration of psychosocial factors is required to reduce disability related to low back pain. PMID:28531194

The forgotten realm of the new and emerging psychosocial risk factors.

PubMed

Chirico, Francesco

2017-09-28

In Europe, employers of all private and public enterprises have a legal obligation to protect their employers by all the different types of workplace hazards to the safety and health of workers. The most important methods developed for the work-related stress risk assessment are based on the Cox's research commissioned by European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and are the Management Standard HSE for work-related stress in United Kingdom, the START method in Germany, the Screening, Observation, Analysis, Expertise (SOBANE) in Belgium, and the National Institute for Prevention and Safety at Work (INAIL-ISPESL) model in Italy, the latter based on the British Management Standard. Unfortunately, the definition of "work-related stress" elaborated by EU-OSHA was criticized, because it is not completely equal to the broader "psychosocial risk," which includes new and emerging psychosocial risk factors, such as the combined exposure to physical and psychosocial risks, job insecurity, work intensification and high demands at work, high emotional load related to burnout, work-life balance problems, and violence and harassment at work. All these new emerging psychosocial hazards could require different and additional methodologies to save workers' health and safety. For this reason, the concept that stakeholders and policy makers should keep in mind in order to develop better national regulations and strategies is that work-related stress risk and psychosocial risk factors are not the same.

Psychosocial Precursors and Correlates of Migraine Headache.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levor, Robert M.; And Others

1986-01-01

Tested the interactions of migraine headache cycles and sufferers' daily experiences of stressful events, emotional arousal, and physical activity. Results support a model of migraine characterized by parallel physiological and psychosocial instability during a 4-day cycle and by an interaction of personality and behavioral (self-reported stress)…

Identifying Psychosocial Distress and Stressors Using Distress-screening Instruments in Patients With Localized and Advanced Penile Cancer.

PubMed

Dräger, Désirée Louise; Protzel, Chris; Hakenberg, Oliver W

2017-10-01

We examined the effects of treatment on the psychological well-being of patients with localized or advanced penile cancer using screening questionnaires to determine the consecutive need for psychosocial care. Penile cancer is a rare, but highly aggressive, malignancy. The psychological stress of patients with penile cancer arises from the cancer diagnosis per se and the corresponding consequences of treatment. In addition, cancer-specific distress results (eg, fear of metastasis, progression, relapse, death). Studies of the psychosocial stress of penile cancer patients are rare. We undertook a prospective analysis of the data from patients with penile cancer who had undergone surgery or chemotherapy from August 2014 to October 2016 at our department. Patients were evaluated using standardized questionnaires for stress screening and the identification for the need for psychosocial care (National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Hornheider screening instrument) and by assessing the actual use of psychosocial support. The average stress level was 4.5. Of all the patients, 42.5% showed increased care needs at the time of the survey. Younger patients, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and patients with recurrence were significantly more integrated with the psychosocial care systems. Finally, 67% of all patients received inpatient psychosocial care. Owing to the potentially mutilating surgery, patients with penile cancer experience increased psychological stress and, consequently, have an increased need for psychosocial care. Therefore, the emotional stress of these patients should be recognized and support based on interdisciplinary collaboration offered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RELIGIOUS EXCLUSIVITY AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING.

PubMed

Gegelashvili, M; Meca, A; Schwartz, S J

2015-01-01

In the present study we sought to clarify links between religious exclusivity, as form of intergroup favoritism, and indices of psychosocial functioning. The study of in group favoritism has generally been invoked within Social Identity Theory and related perspectives. However, there is a lack of literature regarding religious exclusivity from the standpoint of social identity. In particular, the ways in which religious exclusivity is linked with other dimensions of religious belief and practice, and with psychosocial functioning, among individuals from different religious backgrounds are not well understood. A sample of 8545 emerging-adult students from 30 U.S. universities completed special measures. Measure of religious exclusivity was developed and validated for this group. The results suggest that exclusivity appears as predictor for impaired psychosocial functioning, low self-esteem and low psychosocial well-being for individuals from organized faiths, as well as for those identifying as agnostic, atheist, or spiritual/nonreligious. These findings are discussed in terms of Social Identity Theory and Terror Management Theory (TMT).

[Psychosocial Characteristics of Adolescent Girls with Posttraumatic Stress Disorders and Substance Use Disorders].

PubMed

Thomsen, Monika; Baldus, Christiane; Herschelmann, Susanne; Schäfer, Ingo; Thomasius, Rainer

2016-09-01

Psychosocial Characteristics of Adolescent Girls with Posttraumatic Stress Disorders and Substance Use Disorders Already in adolescence posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) often occur comorbid. SUD is usually in the focus of treatment and underlying PTSD is not always recognized. To date there is no explicit offer for the simultaneous treatment of both clinical pictures in adolescence. In the present study we tested whether the group intervention Seeking Safety, that is implemented successfully in adulthood, would also be interesting for the youth clientele. In addition we analyzed the characteristics of a target group of girls and young women between 14 and 21 years, that could be reached for such a program in a German city. In the present study we conducted 39 complete interviews that enable an estimation of the various strains and symptoms of those affected. The results clarify that female adolescents with a dual diagnosis PTSD and SUD are currently not sufficiently addressed by the supply system and could benefit from a specific treatment like Seeking Safety.

Effects of opioid- and non-opioid analgesics on responses to psychosocial stress in humans.

PubMed

Bershad, Anya K; Miller, Melissa A; Norman, Greg J; de Wit, Harriet

2018-06-01

Both preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that the endogenous opioid system is involved in responses to stress. For example, in animal models opioid agonists reduce isolation distress whereas opioid antagonists increase isolation distress. We recently reported that the mixed mu agonist and kappa antagonist buprenorphine dampened responses to acute psychosocial stress in humans. Now we extend this to study the effects of a pure mu-opioid agonist, hydromorphone, and a non-opioid analgesic, acetaminophen, on response to social stress. We compared the effect of hydromorphone (2 and 4 mg), acetaminophen (1000 mg) to a placebo using a between subject design. Healthy adult volunteers were randomly assigned to receive placebo (N = 13), 2 mg hydromorphone (N = 12), 4 mg hydromorphone (N = 12), or 1000 mg acetaminophen (paracetamol; N = 13) under double-blind conditions before undergoing a stress task or a control task on two separate sessions. The stress task, consisting of a standardized speaking task and the non-stressful control task were presented in counterbalanced order. Dependent measures included mood ratings, subjective appraisal of the stress (or no-stress) task, salivary cortisol, pupil diameter, heart rate, and blood pressure. The stress task produced its expected increase in heart rate, blood pressure, salivary cortisol, pupil diameter, and subjective ratings of anxiety and negative mood. Hydromorphone dose-dependently dampened cortisol responses to stress, and decreased ratings of how "challenging" participants found the task. Acetaminophen did not affect physiological responses, but, like hydromorphone, decreased ratings of how "challenging" the task was. The hydromorphone results support the idea that the mu-opioid system is involved in physiological responses to acute stress in humans, in line with results from preclinical studies. The non-opioid analgesic acetaminophen did not dampen physiological responses, but did reduce

Caffeine prevents cognitive impairment induced by chronic psychosocial stress and/or high fat-high carbohydrate diet.

PubMed

Alzoubi, K H; Abdul-Razzak, K K; Khabour, O F; Al-Tuweiq, G M; Alzubi, M A; Alkadhi, K A

2013-01-15

Caffeine alleviates cognitive impairment associated with a variety of health conditions. In this study, we examined the effect of caffeine treatment on chronic stress- and/or high fat-high carbohydrate Western diet (WD)-induced impairment of learning and memory in rats. Chronic psychosocial stress, WD and caffeine (0.3 g/L in drinking water) were simultaneously administered for 3 months to adult male Wistar rats. At the conclusion of the 3 months, and while the previous treatments continued, rats were tested in the radial arm water maze (RAWM) for learning, short-term and long-term memory. This procedure was applied on a daily basis to all animals for 5 consecutive days or until the animal reaches days to criterion (DTC) in the 12th learning trial and memory tests. DTC is the number of days that the animal takes to make zero error in two consecutive days. Chronic stress and/or WD groups caused impaired learning, which was prevented by chronic caffeine administration. In the memory tests, chronic caffeine administration also prevented memory impairment during chronic stress conditions and/or WD. Furthermore, DTC value for caffeine treated stress, WD, and stress/WD groups indicated that caffeine normalizes memory impairment in these groups. These results showed that chronic caffeine administration prevented stress and/or WD-induced impairment of spatial learning and memory. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of new psychosocial factors questionnaires: a Colombian national study.

PubMed

Villalobos, Gloria H; Vargas, Angélica M; Rondón, Martin A; Felknor, Sarah A

2013-01-01

The study of workers' health problems possibly associated with stressful conditions requires valid and reliable tools for monitoring risk factors. The present study validates two questionnaires to assess psychosocial risk factors for stress-related illnesses within a sample of Colombian workers. The validation process was based on a representative sample survey of 2,360 Colombian employees, aged 18-70 years. Worker response rate was 90%; 46% of the responders were women. Internal consistency was calculated, construct validity was tested with factor analysis and concurrent validity was tested with Spearman correlations. The questionnaires demonstrated adequate reliability (0.88-0.95). Factor analysis confirmed the dimensions proposed in the measurement model. Concurrent validity resulted in significant correlations with stress and health symptoms. "Work and Non-work Psychosocial Factors Questionnaires" were found to be valid and reliable for the assessment of workers' psychosocial factors, and they provide information for research and intervention. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perceived early-life maternal care and the cortisol response to repeated psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Engert, Veronika; Efanov, Simona I; Dedovic, Katarina; Duchesne, Annie; Dagher, Alain; Pruessner, Jens C

2010-11-01

In the past decade, a body of animal and human research has revealed a profound influence of early-life experiences, ranging from variations in parenting behaviour to severe adversity, on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation in adulthood. In our own previous studies, we have shown how variations in early-life parental care influence the development of the hippocampus and modify the cortisol awakening response. In the present study, we investigated the influence of early-life maternal care on cortisol, heart rate and subjective psychological responses to the repeated administration of a psychosocial laboratory stressor in a population of 63 healthy young adults. Low, medium and high early-life maternal care groups were identified using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Controlling for the effect of sex, we found an inverted u-shaped relation between increasing levels of maternal care and cortisol stress responsivity. Specifically, overall and stress-induced cortisol levels went from below normal in the low maternal care, to normal in the medium care, back to below normal in the high maternal care groups. We found no group differences with respect to heart rate and subjective psychological stress measures. Whereas low and high maternal care groups exhibited similarly low endocrine stress responses, their psychological profiles were opposed with increased levels of depression and anxiety and decreased self-esteem in the low care group. Sex was unequally distributed among maternal care groups, whereby the number of men with low maternal care was too small to allow introducing sex as a second between-group variable. We discuss the potential significance of this dissociation between endocrine and psychological parameters with respect to stress vulnerability and resistance for each maternal care group.

Relationships of work-related psychosocial risks, stress, individual factors and burnout - Questionnaire survey among emergency physicians and nurses.

PubMed

Ilić, Ivana M; Arandjelović, Mirjana Ž; Jovanović, Jovica M; Nešić, Milkica M

2017-03-24

Psychosocial risks represent a great challenge for safety and health protection at work in Europe. The purpose of this study has been to determine the relationships of psychosocial risks arising from work, stress, personal characteristics and burnout among physicians and nurses in the Emergency Medical Service (EMS). We performed a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire survey which contained the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). A total of 88 physicians and 80 nurses completed the survey. Physicians demonstrated higher emotional (mean (M) ± standard deviation (SD) = 74.57±16.85) and cognitive (M±SD = 75.95±13.74) demands as compared to nurses. Both groups had high sensory demands and responsibilities at work, in spite of the low degree of their autonomy. The meaning of work, commitment to the workplace, and insecurity at work were high for both groups. Among all participants, stressful behavior and reactions were within the limits of low values (< 40) and coping strategies showed high values (> 60). Personal and patient-related burnout was high for both groups, where physicians were significantly affected by work-related burnout. The influence at work, degree of freedom at work, social support, sense of coherence, mental health, and problem-focused coping are negatively related to work-related burnout. Based on personal factors and coping styles, emergency physicians and nurses are representing a self-selective professional group that meets high work demands, great responsibility, strong commitment and insecurity at work. Burnout of physicians and nurses in the EMS tends to be ignored, although it has severe consequences on their mental and general health. Med Pr 2017;68(2):178-178. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

[Psychosocial working conditions and mental health status of the German babyboomer generation].

PubMed

Tophoven, S; Tisch, A; Rauch, A; Burghardt, A

2015-04-01

The baby boomers are the first to be available to the German labour market up to the age of 67. A crucial premise for a long working life is good health. However, there is evidence that psychosocial working conditions are related to health. More and more employees report psychosocial stress at work. In addition, mental illness has become one of the main reasons for the entry into disability pension. Against this background this study considers the relationship between psychosocial work conditions and mental health exemplarily for two birth cohorts of the German baby boomers. For the analysis of the assumed relationships data of the lidA study "lidA - leben in der Arbeit - German Cohort Study on Work, Age and Health" is used (N=6 057). Mental health is assessed by the mental health scale of the SF-12. In addition, the items and the scales quantitative job requirements, work pace and support from colleagues from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) are used. As further control variables cohort affiliation, level of education, occupational status and partnership are considered. Multivariate analyses of the relations between quantitative job requirements, work pace and the experienced support from colleagues show significant relationship to mental health. The increasing frequency of the requirement to work quickly and increasing quantitative job demands are negatively associated to mental health. However, support of colleagues shows a positive relationship to mental health. These results are similarly observed for women and men. For the regarded group of the German babyboomers, employees at the threshold to higher working age, it is clearly shown that psychosocial working conditions are related to mental health. Since this group still has to work up to 18 years given a statutory retirement age of 67, psychosocial working conditions should rather be in the focus of occupational safety. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Physiological and psychosocial factors that predict HIV-related fatigue.

PubMed

Barroso, Julie; Hammill, Bradley G; Leserman, Jane; Salahuddin, Naima; Harmon, James L; Pence, Brian Wells

2010-12-01

Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms experienced by HIV-infected people. We report the results of our longitudinal analysis of physiological and psychosocial factors that were thought to predict changes in HIV-related fatigue in 128 participants over a 1-year period, in an effort to sort out the complex interplay among a comprehensive set of physiological and psychosocial variables. Physiological measures included hepatic function (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, hepatitis C status), thyroid function (thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxine), HIV viral load, immunologic function (CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio, CD16, CD8CD38), gonadal function (testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone), hematologic function (hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum erythropoietin), and cellular injury (lactic acid). Psychosocial measures included childhood and adult trauma, anxiety, depression, social support, stressful life events, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unemployment, not being on antiretroviral therapy, having fewer years since HIV diagnosis, more childhood trauma, more stressful life events, less social support, and more psychological distress (e.g., PTSD, anxiety and depression) put HIV-infected persons at risk for greater fatigue intensity and fatigue-related impairment in functioning during 1-year follow-up. Physiological variables did not predict greater fatigue. Stressful life events had both direct and indirect effects on fatigue.

Effect of Compassion Meditation on Neuroendocrine, Innate Immune and Behavioral Responses to Psychosocial Stress

PubMed Central

Pace, Thaddeus W.W.; Negi, Lobsang Tenzin; Adame, Daniel D.; Cole, Steven P.; Sivilli, Teresa I.; Brown, Timothy D.; Issa, Michael J.; Raison, Charles L.

2009-01-01

Summary Meditation practices may impact physiological pathways that are modulated by stress and relevant to disease. While much attention has been paid to meditation practices that emphasize calming the mind, improving focused attention, or developing mindfulness, less is known about meditation practices that foster compassion. Accordingly, the current study examined the effect of compassion meditation on innate immune, neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress and evaluated the degree to which engagement in meditation practice influenced stress-reactivity. Sixty-one healthy adults were randomized to 6 weeks of training in compassion meditation (n=33) or participation in a health discussion control group (n=28) followed by exposure to a standardized laboratory stressor (Trier Social Stress Test [TSST]). Physiologic and behavioral responses to the TSST were determined by repeated assessments of plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and cortisol as well as total distress scores on the Profile of Mood States (POMS). No main effect of group assignment on TSST responses was found for IL-6, cortisol or POMS scores. However, within the meditation group, increased meditation practice was correlated with decreased TSST-induced IL-6 (rp =-0.46, p=0.008) and POMS distress scores (rp =-0.43, p=0.014). Moreover, individuals with meditation practice times above the median exhibited lower TSST-induced IL-6 and POMS distress scores compared to individuals below the median, who did not differ from controls. These data suggest that engagement in compassion meditation may reduce stress-induced immune and behavioral responses, although future studies are required to determine whether individuals who engage in compassion meditation techniques are more likely to exhibit reduced stress reactivity. PMID:18835662

Measuring psychosocial exposures: validation of the Persian of the copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire (COPSOQ)

PubMed Central

Pournik, Omid; Ghalichi, Leila; TehraniYazdi, Alireza; Tabatabaee, Seyed Mohammad; Ghaffari, Mostafa; Vingard, Eva

2015-01-01

Background: The effect of psychosocial work environment on personal and organizational aspects of employees is well-known; and it is of fundamental importance to have valid tools to evaluate them. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Persian version of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Methods: The questionnaire was translated into Persian and then back translated into English by two translators separately. The wording of the final Persian version was established by comparing the translated versions with the original questionnaire. One hundred three health care workers completed the questionnaire. Chronbach’s alpha was calculated, and factor analysis was performed. Results: Factor analysis revealed acceptable validity for the five contexts of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.73 to 0.82 in different contexts. Conclusion: This study revealed that the Persian version of COPSOQ is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring psychosocial factors at work. PMID:26478879

Psychosocial factors and tooth wear with a significant component of attrition.

PubMed

da Silva, A M; Oakley, D A; Hemmings, K W; Newman, H N; Watkins, S

1997-06-01

Pathological tooth wear is often associated with bruxism, which appears in turn to be influenced by psychosocial factors. This study investigated putative relationships between psychosocial factors (total and average perceived stress, state and trait anxiety) and tooth wear, comparing 45 patients exhibiting tooth wear with a significant component of attrition to 45 controls. Groups were matched for gender and age. Subjects completed the Modified and Perceived Stress Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A between-groups multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the two groups did not differ significantly on the combined psychosocial factors, F(4,85) = 1.16, P > 0.05. However, a univariate F-test showed that tooth-wear patients presented significantly more trait anxiety than controls, F(1,88) = 4.15, P < 0.05. Further research is indicated to clarify the importance of trait anxiety and other psychosocial factors in the progression of tooth wear with a significant component of attrition.

Stress Models of the Annual Hydrospheric, Atmospheric, Thermal, and Tidal Loading Cycles on California Faults: Perturbation of Background Stress and Changes in Seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Christopher W.; Fu, Yuning; Bürgmann, Roland

2017-12-01

Stresses in the lithosphere arise from multiple natural loading sources that include both surface and body forces. The largest surface loads include near-surface water storage, snow and ice, atmosphere pressure, ocean loading, and temperature changes. The solid Earth also deforms from celestial body interactions and variations in Earth's rotation. We model the seasonal stress changes in California from 2006 through 2014 for seven different loading sources with annual periods to produce an aggregate stressing history for faults in the study area. Our modeling shows that the annual water loading, atmosphere, temperature, and Earth pole tides are the largest loading sources and should each be evaluated to fully describe seasonal stress changes. In California we find that the hydrological loads are the largest source of seasonal stresses. We explore the seasonal stresses with respect to the background principal stress orientation constrained with regional focal mechanisms and analyze the modulation of seismicity. Our results do not suggest a resolvable seasonal variation for the ambient stress orientation in the shallow crust. When projecting the seasonal stresses into the background stress orientation we find that the timing of microseismicity modestly increases from an 8 kPa seasonal mean-normal-stress perturbation. The results suggest that faults in California are optimally oriented with the background stress field and respond to subsurface pressure changes, possibly due to processes we have not considered in this study. At any time a population of faults are near failure as evident from earthquakes triggered by these slight seasonal stress perturbations.

Blunted cortisol response to psychosocial stress in atopic patients is associated with decrease in salivary alpha-amylase and aldosterone: Focus on sex and menstrual cycle phase.

PubMed

Hlavacova, N; Solarikova, P; Marko, M; Brezina, I; Jezova, D

2017-04-01

A decreased responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis to stress stimuli in patients with atopy is well documented. The aim of this study was to investigate personality traits, salivary alpha-amylase activity and the aldosterone response to psychosocial stress procedure based on public speech in atopic patients with respect to sex and the menstrual cycle (MC) phase. The study was performed in 106 subjects of both sexes, 53 atopic patients suffering from allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma or atopic dermatitis and 53 age-, sex-, the MC phase- and BMI- matched healthy controls. Substantially attenuated activity of alpha-amylase and reduced secretion of aldosterone during the psychosocial stress were observed in the whole sample of patients with atopy. Higher activity of alpha-amylase observed in the follicular compared to the luteal phase in healthy women was not present in atopic patients. In both males and females, atopy was associated with blunted cortisol response but no changes in the heart rate. Psychological characterization revealed a significantly higher trait anxiety and higher preference for avoidance-oriented coping strategy in female but not male atopic patients. These findings provide evidence that patients with atopy exhibit insufficient alpha-amylase and aldosterone responsiveness to psychosocial stress, thus suggesting decreased sympathetic activity. Potential disturbances in sex hormone status during the MC in female patients with atopy have to be considered in future research. Changes in personality traits were demonstrated in female atopic patients, but not in male patients. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Validity and reliability testing of the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile.

PubMed

Curry, M A; Campbell, R A; Christian, M

1994-04-01

Two studies of low-income pregnant women (N = 179) were done to examine the validity and reliability of the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile (PPP). The PPP, a composite of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Support Behaviors Inventory, and a newly developed measure of stress, is a brief, comprehensive clinical assessment of psychosocial risk during pregnancy. Construct validity of the stress scale was supported by theoretically predicted negative correlations with self-esteem, partner support, and support from others (N = 91). Convergent validity of the stress scale was demonstrated by a correlation of .71 with the Difficult Life Circumstances Scale. Adequate levels of internal consistency were found. Interrelationships between the four subscales were consistent with the underlying conceptualization, and there was beginning evidence of the factorial independence of the subscales.

Sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress in adolescence.

PubMed

Ordaz, Sarah; Luna, Beatriz

2012-08-01

Females begin to demonstrate greater negative affective responses to stress than males in adolescence. This may reflect the concurrent emergence of underlying differences in physiological response systems, including corticolimbic circuitries, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This review examines when sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress emerge and the directionality of these differences over development. Indeed, the literature indicates that sex differences emerge during adolescence and persist into adulthood for all three physiological response systems. However, the directionality of the differences varies by system. The emerging corticolimbic reactivity literature suggests greater female reactivity, particularly in limbic regions densely innervated by gonadal hormone receptors. In contrast, males generally show higher levels of HPAA and ANS reactivity. We argue that the contrasting directionality of corticolimbic and peripheral physiological responses may reflect specific effects of gonadal hormones on distinct systems and also sex differences in evolved behavioral responses that demand different levels of peripheral physiological activation. Studies that examine both subjective reports of negative affect and physiological responses indicate that beginning in adolescence, females respond to acute stressors with more intense negative affect than males despite their comparatively lower peripheral physiological responses. This dissociation is not clearly explained by sex differences in the strength of the relationship between physiological and subjective responses. We suggest that females' greater subjective responsivity may instead arise from a greater activity in brain regions that translate stress responses to subjective awareness in adolescence. Future research directions include investigations of the role of pubertal hormones in physiological reactivity across all systems

Sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress in adolescence

PubMed Central

Ordaz, Sarah; Luna, Beatriz

2012-01-01

Summary Females begin to demonstrate greater negative affective responses to stress than males in adolescence. This may reflect the concurrent emergence of underlying differences in physiological response systems, including corticolimbic circuitries, the hypothalamic—pituitary— adrenal axis (HPAA), and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This review examines when sex differences in physiological reactivity to acute psychosocial stress emerge and the directionality of these differences over development. Indeed, the literature indicates that sex differences emerge during adolescence and persist into adulthood for all three physiological response systems. However, the directionality of the differences varies by system. The emerging corti-colimbic reactivity literature suggests greater female reactivity, particularly in limbic regions densely innervated by gonadal hormone receptors. In contrast, males generally show higher levels of HPAA and ANS reactivity. We argue that the contrasting directionality of corticolimbic and peripheral physiological responses may reflect specific effects of gonadal hormones on distinct systems and also sex differences in evolved behavioral responses that demand different levels of peripheral physiological activation. Studies that examine both subjective reports of negative affect and physiological responses indicate that beginning in adolescence, females respond to acute stressors with more intense negative affect than males despite their comparatively lower peripheral physiological responses. This dissociation is not clearly explained by sex differences in the strength of the relationship between physiological and subjective responses. We suggest that females' greater subjective responsivity may instead arise from a greater activity in brain regions that translate stress responses to subjective awareness in adolescence. Future research directions include investigations of the role of pubertal hormones in physiological reactivity

Cumulative neighborhood risk of psychosocial stress and allostatic load in adolescents.

PubMed

Theall, Katherine P; Drury, Stacy S; Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A

2012-10-01

The authors examined the impact of cumulative neighborhood risk of psychosocial stress on allostatic load (AL) among adolescents as a mechanism through which life stress, including neighborhood conditions, may affect health and health inequities. They conducted multilevel analyses, weighted for sampling and propensity score-matched, among adolescents aged 12-20 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2006). Individuals (first level, n = 11,886) were nested within families/households (second level, n = 6,696) and then census tracts (third level, n = 2,191) for examination of the contextual effect of cumulative neighborhood risk environment on AL. Approximately 35% of adolescents had 2 or more biomarkers of AL. A significant amount of variance in AL was explained at the neighborhood level. The likelihood of having a high AL was approximately 10% higher for adolescents living in medium-cumulative-risk neighborhoods (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 1.09), 28% higher for those living in high-risk neighborhoods (adjusted OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.30), and 69% higher for those living in very-high-risk neighborhoods (adjusted OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.68, 1.70) as compared with adolescents living in low-risk areas. Effect modification was observed by both individual- and neighborhood-level sociodemographic factors. These findings offer support for the hypothesis that neighborhood risks may culminate in a range of biologically mediated negative health outcomes detectable in adolescents.

Cumulative Neighborhood Risk of Psychosocial Stress and Allostatic Load in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Theall, Katherine P.; Drury, Stacy S.; Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A.

2012-01-01

The authors examined the impact of cumulative neighborhood risk of psychosocial stress on allostatic load (AL) among adolescents as a mechanism through which life stress, including neighborhood conditions, may affect health and health inequities. They conducted multilevel analyses, weighted for sampling and propensity score-matched, among adolescents aged 12–20 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2006). Individuals (first level, n = 11,886) were nested within families/households (second level, n = 6,696) and then census tracts (third level, n = 2,191) for examination of the contextual effect of cumulative neighborhood risk environment on AL. Approximately 35% of adolescents had 2 or more biomarkers of AL. A significant amount of variance in AL was explained at the neighborhood level. The likelihood of having a high AL was approximately 10% higher for adolescents living in medium-cumulative-risk neighborhoods (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 1.09), 28% higher for those living in high-risk neighborhoods (adjusted OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.30), and 69% higher for those living in very-high-risk neighborhoods (adjusted OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.68, 1.70) as compared with adolescents living in low-risk areas. Effect modification was observed by both individual- and neighborhood-level sociodemographic factors. These findings offer support for the hypothesis that neighborhood risks may culminate in a range of biologically mediated negative health outcomes detectable in adolescents. PMID:23035140

Effects of group prenatal care on psychosocial risk in pregnancy: Results from a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Ickovics, Jeannette R.; Reed, Elizabeth; Magriples, Urania; Westdahl, Claire; Rising, Sharon Schindler; Kershaw, Trace S.

2012-01-01

Few interventions have succeeded in reducing psychosocial risk among pregnant women. The objective of this study was to determine whether an integrated group prenatal care intervention already shown to improve perinatal and sexual risk outcomes can also improve psychosocial outcomes compared to standard individual care. This randomised controlled trial included pregnant women ages 14–25 from two public hospitals (N = 1047) who were randomly assigned to standard individual care, group prenatal care or integrated group prenatal care intervention (CenteringPregnancy Plus, CP+). Timing and content of visits followed obstetrical guidelines, from 18-week gestation through birth. Each 2-h group prenatal care session included physical assessment, education/skills building and support via facilitated discussion. Using intention-to-treat models, there were no significant differences in psychosocial function; yet, women in the top tertile of psychosocial stress at study entry did benefit from integrated group care. High-stress women randomly assigned to CP+ reported significantly increased self-esteem, decreased stress and social conflict in the third trimester of pregnancy; social conflict and depression were significantly lower 1-year postpartum (all p-values <0.02). CP+ improved psychosocial outcomes for high-stress women. This ‘bundled’ intervention has promise for improving psychosocial outcomes, especially for young pregnant women who are traditionally more vulnerable and underserved. PMID:21318932

Psychosocial profiles of children with achondroplasia in terms of their short stature-related stress: a nationwide survey in Japan.

PubMed

Nishimura, Naoko; Hanaki, Keiichi

2014-11-01

To assess psychosocial profiles of children with achondroplasia using a nationwide survey. Achondroplasia, showing short stature and disproportionately short limbs, causes physical inconvenience such as difficulty in reaching high objects. It is, however, still controversial whether the condition is associated with psychological problems, especially in childhood. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed. To evaluate psychosocial profiles and adaptation processes in children with achondroplasia, we developed an inventory of scales based on the psychological stress model of which conceptual framework was comprised of stressor, coping process, coping resource and adaptation outcome domains. Participants were recruited nationwide through the largest advocacy support group for achondroplasia in Japan. Of the 130 group members, 73 X-ray-diagnosed patients, aged 8-18 years, completed the inventory of questionnaires to be analysed. As for the stressor domain, patients experienced short stature-related unpleasant experiences more frequently (z-score: +1·3 in average, +3·9 in physical inconvenience). Nevertheless, these experiences had little effect on the coping process (threat appraisal: -0·2, control appraisal: +0·1) and the adaptation outcome (stress response: +0·3, self-concept: 0·0). Interestingly, self-efficacy in the coping resource domain was noticeably increased (+3·1) and was strongly correlated with most variables in the coping process and in adaptation outcome domains. Although the children with achondroplasia experienced more short stature-related stressors, there was no evidence of any psychosocial maladaptation. This finding suggests that coping process as well as coping resources such as self-efficacy could be important targets for promoting psychological adjustment in children with achondroplasia. To help children with achondroplasia adapt socially, nurses and other healthcare providers should routinely assess their psychological adaptation

[The characteristics of psychosocial risks in the banking sector: a brief report].

PubMed

Stańczak, Aleksander; Merecz-Kot, Dorota

2014-01-01

Psychosocial risks in workplace are common phenomenon, stressing even for so-called white collar workers. The aim of the study was to indicate the most important threats in terms of banking sector employees. The studied subjects were 484 employees employed in 26 companies. The Scale of Psychosocial Risk (SPR) was used as a research tool. The most frequent and the most stressful categories of threats were: lack of control over workload and lack of career development chances. Banking sector employees are obliged to follow strict procedures of customer service and they regard their promotion chances as low. Employees's appraisal system is another strongly stressful factor. Work in a banking sector involves a great mental strain and the high risk of dismissal. Interpersonal relationships at work turned out to be the least stressful work facet in the banking sector. Given the most serious sources of psychosocial risks, the authors suggested to take the following actions: changes in work and work control system, education of employees and managerial staff and regular monitoring of occurring threats.

Physiological and Psychosocial Factors that Predict HIV-Related Fatigue

PubMed Central

Hammill, Bradley G.; Leserman, Jane; Salahuddin, Naima; Harmon, James L.; Pence, Brian Wells

2010-01-01

Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms experienced by HIV-infected people. We report the results of our longitudinal analysis of physiological and psychosocial factors that were thought to predict changes in HIV-related fatigue in 128 participants over a 1-year period, in an effort to sort out the complex interplay among a comprehensive set of physiological and psychosocial variables. Physiological measures included hepatic function (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, hepatitis C status), thyroid function (thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxine), HIV viral load, immunologic function (CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio, CD16, CD8CD38), gonadal function (testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone), hematologic function (hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum erythropoietin), and cellular injury (lactic acid). Psychosocial measures included childhood and adult trauma, anxiety, depression, social support, stressful life events, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unemployment, not being on antiretroviral therapy, having fewer years since HIV diagnosis, more childhood trauma, more stressful life events, less social support, and more psychological distress (e.g., PTSD, anxiety and depression) put HIV-infected persons at risk for greater fatigue intensity and fatigue-related impairment in functioning during 1-year follow-up. Physiological variables did not predict greater fatigue. Stressful life events had both direct and indirect effects on fatigue. PMID:20352317

Temporal changes in myocardial infarction incidence rates are associated with periods of perceived psychosocial stress: A SWEDEHEART national registry study.

PubMed

Wallert, John; Held, Claes; Madison, Guy; Olsson, Erik Mg

2017-09-01

Psychosocial stress might trigger myocardial infarction (MI). Increased MI incidence coincides with recurrent time periods during the year perceived as particularly stressful in the population. A stress-triggering hypothesis on the risk of MI onset was investigated with Swedish population data on MI hospital admission date and symptom onset date (N=156,690; 148,176) as registered from 2006 through 2013 in the national quality registry database Swedish Web-system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based care in Heart disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART). Poisson regression was applied to analyze daily MI rates during days belonging to the Christmas and New Year holidays, turns of the month, Mondays, weekends, and summer vacation in July compared with remaining control days. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for MI rates were higher during Christmas and New Year holidays (IRR=1.07 [1.04-1.09], P<.001) and on Mondays (IRR=1.11 [1.09-1.13], P<.001) and lower in July (IRR=0.92 [0.90-0.94], P<.001) and over weekends (IRR=0.88 [0.87-0.89], P<.001), yet not during the turns of the month (IRR=1.01 [1.00-1.02], P=.891). These findings were also predominantly robust with symptom onset as alternative outcome, when adjusting for both established and some suggested-but-untested confounders, and in 8 subgroups. Fluctuations in daily MI incidence rates are systematically related to time periods of presumed psychosocial stress. Further research might clarify mechanisms that are amenable to clinical alteration. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early psychosocial interventions after disasters, terrorism and other shocking events: is there a gap between norms and practice in Europe?

PubMed Central

Te Brake, Hans

2013-01-01

Background Internationally, several initiatives exist to describe standards for post-disaster psychosocial care. Objective This study explored the level of consensus of experts within Europe on a set of recommendations on early psychosocial intervention after shocking events (Dutch guidelines), and to what degree these standards are implemented into mental health care practice. Methods Two hundred and six (mental) health care professionals filled out a questionnaire to assess the extent to which they consider the guidelines’ scope and recommendations relevant and part of the regular practice in their own country. Forty-five European experts from 24 EU countries discussed the guidelines at an international seminar. Results The data suggest overall agreement on the standards although many of the recommendations appear not (yet) to be embedded in everyday practice. Conclusions Although large consensus exists on standards for early psychosocial care, a chasm between norms and practice appears to exist throughout the EU, stressing the general need for investments in guideline development and implementation. PMID:23393613

Evaluation of Adolescents Diagnosed with Acne Vulgaris for Quality of Life and Psychosocial Challenges

PubMed Central

Eyüboglu, Murat; Kalay, Incilay; Eyüboglu, Damla

2018-01-01

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition which affects most adolescents. It has a major impact on quality of life and psychosocial well-being. Aims: The aims of the study were to examine the psychosocial effects of acne on adolescents and changes in quality of life, and to reveal any difference in the possible effect between genders. In addition, an investigation of the association between acne severity and quality of life as well as psychosocial stress was conducted. Materials and Methods: The present study included 164 adolescents with a mean age of 12–18 years and was diagnosed with acne vulgaris without any previous treatment. The control group consisted of 188 healthy volunteers. Acne severity was evaluated by the global acne grading system. All patients filled in a Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index, Pediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire (PedsQL), and a Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: The scores of SDQ and PedsQL were significantly lower in the case group. There was no significant correlation found between the genders in the control group for acne severity and scale scores. No significant correlation was found between acne severity and psychosocial challenges. Conclusions: The results of the present study show that acne has a significant effect on quality of life for adolescents, and this has an impact on their psychosocial life. Another important finding of the present study is that worsening in quality of life is not affected by some factors such as duration, severity of acne and age. PMID:29692454

Chronic intermittent psychosocial stress (social defeat/overcrowding) in mice increases the severity of an acute DSS-induced colitis and impairs regeneration.

PubMed

Reber, S O; Obermeier, F; Straub, R H; Straub, H R; Falk, W; Neumann, I D

2006-10-01

Ulcerative colitis is a multifactorial disease, with immunological, genetic, and environmental factors playing an important role in its pathogenesis. Here we investigated the consequences of exposure to chronic psychosocial stress on the severity of a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in male C57BL/6 mice. Chronic stress was induced by repeated exposure to social defeat (SD, 2 h) and overcrowding (OC, 24 h) during 19 consecutive days. SD/OC mice showed a diminished body weight gain, thymus-atrophy, and adrenal hypertrophy, but similar light-phase plasma corticosterone concentrations, compared with unstressed mice. In contrast, the rise in dark-phase corticosterone concentration was significantly attenuated in SD/OC mice, whereas plasma ACTH concentrations and hypothalamic CRH mRNA expression did not differ between stressed and nonstressed groups. Additionally, adrenal cells from SD/OC mice showed a decreased in vitro response to ACTH stimulation. Subsequent treatment with 1% DSS for 7 d resulted in a more severe intestinal inflammation in SD/OC mice, as reflected by an increase in body weight loss, histological damage scores, and secretion of IL-6, TNFalpha, and interferon-gamma from mesenteric lymph node cells and by decreased colon length. The impaired health status of stressed mice was also reflected by a significantly lower survival rate after termination of the DSS treatment. In conclusion, the present findings demonstrate that chronic intermittent exposure to a psychosocial stressor before the induction of acute DSS-colitis results in adrenal insufficiency, increases in the severity of the acute inflammation, and impairs the healing phase.

Gender differences and the relationships of perceived background stress and psychological distress with cardiovascular responses to laboratory stressors.

PubMed

Allen, Michael T; Bocek, Christine M; Burch, Ashley E

2011-09-01

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships of perceived background stress and self-reported psychological distress on cardiovascular reactivity during acute laboratory stressors. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used as the measure of perceived background stress, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was used as the measure of psychological distress. A secondary aim was to examine whether background stress and psychological distress affected the susceptibility to induction of a negative mood using music. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were measured in 149 female and male college students at rest and during a stressful mental arithmetic (MA) task and a mood induction procedure. Higher scores on the GHQ were associated with lower systolic BP reactivity during the MA task by all participants. Higher scores on the PSS and GHQ were also associated with lower diastolic BP and HR reactivity, but only in females. Thus, higher self-reports of background stress and psychological distress tended to result in blunted reactivity to an acute laboratory challenge. Higher levels of background stress and psychological distress were not associated with greater susceptibility to a negative mood induction. This study adds to the growing literature indicating that potentially negative health outcomes may be associated with diminished cardiovascular reactivity under certain conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Classical Background Music on Stress, Anxiety, and Knowledge of Filipino Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

PubMed

Evangelista, Kevin; Macabasag, Romeo Luis A; Capili, Brylle; Castro, Timothy; Danque, Marilee; Evangelista, Hanzel; Rivero, Jenica Ana; Gonong, Michell Katrina; Diño, Michael Joseph; Cajayon, Sharon

2017-10-28

Previous work on the use of background music suggests conflicting results in various psychological, behavioral, and educational measures. This quasi-experiment examined the effect of integrating classical background music during a lecture on stress, anxiety, and knowledge. A total of 42 nursing students participated this study. We utilized independent sample t-test and multivariate analysis of variance to examine the effect of classical background music. Our findings suggest that the presence or absence of classical background music do not affect stress, anxiety, and knowledge scores (Λ = 0.999 F(3, 78) = 0.029, p = 0.993). We provided literature to explain the non-significant result. Although classical music failed to establish a significant influence on the dependent variables, classical background music during lecture hours can be considered a non-threatening stimulus. We recommend follow up studies regarding the role of classical background music in regulating attention control of nursing students during lecture hours.

Prenatal Maternal Stress Programs Infant Stress Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Elysia Poggi; Glynn, Laura M.; Waffarn, Feizal; Sandman, Curt A.

2011-01-01

Objective: Prenatal exposure to inappropriate levels of glucocorticoids (GCs) and maternal stress are putative mechanisms for the fetal programming of later health outcomes. The current investigation examined the influence of prenatal maternal cortisol and maternal psychosocial stress on infant physiological and behavioral responses to stress.…

Multidisciplinary family-centred psychosocial care for patients with CHD: consensus recommendations from the AEPC Psychosocial Working Group.

PubMed

Utens, Elisabeth M W J; Callus, Edward; Levert, Eveline M; Groote, Katya De; Casey, Frank

2018-02-01

Because of the enormous advances in the medical treatment of CHD, the long-term survival of patients suffering from this disease has increased significantly. Currently, about 90% of patients reach adulthood, which entails many new challenges both for patients and their families and for healthcare professionals. The main objective of family-centred psychosocial care is to strengthen the emotional resilience of chronically ill patients and their families by adopting a holistic approach. During the biannual meeting of the psychosocial working group in 2012, participants expressed the need for general European guidelines. The present recommendations were written to support medical staff and psychosocial healthcare professionals to provide the best care for children and adolescents with CHD as well as for their families. This article describes in detail how the integrated family-centred psychological care modules work, involving different healthcare specialists, including a paediatric/congenital cardiologist or a general paediatrician. The different clinical implications and specific needs have been taken into account and recommendations have been provided on the following: structured follow-up screening; identification of stressful periods related to cardiac surgery or invasive medical procedures; evidence-based, disease-specific, and family-oriented psychosocial interventions; and interactive media links to medical and psychosocial information.

Adolescents conceived by IVF: parenting and psychosocial adjustment.

PubMed

Colpin, H; Bossaert, G

2008-12-01

A follow-up study was conducted in mid-adolescence on parenting and the child's psychosocial development after in vitro fertilization (IVF). The first phase of the study had compared 31 IVF families and 31 families with a naturally conceived child when the children were 2 years old (Colpin et al., 1995). Of these, 24 IVF families and 21 control families participated again when the children were 15-16 years old. Fathers, mothers and adolescents completed questionnaires assessing parenting style and stress, and adolescent psychosocial adjustment. No significant differences were found in self- or adolescent-reported parenting style, or in parenting stress between IVF mothers and mothers in the control group, nor between IVF fathers and fathers in the control group. Neither did we find significant differences in self- or parent-reported behavioural problems between adolescents conceived by IVF and those conceived naturally. Comparison of behavioural problems between IVF adolescents informed or not informed about the IVF conception did not reveal significant differences. Parenting and 15-16-year-old adolescents' psychosocial adjustment did not differ significantly between IVF families and control families. This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first psychosocial follow-up in mid-adolescence, and adds to the evidence that IVF children and their parents are well-adjusted. Large-scale studies in adolescence are needed to support these findings.

The psychosocial burden of psoriatic arthritis.

PubMed

Husni, M Elaine; Merola, Joseph F; Davin, Sara

2017-12-01

To assess the psychosocial impact of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), describe how health-related quality of life (QoL) is affected in patients with PsA, discuss measures used to evaluate the psychosocial impact of PsA, and review studies examining the effect of therapy on QoL. A targeted review on the impact of PsA on QoL and the role of tailored psychosocial management in reducing the psychosocial burden of the disease was performed. PubMed literature searches were conducted using the terms PsA, psychosocial burden, QoL, and mood/behavioral changes. Articles were deemed relevant if they presented information regarding the psychosocial impact of PsA, methods used to evaluate these impacts, or ways to manage/improve management of PsA and its resulting comorbidities. The findings of this literature search are descriptively reviewed and the authors׳ expert opinion on their interpretation is provided. The psychosocial burden of PsA negatively affects QoL. Patients suffer from sleep disorders, fatigue, low-level stress, depression and mood/behavioral changes, poor body image, and reduced work productivity. Additionally, each patient responds to pain differently, depending on a variety of psychological factors including personality structure, cognition, and attention to pain. Strategies for evaluating the burdens associated with PsA and the results of properly managing patients with PsA are described. PsA is associated with a considerable psychosocial burden and new assessment tools, specific to PsA, have been developed to help quantify this burden in patients. Future management algorithms of PsA should incorporate appropriate assessment and management of psychological and physical concerns of patients. Furthermore, patients with PsA should be managed by a multidisciplinary team that works in coordination with the patient and their family or caregivers. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial stress factors and intention to leave job: differences between foreign-born and Finnish-born general practitioners.

PubMed

Kuusio, Hannamaria; Heponiemi, Tarja; Vänskä, Jukka; Aalto, Anna-Mari; Ruskoaho, Juho; Elovainio, Marko

2013-06-01

Physicians' high dropout rate is a significant problem in primary care in many countries. One solution to this issue is to recruit internationally mobile physicians. This study explores the role of psychosocial factors in explaining intention to leave among GPs including potential differences between foreign-born and Finnish GPs. A cross-sectional questionnaire was sent to randomly-selected Finnish physicians (n = 7000) and all foreign-born physicians (n = 1297) living in Finland in the year 2010. The questionnaire was returned by 4333 physicians, of whom 832 were GPs. Of those 176 were foreign-born GPs. Intention to leave was more common among foreign-born GPs (59%) than among Finnish GPs (52%). High job demands were associated with higher intention to leave from primary care both in foreign-born (OR 1.90) and Finnish GPs (OR 2.20). This association remained among foreign-born GPs after adjusted the model for the country of origin or the reason for migration (OR 1.80, 1.82). Lack of job control, patient-related stress, and stresses related to teamwork were associated with higher intention to leave only among Finnish GPs (ORs 0.45, 1.75 and 1.99). There may be cultural differences in the psychosocial factors that enhance or prevent job involvement among physicians. Thus, novel thinking is needed in organizational development of GP work in order to better understand foreign-born physicians' specific needs in a target country. This study also suggests that lightening workload could help to attract more GPs, both foreign-born and Finnish, to primary care.

Psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions for managing stress in multiple sclerosis: the contribution of mindfulness-based interventions.

PubMed

Muñoz San José, A; Oreja-Guevara, C; Cebolla Lorenzo, S; Carrillo Notario, L; Rodríguez Vega, B; Bayón Pérez, C

2016-03-01

Depression or anxiety in multiple sclerosis (MS) has been linked to a more severe course of the disease and higher numbers of relapses, in addition to poorer treatment adherence and exacerbated immune system dysregulation. Recent investigations indicate that psychotherapeutic interventions for stress management, such as mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), could improve quality of life, depression, anxiety, and fatigue in MS patients. Mindfulness fosters the ability to slow down and observe experiences as they truly are, which improves affect regulation. Mindfulness is acquired through training; its advantage over other psychotherapeutic interventions is that effects may remain over time, since cultivating mindfulness depends on regular practising of abilities learned during training. The objective of this article is to review the current evidence of psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions, including MBIs for stress management, and their beneficial effects on MS patients. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial Mechanisms Linking the Social Environment to Mental Health in African Americans.

PubMed

Mama, Scherezade K; Li, Yisheng; Basen-Engquist, Karen; Lee, Rebecca E; Thompson, Deborah; Wetter, David W; Nguyen, Nga T; Reitzel, Lorraine R; McNeill, Lorna H

2016-01-01

Resource-poor social environments predict poor health, but the mechanisms and processes linking the social environment to psychological health and well-being remain unclear. This study explored psychosocial mediators of the association between the social environment and mental health in African American adults. African American men and women (n = 1467) completed questionnaires on the social environment, psychosocial factors (stress, depressive symptoms, and racial discrimination), and mental health. Multiple-mediator models were used to assess direct and indirect effects of the social environment on mental health. Low social status in the community (p < .001) and U.S. (p < .001) and low social support (p < .001) were associated with poor mental health. Psychosocial factors significantly jointly mediated the relationship between the social environment and mental health in multiple-mediator models. Low social status and social support were associated with greater perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and perceived racial discrimination, which were associated with poor mental health. Results suggest the relationship between the social environment and mental health is mediated by psychosocial factors and revealed potential mechanisms through which social status and social support influence the mental health of African American men and women. Findings from this study provide insight into the differential effects of stress, depression and discrimination on mental health. Ecological approaches that aim to improve the social environment and psychosocial mediators may enhance health-related quality of life and reduce health disparities in African Americans.

Psychosocial Mechanisms Linking the Social Environment to Mental Health in African Americans

PubMed Central

Basen-Engquist, Karen; Lee, Rebecca E.; Thompson, Deborah; Wetter, David W.; Reitzel, Lorraine R.

2016-01-01

Resource-poor social environments predict poor health, but the mechanisms and processes linking the social environment to psychological health and well-being remain unclear. This study explored psychosocial mediators of the association between the social environment and mental health in African American adults. African American men and women (n = 1467) completed questionnaires on the social environment, psychosocial factors (stress, depressive symptoms, and racial discrimination), and mental health. Multiple-mediator models were used to assess direct and indirect effects of the social environment on mental health. Low social status in the community (p < .001) and U.S. (p < .001) and low social support (p < .001) were associated with poor mental health. Psychosocial factors significantly jointly mediated the relationship between the social environment and mental health in multiple-mediator models. Low social status and social support were associated with greater perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and perceived racial discrimination, which were associated with poor mental health. Results suggest the relationship between the social environment and mental health is mediated by psychosocial factors and revealed potential mechanisms through which social status and social support influence the mental health of African American men and women. Findings from this study provide insight into the differential effects of stress, depression and discrimination on mental health. Ecological approaches that aim to improve the social environment and psychosocial mediators may enhance health-related quality of life and reduce health disparities in African Americans. PMID:27119366

Psychosocial factors in the neurobiology of schizophrenia: a selective review.

PubMed

Lim, Caroline; Chong, Siow Ann; Keefe, Richard S E

2009-05-01

Various forms of social adversity have been implicated in the development and emergence of psychosis. However, how and when these events exert their influences are not clear. In this paper, we attempt to examine these putative psychosocial factors and place them in a temporal context and propose a neurobiological mechanism linking these factors. Medline databases were searched between 1966 and 2007 followed by the cross-checking of references using the following keywords: psychosocial, stress, stressors, life events, psychological, combined with psychosis and schizophrenia. While some findings are conflicting, there are a number of positive studies which suggest that factors like prenatal stress, urban birth and childhood trauma accentuate the vulnerability for schizophrenia and other psychoses while other factors like life events, migration particularly being a minority group, and high expressed emotions, which occur later in the vulnerable individual may move the individual towards the tipping point for psychosis. Overall, there is evidence to implicate psychosocial factors in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. These factors may act via a common pathway, which involves stress-induced dysregulation of the HPA axis and the dopaminergic systems. To establish the causal relationship of the various factors would require prospective studies that are adequately powered.

The Contribution of Psychosocial Stressors to Sleep among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study.

PubMed

Johnson, Dayna A; Lisabeth, Lynda; Lewis, Tené T; Sims, Mario; Hickson, DeMarc A; Samdarshi, Tandaw; Taylor, Herman; Diez Roux, Ana V

2016-07-01

Studies have shown that psychosocial stressors are related to poor sleep. However, studies of African Americans, who may be more vulnerable to the impact of psychosocial stressors, are lacking. Using the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) baseline data, we examined associations of psychosocial stressors with sleep in 4,863 African Americans. We examined cross-sectional associations between psychosocial stressors and sleep duration and quality in a large population sample of African Americans. Three measures of psychosocial stress were investigated: the Global Perceived Stress Scale (GPSS); Major Life Events (MLE); and the Weekly Stress Inventory (WSI). Sleep was assessed using self-reported hours of sleep and sleep quality rating (1 = poor; 5 = excellent). Multinomial logistic and linear regression models were used to examine the association of each stress measure (in quartiles) with continuous and categorical sleep duration (< 5 ("very short"), 5-6 h ("short") and > 9 h ("long") versus 7 or 8 h ("normal"); and with sleep quality after adjustment for demographics and risk factors (body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, physical activity). Mean age of the sample was 54.6 years and 64% were female. Mean sleep duration was 6.4 + 1.5 hours, 54% had a short sleep duration, 5% had a long sleep duration, and 34% reported a "poor" or "fair" sleep quality. Persons in the highest GPSS quartile had higher odds of very short sleep (odds ratio: 2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.02, 4.08), higher odds of short sleep (1.72, 95% CI: 1.40, 2.12), shorter average sleep duration (Δ = -33.6 min (95% CI: -41.8, -25.4), and reported poorer sleep quality (Δ = -0.73 (95% CI: -0.83, -0.63) compared to those in the lowest quartile of GPSS after adjustment for covariates. Similar patterns were observed for WSI and MLE. Psychosocial stressors were not associated with long sleep. For WSI, effects of stress on sleep duration were stronger for younger (< 60 y) and college-educated African

Stress induction in the bacteria Shewanella oneidensis and Deinococcus radiodurans in response to below-background ionizing radiation.

PubMed

Castillo, Hugo; Schoderbek, Donald; Dulal, Santosh; Escobar, Gabriela; Wood, Jeffrey; Nelson, Roger; Smith, Geoffrey

2015-01-01

The 'Linear no-threshold' (LNT) model predicts that any amount of radiation increases the risk of organisms to accumulate negative effects. Several studies at below background radiation levels (4.5-11.4 nGy h(-1)) show decreased growth rates and an increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. The purpose of our study is to obtain molecular evidence of a stress response in Shewanella oneidensis and Deinococcus radiodurans grown at a gamma dose rate of 0.16 nGy h(-1), about 400 times less than normal background radiation. Bacteria cultures were grown at a dose rate of 0.16 or 71.3 nGy h(-1) gamma irradiation. Total RNA was extracted from samples at early-exponential and stationary phases for the rt-PCR relative quantification (radiation-deprived treatment/background radiation control) of the stress-related genes katB (catalase), recA (recombinase), oxyR (oxidative stress transcriptional regulator), lexA (SOS regulon transcriptional repressor), dnaK (heat shock protein 70) and SOA0154 (putative heavy metal efflux pump). Deprivation of normal levels of radiation caused a reduction in growth of both bacterial species, accompanied by the upregulation of katB, recA, SOA0154 genes in S. oneidensis and the upregulation of dnaK in D. radiodurans. When cells were returned to background radiation levels, growth rates recovered and the stress response dissipated. Our results indicate that below-background levels of radiation inhibited growth and elicited a stress response in two species of bacteria, contrary to the LNT model prediction.

Effects of a long-term psychosocial nursing intervention on adolescents exposed to catastrophic stress.

PubMed

Hardin, Sally Brosz; Weinrich, Sally; Weinrich, Martin; Garrison, Carol; Addy, Cheryl; Hardin, Thomas L

2002-09-01

This research tested the effects of a long-term psychosocial nursing intervention designed to decrease mental distress in adolescents following a catastrophic event. Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses conducted the Catastrophic Stress Intervention (CSI) in two South Carolina high schools for three years following Hurricane Hugo. The CSI consisted of nine protocols designed to decrease adolescents' mental distress by increasing their understanding of stress and by enhancing their self-efficacy and social support. Adolescents (N = 1030) were randomized to intervention or control groups and completed one baseline and five postintervention measures of mental distress, self-efficacy, and social support. The hypothesis was that intervention adolescents would have less mental distress than control adolescents. The research also addressed the particular time points at which differences between intervention and control adolescents might be shown. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance, with exposure to the hurricane, self-efficacy, and social support as control variables, showed that intervention adolescents reported less mental distress than control adolescents at 12, 18, and 24 months but that this difference dissipated by 30 and 36 months. Implications for the CSI and timing of interventions with adolescents after a catastrophic event are discussed.

Understanding the psychosocial and physical work environment in a Singapore medical school.

PubMed

Chan, G C T; Koh, D

2007-02-01

This study aims to understand the physical and psychosocial work environment, expectations and the perceived levels of stress encountered of medical students in Singapore. A cross-sectional study employing a self-administered work environment questionnaire was applied over a one-week period to the entire 2003/2004 medical school cohort (1,069 students, response rate 85 percent) from the first to fifth (final) years at the National University of Singapore. 3.3 percent had at least one needlestick injury within the academic year. The majority (especially the clinical students) also had musculoskeletal complaints (neck and back mainly) within the last three months. Using the General Health Questionnaire, it was found that 49.6 percent encountered significant stress and 64.6 percent reported that more than 60 percent of their total life stress was due to medical school. The most important psychosocial stressors were: too much work and difficulty in coping. The clinical students were particularly concerned about being good medical students and doctors. The reasons for choosing Medicine as a career and social health (health, study and sleep habits) were also studied. The health risks of a medical student are primarily psychosocial in nature. The biggest challenges are work demands, maintaining a work-life balance and managing the psychosocial work environment.

The role of psychosocial stress at work for the development of cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review.

PubMed

Backé, Eva-Maria; Seidler, Andreas; Latza, Ute; Rossnagel, Karin; Schumann, Barbara

2012-01-01

A systematic review was carried out to assess evidence for the association between different models of stress at work, and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A literature search was conducted using five databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PSYNDEX and PsycINFO). Inclusion criteria for studies were the following: self-reported stress for individual workplaces, prospective study design and incident disease (myocardial infarction, stroke, angina pectoris, high blood pressure). Evaluation, according to the criteria of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, was done by two readers. In case of disagreement, a third reader was involved. Twenty-six publications were included, describing 40 analyses out of 20 cohorts. The risk estimates for work stress were associated with a statistically significant increased risk of cardiovascular disease in 13 out of the 20 cohorts. Associations were significant for 7 out of 13 cohorts applying the demand-control model, all three cohorts using the effort-reward model and 3 out of 6 cohorts investigating other models. Most significant results came from analyses considering only men. Results for the association between job stress and cardiovascular diseases in women were not clear. Associations were weaker in participants above the age of 55. In accordance with other systematic reviews, this review stresses the importance of psychosocial factors at work in the aetiology of cardiovascular diseases. Besides individual measures to manage stress and to cope with demanding work situations, organisational changes at the workplace need to be considered to find options to reduce occupational risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Psychosocial factors associated with migraine and tension-type headache in medical students.

PubMed

Lebedeva, Elena R; Kobzeva, Natalia R; Gilev, Denis V; Kislyak, Nadezhda V; Olesen, Jes

2017-11-01

Background In our previous study of workers, blood donors and medical students, students stood out with a higher 1-year prevalence of migraine (28%) and tension-type headache (TTH) (74%). General factors associated with headache were common for all groups except low physical activity. The hypothesis of this study was therefore that a number of psychosocial factors relating to the personal sphere would better explain the high prevalence of migraine and TTH in students. Methods The study population consisted of 1042 students (719 females, 323 males, mean age 20.6, range 17-40). Headache diagnoses and associated factors were identified by direct professional semi-structured interview. We also interviewed about the following psychosocial factors: dissatisfaction with study, dissatisfaction with family life, dissatisfaction for personal reasons, bad financial situation, overwork, stress, not enough sleep, insomnia, depressed mood, anxiety, irritability, tendency towards conflicts and not being married. We report psychosocial factors associated with headache according to diagnosis and sex using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results Several factors were significantly associated with migraine and TTH in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, two psychosocial factors were statistically significantly associated with migraine in all students: irritability (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.6) and overwork (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.5). Insomnia (2.7, 95% CI 1.1-6.9) and depressed mood (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.2) were associated with migraine only in females. Two psychosocial factors were associated with TTH: dissatisfaction with study in males (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.8) and depressed mood in females (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.5). Conclusion Psychosocial factors from the personal sphere showed significant association with migraine and TTH in students. Such factors should therefore be major targets for preventive efforts to reduce the prevalence of primary

Stress response in postpartum women with and without obsessive–compulsive symptoms: an fMRI study

PubMed Central

Lord, Catherine; Steiner, Meir; Soares, Claudio N.; Carew, Caitlin L.; Hall, Geoffrey B.

2012-01-01

Background During the postpartum period, some women might be under a considerable amount of stress and at increased risk for onset or exacerbation of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Little is known about the stress response correlates during the postpartum period and in patients with OCD. This study aimed to examine the cerebral, psychologic and endocrine correlates of the stress response in patients with OCD and during the postpartum period. Methods Women with postpartum OCD, healthy postpartum women and healthy mothers past the postpartum period underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while facing a reliable psychosocial stressor (the Montreal Imaging Stress Task). Stress-related psychologic and endocrine responses (i.e., cortisol) were obtained. Results We enrolled 12 women with postpartum OCD, 16 healthy postpartum women and 11 healthy mothers past the postpartum period in our study. Compared with healthy postpartum counterparts, postpartum women with OCD had a heightened self-reported and endocrine stress response associated with a distinct brain activation pattern in response to psychosocial stress involving the orbitofrontal and temporal cortices. Moreover, compared with mothers assessed in a period of time beyond the postpartum period, healthy postpartum women did not differ in psychologic and cortisol response to stress, but recruited different brain regions, such as the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, during exposure to stress. Limitations Potential confounding factors, such as medication use, breastfeeding, parity and personality factors, may have modulated the stress-related endocrine response and could not be assessed in this study. Conclusion Obsessive–compulsive disorder and the postpartum period differentially influence the brain circuitry underlying psychosocial stress as well as the psychologic and endocrine responses. PMID:22122779

[Psychosocial risks and the job activity of banking sector employees].

PubMed

Stańczak, Aleksander; Mościcka-Teske, Agnieszka; Merecz-Kot, Dorota

2014-01-01

Psychosocial risks, via stress mechanism, may negatively influence employees' health and work activity. Both the scale and the type of these risks depend on job specificity in particular occupation or sector. The aim of the study was to characterize the categories of stressors occurring in the banking sector and their effects on employees' performance. The studied subjects were 484 employees tested with the questionnaire method. The Scale of Psychosocial Risk was used as a research tool. The more the employees are exposed to threats connected with work content, work context, pathologies and specific factor, the less satisfied they are and the more frequently they declare turnover intention. However, rarely does it change their engagement or absence. The subjects felt the effects of risks, regardless of their stressfulness. It turns out that individual's well-being is rather related to work context, e.g. relations with co-workers or salary, than to the character of tasks. It was observed, that with age, employees are less resistant to work context related to threats, which results in frequent absence. Most of the results comply with the literature data. The work environment diagnosis may be based only on the occurrence of psychosocial risks, regardless of the subjectively experienced stress. The conclusions can be used by both employers and specialists in occupational stress prevention.

Stress Management as an Adjunct to Physical Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain

PubMed Central

Bruflat, Angela K.; Balter, Jaclyn E.; McGuire, Denise; Fethke, Nathan B.

2012-01-01

Background and Purpose Chronic neck pain is prevalent in the workplace. Research suggests that psychosocial stress may contribute to the development of neck pain by causing excessive or prolonged muscle activity in some individuals. The purpose of this case report is to describe the rationale, development, and implementation of stress management as an adjunct to standard physical therapist management of chronic neck pain in a female office worker who responded to psychosocial stress with elevated muscle activity prior to treatment. Case Description A 44-year-old female office employee with an 8-year history of chronic neck pain participated in this case report. The patient was selected from a group of research participants who demonstrated elevated electromyographic (EMG) activity of the trapezius muscle in response to simulated occupational stressors. The multidisciplinary intervention consisted of 8 physical therapy sessions, supplemented by 8 stress management sessions that included EMG biofeedback and psychotherapy to facilitate muscle relaxation. Outcomes Neck disability decreased by 50%, trait anxiety decreased by 21%, and the duration of trapezius muscle rest in the workplace increased by 56% immediately after the 8-week intervention. These improvements were maintained 6 months after treatment, and the patient reported a complete absence of neck disability at the 2-year follow-up assessment. Discussion A sustained reduction in neck disability was observed for a patient with chronic neck pain after participating in a multidisciplinary intervention that combined physical therapy and stress management approaches to facilitate muscle relaxation in the workplace. Future clinical trials are needed to assess whether stress management is a useful adjunct therapy for patients with chronic neck pain who show elevated muscle activity in response to psychosocial stress. PMID:22700538

Dopamine response to psychosocial stress in humans and its relationship to individual differences in personality traits.

PubMed

Suridjan, Ivonne; Boileau, Isabelle; Bagby, Michael; Rusjan, Pablo M; Wilson, Alan A; Houle, Sylvain; Mizrahi, Romina

2012-07-01

Previous studies have reported inter-individual variability in the dopamine (DA) response to stress. This variability might be related to individual differences in the vulnerability to experience the negative effect of stress. To investigate whether personality traits as measured by the revised NEO personality inventory explain variability in DA response to a psychosocial stress task. Eleven healthy adults, mean age of 26 ± 3.87 underwent two positron emission tomography (PET) scans using the dopamine D(2/3) agonist, [11C]-(+)-PHNO under a control and stress condition. The simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) was used to obtain [11C]-(+)-PHNO binding potential (BP(ND)). Stress-induced DA response was indexed as a percent change in [11C]-(+)-PHNO BP(ND) between control and stress conditions. The regions of interest were defined into D2-rich regions, which included the Associative and Sensorimotor Striatum (AST and SMST); D(2/3) mixed regions, which included the limbic striatum (LST) and globus pallidus (GP); and D3-rich region, which included the Substantia Nigra (SN). Several personality traits within the Neuroticism and Openness to Experience domain were significantly correlated with blunted DA response to stress. Specifically, the Angry-Hostility, Vulnerability, and Depression trait were associated with blunted DA stress response in the AST (r = -0.645, p = 0.032), LST (r = -0.677, p = 0.022) and GP (r = -0.736, p = 0.010), respectively. The Openness to Values was correlated with a decreased DA release in the SN (r = -0.706, p = 0.015). Variability in DA stress response might be related to individual differences in personality. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotions for sale: cigarette advertising and women's psychosocial needs.

PubMed

Anderson, S J; Glantz, S A; Ling, P M

2005-04-01

To explore messages of psychosocial needs satisfaction in cigarette advertising targeting women and implications for tobacco control policy. Analysis of internal tobacco industry documents and public advertising collections. Tobacco industry market research attempted to identify the psychosocial needs of different groups of women, and cigarette advertising campaigns for brands that women smoke explicitly aimed to position cigarettes as capable of satisfying these needs. Such positioning can be accomplished with advertising that downplays or excludes smoking imagery. As women's needs change with age and over time, advertisements were developed to reflect the needs encountered at different stages in women's lives. Cigarette brands for younger women stressed female camaraderie, self confidence, freedom, and independence; cigarette brands for older women addressed needs for pleasure, relaxation, social acceptability, and escape from daily stresses. Psychosocial needs satisfaction can be communicated without reference to cigarettes or smoking. This may explain why partial advertising bans are ineffective and comprehensive bans on all forms of tobacco marketing are effective. Counter-advertising should attempt to expose and undermine the needs satisfaction messages of cigarette advertising campaigns directed at women.

An ocean of stress? The relationship between psychosocial workload and mental strain among engine officers in the Swedish merchant fleet.

PubMed

Rydstedt, Leif W; Lundh, Monica

2010-01-01

The first purpose of this study was to compare the psychosocial working conditions and mental health of our sample of maritime engine officers with a sample of British shore-based professional engineers. The second purpose was to analyse the relationship between the psychosocial working conditions onboard and mental strain for the Swedish maritime engine officers. There were a total of 731 engine officers in the Swedish merchant fleet, almost all males with higher education. The British comparison sample consisted of 312 professional shore-based engineers. A questionnaire was distributed to the Swedish engine officers with a modified version of the JCQ for the DC-S model, the Role conflict and Ambiguity scale, and two items on family-work inter-role conflicts (WFI/FWI), as workload indicators. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10) were used as strain indicators. There were no significant differences in perceived job stain or in WFI/FWI between the Swedish engine officers and the British professional engineers in perceived job strain. While the British shore-based engineers reported significantly higher role ambiguity the Swedish engine officers perceived a significantly higher degree of role conflict and higher perceived stress. Hierarchic linear regression analysis showed that the Role Stress was strongly related to perceived stress (R(2) = 0.319) as well as to mental health (R(2) = 0.222). When introduced in the second step the DC-S model was significantly related to the outcome measures, as was WFI/FWI when finally introduced. The main source of the high degree of perceived stress among the engine officers does not seem to be the job content but may rather be understood from an interactional perspective, where conflicting requirements are directed towards the individual officer. It can be assumed that the fast technological and organizational changes and the increased pressure for economic profitability that characterize the

Cooley's Anemia: A Psychosocial Directory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, Washington, DC.

The directory is intended to aid patients and their families who are coping with the genetic disorder of Cooley's anemia. A brief review of the disease covers background, genetics, symptoms, effect on the patient, treatment, and current research. The next section looks at psychosocial needs at various times (time of diagnosis, infancy and toddler…

Sexual Orientation Modulates Endocrine Stress Reactivity

PubMed Central

Juster, Robert-Paul; Hatzenbuehler, Mark L.; Mendrek, Adrianna; Pfaus, James G.; Smith, Nathan Grant; Johnson, Philip Jai; Lefebvre-Louis, Jean-Philippe; Raymond, Catherine; Marin, Marie-France; Sindi, Shireen; Lupien, Sonia J.; Pruessner, Jens C.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Biological sex differences and sociocultural gender diversity influence endocrine stress reactivity. Although numerous studies have shown that men typically activate stronger stress responses than women when exposed to laboratory-based psychosocial stressors, it is unclear whether sexual orientation further modulates stress reactivity. Given that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals frequently report heightened distress secondary to stigma-related stressors, we investigated whether cortisol stress reactivity differs between LGB individuals and heterosexual individuals in response to a well-validated psychosocial stressor. METHODS The study population comprised 87 healthy adults (mean age, 25 years) who were grouped according to their biological sex and their gendered sexual orientation: lesbian/bisexual women (n = 20), heterosexual women (n = 21), gay/bisexual men (n = 26), and heterosexual men (n = 20). Investigators collected 10 salivary cortisol samples throughout a 2-hour afternoon visit involving exposure to the Trier Social Stress Test modified to maximize between-sex differences. RESULTS Relative to heterosexual women, lesbian/bisexual women showed higher cortisol stress reactivity 40 min after exposure to the stressor. In contrast, gay/bisexual men displayed lower overall cortisol concentrations throughout testing compared with heterosexual men. Main findings were significant while adjusting for sex hormones (estradiol-to-progesterone ratio in women and testosterone in men), age, self-esteem, and disclosure status (whether LGB participants had completed their “coming out”). CONCLUSIONS Our results provide novel evidence for gender-based modulation of cortisol stress reactivity based on sexual orientation that goes beyond well-established between-sex differences. This study raises several important avenues for future research related to the physiologic functioning of LGB populations and gender diversity more broadly. PMID:25444167

Household Migration, Social Support, and Psychosocial Health: The Perspective from Migrant-Sending Areas

PubMed Central

Lu, Yao

2011-01-01

An extensive literature demonstrates various negative health consequences of family disruption in Western societies, which is largely due to marital dissolution. In developing settings, family disruption commonly arises in the context of labor out-migration. However, studies on household emigration often focus on the economic benefits from remittances, overlooking emigration as a source of stress and loss of social support. This research examines the psychosocial consequences of internal out-migration using longitudinal survey data collected in Indonesia between 1993 and 2007. Results demonstrate considerable psychosocial costs of out-migration, with adults left behind by migrants more susceptible to stress-related health impairments such as hypertension and to psychological distress such as depressive symptoms. These findings largely hold when specific relations are investigated, including spouses left behind and parents left behind by adult children. This study also finds some support for the stress-buffering role of social support from extended families and the differential psychosocial processes for men and women. PMID:22169626

Neurocognitive Function and State Cognitive Stress Appraisal Predict Cortisol Reactivity to an Acute Psychosocial Stressor in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Slattery, Marcia J.; Grieve, Adam J.; Ames, Michelle E.; Armstrong, Jeffrey M.; Essex, Marilyn J.

2014-01-01

Stress and associated alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function have deleterious impacts on the development of multiple mental and physical health problems. Prior research has aimed to identify individuals most at risk for the development of these stress-related maladies by examining factors that may contribute to inter-individual differences in HPA responses to acute stress. The objectives of this study were to investigate, in adolescents, 1) whether differences in neurocognitive abilities influenced cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor, 2) whether internalizing psychiatric disorders influenced this relationship, and 3) whether acute cognitive stress-appraisal mechanisms mediated an association between neurocognitive function and cortisol reactivity. Subjects were 70 adolescents from a community sample who underwent standardized neurocognitive assessments of IQ, achievement, and declarative memory measures at mean age 14 and whose physiological and behavioral responses to a standardized psychosocial stress paradigm (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) were assessed at mean age 18. Results showed that, among all adolescents, lower nonverbal memory performance predicted lower cortisol reactivity. In addition, internalizing disorders interacted with verbal memory such that the association with cortisol reactivity was strongest for adolescents with internalizing disorders. Finally, lower secondary cognitive appraisal of coping in anticipation of the TSST independently predicted lower cortisol reactivity but did not mediate the neurocognitive–cortisol relationship. Findings suggest that declarative memory may contribute to inter-individual differences in acute cortisol reactivity in adolescents, internalizing disorders may influence this relationship, and cognitive stress appraisal also predicts cortisol reactivity. Developmental, research, and clinical implications are discussed. PMID:23253895

The mediating effect of psychosocial factors on suicidal probability among adolescents.

PubMed

Hur, Ji-Won; Kim, Won-Joong; Kim, Yong-Ku

2011-01-01

Suicidal probability is an actual tendency including negative self-evaluation, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and hostility. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of psychosocial variances in the suicidal probability of adolescents, especially the role of mediating variance. This study investigated the mediating effects of psychosocial factors such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem, stress, and social support on the suicidal probability among 1,586 adolescents attending middle and high schools in the Kyunggi Province area of South Korea. The relationship between depression and anxiety/suicidal probability was mediated by both social resources and self-esteem. Furthermore, the influence of social resources was mediated by interpersonal and achievement stress as well as self-esteem. This study suggests that suicidal probability in adolescents has various relationships, including mediating relations, with several psychosocial factors. The interventions on suicidal probability in adolescents should focus on social factors as well as clinical symptoms.

Differential economic stability and psychosocial stress at work: associations with psychosomatic complaints and absenteeism.

PubMed

Godin, Isabelle; Kittel, France

2004-04-01

Stressful working conditions are well known to have a negative impact on the worker's health. We investigated this association in a Belgian study with a psychosocial health perspective, including individual work characteristics as well as firms' features. These data come from the first measure of the Somstress study. This is a 4 year project, initiated in 1999 and conducted in four different firms. The objective of this article is to investigate the relationships between stress, working conditions and absenteeism, self-reported health and psychosomatic complaints. Firms were selected according to their degree of structural environment and job stability. Among the four work sites, one can be considered as stable, one unstable and the remaining ones in an in-between situation. Stress is generally measured according to one of the following models: the job demands control model (Karasek) and the effort-reward imbalance model (Siegrist). We used here both models, along with the social support at work (Karasek) and overcommitment (Siegrist). Sex, age and education are important health determinants. After adjustment for those three variables and additionally for the work instability, it appeared that poor health outcomes (measured by the self-rated health, depression (SCL-90), anxiety (SCL-90), somatisation (SCL-90), chronic fatigue (Vercoulen) and reported absenteeism) are mainly associated with a low control, low social support at work, high overcommitment and high level of imbalance. Inversely, job demands do not make any significant contribution in the logistic regression models for the above-mentioned health outcomes.

Validating the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II) Using Set-ESEM: Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in a Sample of School Principals

PubMed Central

Dicke, Theresa; Marsh, Herbert W.; Riley, Philip; Parker, Philip D.; Guo, Jiesi; Horwood, Marcus

2018-01-01

School principals world-wide report high levels of strain and attrition resulting in a shortage of qualified principals. It is thus crucial to identify psychosocial risk factors that reflect principals' occupational wellbeing. For this purpose, we used the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II), a widely used self-report measure covering multiple psychosocial factors identified by leading occupational stress theories. We evaluated the COPSOQ-II regarding factor structure and longitudinal, discriminant, and convergent validity using latent structural equation modeling in a large sample of Australian school principals (N = 2,049). Results reveal that confirmatory factor analysis produced marginally acceptable model fit. A novel approach we call set exploratory structural equation modeling (set-ESEM), where cross-loadings were only allowed within a priori defined sets of factors, fit well, and was more parsimonious than a full ESEM. Further multitrait-multimethod models based on the set-ESEM confirm the importance of a principal's psychosocial risk factors; Stressors and depression were related to demands and ill-being, while confidence and autonomy were related to wellbeing. We also show that working in the private sector was beneficial for showing a low psychosocial risk, while other demographics have little effects. Finally, we identify five latent risk profiles (high risk to no risk) of school principals based on all psychosocial factors. Overall the research presented here closes the theory application gap of a strong multi-dimensional measure of psychosocial risk-factors. PMID:29760670

Validating the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II) Using Set-ESEM: Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in a Sample of School Principals.

PubMed

Dicke, Theresa; Marsh, Herbert W; Riley, Philip; Parker, Philip D; Guo, Jiesi; Horwood, Marcus

2018-01-01

School principals world-wide report high levels of strain and attrition resulting in a shortage of qualified principals. It is thus crucial to identify psychosocial risk factors that reflect principals' occupational wellbeing. For this purpose, we used the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II), a widely used self-report measure covering multiple psychosocial factors identified by leading occupational stress theories. We evaluated the COPSOQ-II regarding factor structure and longitudinal, discriminant, and convergent validity using latent structural equation modeling in a large sample of Australian school principals ( N = 2,049). Results reveal that confirmatory factor analysis produced marginally acceptable model fit. A novel approach we call set exploratory structural equation modeling (set-ESEM), where cross-loadings were only allowed within a priori defined sets of factors, fit well, and was more parsimonious than a full ESEM. Further multitrait-multimethod models based on the set-ESEM confirm the importance of a principal's psychosocial risk factors; Stressors and depression were related to demands and ill-being, while confidence and autonomy were related to wellbeing. We also show that working in the private sector was beneficial for showing a low psychosocial risk, while other demographics have little effects. Finally, we identify five latent risk profiles (high risk to no risk) of school principals based on all psychosocial factors. Overall the research presented here closes the theory application gap of a strong multi-dimensional measure of psychosocial risk-factors.

Adverse effect of combination of chronic psychosocial stress and high fat diet on hippocampus-dependent memory in rats.

PubMed

Alzoubi, K H; Abdul-Razzak, K K; Khabour, O F; Al-Tuweiq, G M; Alzubi, M A; Alkadhi, K A

2009-12-01

The combined effects of high fat diet (HFD) and chronic stress on the hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory were studied in rats using the radial arm water maze (RAWM). Chronic psychosocial stress and/or HFD were simultaneously administered for 3 months to young adult male Wister rats. In the RAWM, rats were subjected to 12 learning trials as well as short-term and long-term memory tests. This procedure was applied on a daily basis until the animal reaches days to criterion (DTC) in the 12th learning trial and in memory tests. DTC is the number of days that the animal takes to make zero error in two consecutive days. Groups were compared based on the number of errors per trial or test as well as on the DTC. Chronic stress, HFD and chronic stress/HFD animal groups showed impaired learning as indicated by committing significantly (P<0.05) more errors than untreated control group in trials 6 through 9 of day 4. In memory tests, chronic stress, HFD and chronic stress/HFD groups showed significantly impaired performance compared to control group. Additionally, the stress/HFD was the only group that showed significantly impaired performance in memory tests on the 5th training day, suggesting more severe memory impairment in that group. Furthermore, DTC value for above groups indicated that chronic stress or HFD, alone, resulted in a mild impairment of spatial memory, but the combination of chronic stress and HFD resulted in a more severe and long-lasting memory impairment. The data indicated that the combination of stress and HFD produced more deleterious effects on hippocampal cognitive function than either chronic stress or HFD alone.

[The role of psychosocial work factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders in workers].

PubMed

Bugajska, Joanna; Zołnierczyk-Zreda, Dorota; Jedryka-Góral, Anna

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine the role of psychosocial work factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders in workers. It should be stressed that over a decade these disorders have been the subject of studies because of complaints reported not only by workers performing heavy physical work or working in awkward, forced body posture. It has also been acknowledged that stress at work caused by various psychosocial work factors can significantly influence their development. One of the models, most popular nowadays, was used in the study. It takes into account various risk factors in the etiology of cervical spine disorders. Based on this model it was shown that certain psychosocial and cultural variables (e.g., work demands and control, individual variables, individual values, work group's culture) may constitute occupational stressors and, when combined with physical load factors, may lead to stress and musculoskeletal disorders. It was also indicated that such psychosocial work factors as excessive work demands (quantitative or qualitative), inadequate control at work or lack of social support are the most frequent sources of work-related stress. The article presents the results of some prospective studies in which the role of these factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders has been considered. Apart from work properties (factors), the role of other psychological variables was shown; these include: work involvement, perfectionism, negative affectivity or work style, which in numerous studies turned out to be important risk factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders. Finally, potential mechanisms underlying the relationships between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders were indicated. However, it was stressed that the majority of them still require to be confirmed in future descriptive or experimental studies.

Prioritizing care during the acute phase: the prominent role of basic psychosocial life support.

PubMed

Rooze, Magda; Netten, Josee; de Ruyter, Ariëlle; de Vries, Maaike; Helsloot, Ira; de Soir, Erik; Selwood, Philip; Schenk, Henk; Hustinx, Paul; Olinder, Henrik

2008-01-01

The issue of basic psychosocial life support during and after disasters is important. People who are affected by disasters can experience severe distress and may need psychosocial support. However, there still are many questions about service design and effectiveness of psychosocial support. During the process of the Targeted Agenda Program, "Prioritizing Care during the Acute Phase: The Prominent Role of Basic Psychosocial Life Support", a team of experts reached consensus on some important issues concerning psychosocial first aid, civil participation, and risk communication. The experts come from many different backgrounds, which supports the notion that psychosocial care deserves special attention within disaster relief programs involving all disciplines and all responsibilities.

Psychosocial needs of burns nurses: a descriptive phenomenological inquiry.

PubMed

Kornhaber, Rachel Anne; Wilson, Anne

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the psychosocial needs of nurses who care for patients with severe burn injuries. Burns nurses work in an emotionally challenging and confronting environment, for which they are in need of emotional and clinical support. Exposure to such high levels of stress in this occupational environment has implications for nurses' health and psychosocial well-being. Seven burns nurses were recruited in 2009 from a severe burn injury unit in New South Wales, Australia. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to construct themes depicting nurses' experiences. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling, and data were collected through in-depth individual semistructured interviews using open-ended questions. Data were analyzed with Colaizzi's phenomenological method of data analysis. The psychosocial needs of burns nurses were identified and organized into five categories: peer nursing support, informal support, lack of support, multidisciplinary team collaboration, and professional support. The findings clearly demonstrate that support and unity within the workplace are fundamental factors for the psychosocial well-being of nurses caring for patients who have sustained a severe burn injury. Support for nurses in the form of regular professional or collegial debriefing sessions and utilization of employee assistance programs could ease the impact of the stressful environment in which they operate, and could influence staff retention. However, a supportive workplace culture is necessary to encourage nurses to access these services.

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in South Asians: The MASALA Study.

PubMed

Shah, Bijal M; Shah, Shriraj; Kandula, Namratha R; Gadgil, Meghana D; Kanaya, Alka M

2016-12-01

South Asians have the highest rates of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease amongst all ethnic groups in the world; however this risk cannot be fully explained by traditional risk factors. Participants from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study were included in this cross-sectional analysis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of psychosocial factors (including anger, anxiety, depressive symptoms, current and chronic stress, and everyday hassles) with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Three multivariate models were examined to evaluate the association between the psychosocial factors and CIMT. Findings suggest that the impact of psychosocial factors on subclinical atherosclerosis is differential for South Asian men and women. For men, anxiety and depression were associated; while for women, stress was associated with common carotid intima media thickness, independent of traditional CVD risk factors, diet and physical activity.

Neighborhood Conditions and Psychosocial Outcomes Among Middle-Aged African Americans.

PubMed

Tabet, Maya; Sanders, Erin A; Schootman, Mario; Chang, Jen Jen; Wolinsky, Fredric D; Malmstrom, Theodore K; Miller, Douglas K

2017-04-01

We examined associations between observed neighborhood conditions (good/adverse) and psychosocial outcomes (stress, depressive symptoms, resilience, and sense of control) among middle-aged and older African Americans. The sample included 455 middle-aged and older African Americans examined in Wave 10 of the African American Health (AAH) study. Linear regression was adjusted for attrition, self-selection into neighborhoods, and potential confounders, and stratified by the duration at current address (<5 vs ≥5 years) because of its hypothesized role as an effect modifier. Among individuals who lived at their current address for ≥5 years, residing in neighborhoods with adverse versus good conditions was associated with significantly less stress (standardized β = -0.18; P = .002) and depressive symptoms (standardized β = -0.12; P = .048). Among those who lived at their current address for <5 years, residing in neighborhoods with adverse versus good conditions was not significantly associated with stress (standardized β = 0.18; P = .305) or depressive symptoms (standardized β = 0.36; P = .080). Neighborhood conditions appear to have significant, complex associations with psychosocial factors among middle-aged and older African Americans. This holds important policy implications, especially since adverse neighborhood conditions may still result in adverse physical health outcomes in individuals with >5 years at current residence despite being associated with better psychosocial outcomes.

Acute psychosocial stress and children's memory.

PubMed

de Veld, Danielle M J; Riksen-Walraven, J Marianne; de Weerth, Carolina

2014-07-01

We investigated whether children's performance on working memory (WM) and delayed retrieval (DR) tasks decreased after stress exposure, and how physiological stress responses related to performance under stress. About 158 children (83 girls; Mage = 10.61 years, SD = 0.52) performed two WM tasks (WM forward and WM backward) and a DR memory task first during a control condition, and 1 week later during a stress challenge. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and cortisol were assessed during the challenge. Only WM backward performance declined over conditions. Correlations between physiological stress responses and performance within the stress challenge were present only for WM forward and DR. For WM forward, higher cortisol responses were related to better performance. For DR, there was an inverted U-shape relation between cortisol responses and performance, as well as a cortisol × sAA interaction, with concurrent high or low responses related to optimal performance. This emphasizes the importance of including curvilinear and interaction effects when relating physiology to memory.

Psychosocial aspects of drug dependence: the Nigerian experience.

PubMed

Pela, O A

1984-01-01

This paper provides an operational definition and lists some psychosocial questions usually asked about drug dependence. It then reviews the literature on drug abuse in Nigeria, extracting some of the psychosocial variables involved. The review indicates that drug abuse is associated with polygamous or large monogamous families, which may be suggestive of "stressful sibling rivalry." Other factors included defiance of or rebellion against parental control, the facilitation of social intercourse, and harmful early childhood experiences. The social factors implicated include urbanization, Westernization, and migration which may weaken the traditional African support system. An important out-growth of the review is that the psychosocial variables implicated are not different from those observed in other cultures. However, an important social dimension is the prescribing and dispensing practices of Nigerian medical doctors and pharmacists which encourage drug abuse.

Predator-based psychosocial stress animal model of PTSD: Preclinical assessment of traumatic stress at cognitive, hormonal, pharmacological, cardiovascular and epigenetic levels of analysis.

PubMed

Zoladz, Phillip R; Diamond, David M

2016-10-01

Research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is faced with the challenge of understanding how a traumatic experience produces long-lasting detrimental effects on behavior and brain functioning, and more globally, how stress exacerbates somatic disorders, including cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the design of translational research needs to link animal models of PTSD to clinically relevant risk factors which address why only a subset of traumatized individuals develop persistent psychopathology. In this review, we have summarized our psychosocial stress rodent model of PTSD which is based on well-described PTSD-inducing risk factors, including a life-threatening experience, a sense of horror and uncontrollability, and insufficient social support. Specifically, our animal model of PTSD integrates acute episodes of inescapable exposure of immobilized rats to a predator with chronic daily social instability. This stress regimen produces PTSD-like effects in rats at behavioral, cognitive, physiological, pharmacological and epigenetic levels of analysis. We have discussed a recent extension of our animal model of PTSD in which stress exacerbated coronary pathology following an ischemic event, assessed in vitro. In addition, we have reviewed our research investigating pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic strategies which may have value in clinical approaches toward the treatment of traumatized people. Overall, our translational approach bridges the gap between human and animal PTSD research to create a framework with which to enhance our understanding of the biological basis of trauma-induced pathology and to assess therapeutic approaches in the treatment of psychopathology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential Psychosocial Risk Factors for Chronic TMD: Descriptive Data and Empirically Identified Domains from the OPPERA Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Fillingim, Roger B.; Ohrbach, Richard; Greenspan, Joel D.; Knott, Charles; Dubner, Ronald; Bair, Eric; Baraian, Cristina; Slade, Gary D.; Maixner, William

2011-01-01

Case-control studies have consistently associated psychosocial factors with chronic pain in general, and with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) specifically. Moreover, a handful of prospective studies suggest that pre-existing psychosocial characteristics represent risk factors for new onset TMD. The current study presents psychosocial findings from the baseline case-control study of the Orofacial Pain Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment (OPPERA) cooperative agreement. For this study, 1,633 TMD-free controls and 185 TMD cases completed a battery of psychosocial instruments assessing general psychosocial adjustment and personality, affective distress, psychosocial stress, somatic awareness, and pain coping and catastrophizing. In bivariate and demographically-adjusted analyses, odds of TMD were associated with higher levels of psychosocial symptoms, affective distress, somatic awareness, and pain catastrophizing. Among controls, significant gender and ethnic group differences in psychosocial measures were observed, consistent with previous findings. Principal component analysis was undertaken to identify latent constructs revealing four components: stress and negative affectivity, global psychosocial symptoms, passive pain coping, and active pain coping. These findings provide further evidence of associations between psychosocial factors and TMD. Future prospective analyses in the OPPERA cohort will determine if the premorbid presence of these psychosocial factors predicts increased risk for developing new-onset TMD. PMID:22074752

The Contribution of Psychosocial Stressors to Sleep among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study

PubMed Central

Johnson, Dayna A.; Lisabeth, Lynda; Lewis, Tené T.; Sims, Mario; Hickson, DeMarc A.; Samdarshi, Tandaw; Taylor, Herman; Diez Roux, Ana V.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Studies have shown that psychosocial stressors are related to poor sleep. However, studies of African Americans, who may be more vulnerable to the impact of psychosocial stressors, are lacking. Using the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) baseline data, we examined associations of psychosocial stressors with sleep in 4,863 African Americans. Methods: We examined cross-sectional associations between psychosocial stressors and sleep duration and quality in a large population sample of African Americans. Three measures of psychosocial stress were investigated: the Global Perceived Stress Scale (GPSS); Major Life Events (MLE); and the Weekly Stress Inventory (WSI). Sleep was assessed using self-reported hours of sleep and sleep quality rating (1 = poor; 5 = excellent). Multinomial logistic and linear regression models were used to examine the association of each stress measure (in quartiles) with continuous and categorical sleep duration (< 5 (“very short”), 5–6 h (“short”) and > 9 h (“long”) versus 7 or 8 h (“normal”); and with sleep quality after adjustment for demographics and risk factors (body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, physical activity). Results: Mean age of the sample was 54.6 years and 64% were female. Mean sleep duration was 6.4 + 1.5 hours, 54% had a short sleep duration, 5% had a long sleep duration, and 34% reported a “poor” or “fair” sleep quality. Persons in the highest GPSS quartile had higher odds of very short sleep (odds ratio: 2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.02, 4.08), higher odds of short sleep (1.72, 95% CI: 1.40, 2.12), shorter average sleep duration (Δ = −33.6 min (95% CI: −41.8, −25.4), and reported poorer sleep quality (Δ = −0.73 (95% CI: −0.83, −0.63) compared to those in the lowest quartile of GPSS after adjustment for covariates. Similar patterns were observed for WSI and MLE. Psychosocial stressors were not associated with long sleep. For WSI, effects of stress on sleep

Experimental manipulation of psychosocial exposure and questionnaire sensitivity in a simulated manufacturing setting.

PubMed

Ikuma, Laura H; Babski-Reeves, Kari; Nussbaum, Maury A

2009-05-01

The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy of experimental manipulations of psychosocial exposures and to evaluate the sensitivity of a psychosocial questionnaire by determining the factors perceived. A 50-item questionnaire was developed from the job content questionnaire (JCQ) and the quality of worklife survey (QWL). The experiment involved simulated work at different physical and psychosocial levels. Forty-eight participants were exposed to two levels of one psychosocial manipulation (job control, job demands, social support, or time pressure). Significantly different questionnaire responses supported the effectiveness of psychosocial manipulations. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors: skill discretion and decision authority, stress level and supervisor support, physical demands, quality of coworker support, and decision-making support. These results suggest that psychosocial factors can be manipulated experimentally, and that questionnaires can distinguish perceptions of these factors. These questionnaires may be used to assess perceptions of psychosocial factors in experimental settings.

Country differences of psychosocial working conditions in Europe: the role of health and safety management practices.

PubMed

Lunau, Thorsten; Dragano, Nico; Siegrist, Johannes; Wahrendorf, Morten

2017-10-01

In times of demographic change, maintaining health and employability of older employees is important. In this context, studies show that stressful working conditions differ by countries. Yet, it is unclear if specific national management practices to deal with these conditions contribute towards explaining country differences. This study combines two different data sources. The first one provides detailed information on psychosocial working conditions in 17 European countries, based on 12,284 employees from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We link this information to the second data source that provides information on health and safety management practices in each of the countries under study (collected among 17,477 managers at the level of companies in the Enterprise survey on new and emerging risks (ESENER)). We distinguish six different types of risk management procedures in the analysis. Results show that levels of psychosocial risks are generally lower in countries with more developed management practices, in particular if national management practices are marked by (1) procedures to deal with work stress, (2) information about whom to address in case of work-related psychosocial problems, and (3) health and safety services provided by psychologists. The findings underline the importance of a comprehensive psychosocial risk management approach in reducing work-related stress, as lower levels of psychosocial risks are linked to specific psychosocial risk management practices within companies, in particular those pointing to clear responsibilities and coordinated procedures in dealing with psychosocial risks.

A study into psychosocial factors as predictors of work-related fatigue.

PubMed

Rahman, Hanif Abdul; Abdul-Mumin, Khadizah; Naing, Lin

2016-07-14

To explore and determine relationship between psychosocial factors and work-related fatigue among emergency and critical care nurses in Brunei. Cross-sectional study conducted on all emergency and critical care nurses across Brunei public hospitals from February to April 2016. 201 nurses participated in the study (82% response rate). A total of 36% of the variance of chronic fatigue was explained by stress, trust in management, decision latitude, self-rated health, and work-family conflict. Burnout, self-rated health, commitment to workplace, and trust in management explained 30% of the variance of acute fatigue. Stress, work-family conflict and reward explained 28% of the variance of intershift recovery after controlling for significant sociodemographic variables. Smoking was identified as an important sociodemographic factor for work-related fatigue. Psychosocial factors were good predictors of work-related fatigue. A range of psychosocial factors were established, however more research is required to determine all possible causation factors of nurses' work-related fatigue.

Beyond preadoptive risk: The impact of adoptive family environment on adopted youth's psychosocial adjustment.

PubMed

Ji, Juye; Brooks, Devon; Barth, Richard P; Kim, Hansung

2010-07-01

Adopted children often are exposed to preadoptive stressors--such as prenatal substance exposure, child maltreatment, and out-of-home placements--that increase their risks for psychosocial maladjustment. Psychosocial adjustment of adopted children emerges as the product of pre- and postadoptive factors. This study builds on previous research, which fails to simultaneously assess the influences of pre- and postadoptive factors, by examining the impact of adoptive family sense of coherence on adoptee's psychosocial adjustment beyond the effects of preadoptive risks. Using a sample of adoptive families (n = 385) taking part in the California Long Range Adoption Study, structural equation modeling analyses were performed. Results indicate a significant impact of family sense of coherence on adoptees' psychosocial adjustment and a considerably less significant role of preadoptive risks. The findings suggest the importance of assessing adoptive family's ability to respond to stress and of helping families to build and maintain their capacity to cope with stress despite the sometimes fractious pressures of adoption.

Contributions of fMRI towards our understanding of the response to psychosocial stress in epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

PubMed

Allendorfer, Jane B; Szaflarski, Jerzy P

2014-06-01

There are multiple definitions of stress. For this review, as a reference point, we will use the concept of acute emotional/psychosocial stress ("stress"). The presence of acute stress has been reported to have a significant effect on seizure control, with several studies showing patients with seizure disorders being able to predict with reasonable accuracy seizure occurrence within the following hours or days. However, neuroimaging investigations of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying stress reactivity (e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation) in humans, in general, and in patients with seizure disorders, in particular, are scarce. The reasons for this are multiple and likely include difficulty with designing appropriate probes that test various aspects of stress response, obtaining approval for studies that induce stress in patients who are prone to having stress-induced seizures, difficulties with assessing the physiological response to stress inside the scanner (e.g., heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygenation, cortisol levels, and galvanic skin responses), participant identification, and choice of epilepsy syndrome for investigation. With the recent explosion of neuroimaging literature focusing on correlating stress of various types and levels with cortical activations in healthy and diseased populations, it is incumbent upon us to examine the available neuroimaging data in patients with seizure disorders in order to identify the existing gaps and the needs/directions for future investigations. This approach is consistent with the goals of several of the 2014 Benchmarks for Epilepsy Research for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the American Epilepsy Society. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotions for sale: cigarette advertising and women's psychosocial needs

PubMed Central

Anderson, S; Glantz, S; Ling, P

2005-01-01

Objective: To explore messages of psychosocial needs satisfaction in cigarette advertising targeting women and implications for tobacco control policy. Methods: Analysis of internal tobacco industry documents and public advertising collections. Results: Tobacco industry market research attempted to identify the psychosocial needs of different groups of women, and cigarette advertising campaigns for brands that women smoke explicitly aimed to position cigarettes as capable of satisfying these needs. Such positioning can be accomplished with advertising that downplays or excludes smoking imagery. As women's needs change with age and over time, advertisements were developed to reflect the needs encountered at different stages in women's lives. Cigarette brands for younger women stressed female camaraderie, self confidence, freedom, and independence; cigarette brands for older women addressed needs for pleasure, relaxation, social acceptability, and escape from daily stresses. Conclusions: Psychosocial needs satisfaction can be communicated without reference to cigarettes or smoking. This may explain why partial advertising bans are ineffective and comprehensive bans on all forms of tobacco marketing are effective. Counter-advertising should attempt to expose and undermine the needs satisfaction messages of cigarette advertising campaigns directed at women. PMID:15791023

Psychosocial factors at home and at work and levels of salivary cortisol.

PubMed

Eller, Nanna Hurwitz; Netterstrøm, Bo; Hansen, Ase Marie

2006-10-01

Salivary cortisol as a physiological measure of stress has attracted great interest in recent years. A 55 women and 28 men, all healthy volunteers, were included in a study on psychosocial factors at work and at home and salivary cortisol. General linear models, univariate and repeated measures, respectively, were used to evaluate the associations between psychosocial factors and cortisol excretion measured six times during a working day. Age, physical activity, tobacco use and the time of the first saliva sample were used as covariates. In the women, high degrees of time pressure, effort and effort reward imbalance were significantly associated with higher levels of cortisol. In the men, high degrees of effort, effort reward imbalance and overcommitment were significantly associated with higher levels of cortisol. Psychosocial factors are of significance to the level of salivary cortisol. The study emphasises the benefits of taking physiological measurements of stress in epidemiological studies.

The temporal impact of chronic intermittent psychosocial stress on high-fat diet-induced alterations in body weight.

PubMed

Finger, Beate C; Dinan, Timothy G; Cryan, John F

2012-06-01

Chronic stress and diet can independently or in concert influence the body's homeostasis over time. Thus, it is crucial to investigate the interplay of these parameters to gain insight into the evolution of stress-induced metabolic and eating disorders. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to chronic psychosocial (mixed model of social defeat and overcrowding) stress in combination with either a high- or low-fat diet for three or six weeks. To determine the evolution of stress and dietary effects, changes in body weight, caloric intake and caloric efficiency were determined as well as circulating leptin, insulin, glucose and corticosterone levels and social avoidance behaviour. Exposure to stress for three weeks caused an increase in weight gain, in caloric intake and in caloric efficiency only in mice on a low-fat diet. However, after six weeks, only stressed mice on a high-fat diet displayed a pronounced inhibition of body weight gain, accompanied by reduced caloric intake and caloric efficiency. Stress decreased circulating leptin levels in mice on a low-fat diet after three weeks and in mice on a high-fat diet after three and six weeks of exposure. Plasma levels of insulin and markers of insulin resistance were blunted in mice on high-fat diet following six weeks of stress exposure. Social avoidance following chronic stress was present in all mice after three and six weeks. This study describes the evolution of the chronic effects of social defeat/overcrowding stress in combination with exposure to high- or low-fat diet. Most importantly, we demonstrate that a six week chronic exposure to social defeat stress prevents the metabolic effects of high-fat diet, by inhibiting an increase in weight gain, caloric intake and efficiency and insulin resistance as well as in plasma leptin and insulin levels. This study highlights the importance of considering the chronic aspects of both parameters and their time-dependent interplay. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Psychosocial short stature with psychosis: a case report.

PubMed

Wattchow, Naomi; Lee, Hsu-En; Brock, Philip

2015-02-01

Our objective was to report and describe a case of psychosocial short stature in an adolescent girl with psychotic features. Psychosocial short stature is a rare condition in which emotional stress or deprivation in childhood profoundly reduces growth, leading to persistent short stature. This disorder is variably known as psychosocial dwarfism, hyperphagic short stature or maternal deprivation dwarfism. In the literature, psychosocial short stature has not been associated previously with psychosis. We formulate that our patient's short stature, developmental regression and psychotic features were culminations of insecure mother-child attachment, personal traumatic experiences, immigrant status, high family expressed emotions and social isolation. Neuropsychiatric influences were critically regarded due to our patient's fluctuations in behaviour and affect, in the setting of cortical volume loss on brain MRI. Diagnostic hypotheses included childhood disintegrative disorder or childhood-onset schizophrenia. The management plan involved inpatient family psychoeducation, a pharmacological trial with an atypical antipsychotic and community mental health service follow-up for family therapy and psychotherapy. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

Psychosocial impact of involvement in the Special Olympics.

PubMed

Crawford, Clare; Burns, Jan; Fernie, Bruce A

2015-01-01

Existing evidence suggests that people with intellectual disabilities are vulnerable to low self-esteem leading to additional psychosocial issues such as social exclusion and stress. Previous research into the involvement of Special Olympics (SO) of people with intellectual disabilities has indicted positive psychosocial outcomes. Involvement in sport is known generally to have psychological and social benefits. This study aimed to compare the psychosocial impact of involvement in sport through the SO to no or limited sports involvement, for a sample of people with intellectual disabilities. A cross sectional design was employed comparing three groups, SO, Mencap Sports, and Mencap No Sports on the variables: Self-esteem, quality of life, stress levels and social networks. One hundred and one participants were recruited either through the SO or Mencap. Data were collected through the completion of validated questionnaires by one to one interviews with the participants. Analysis revealed that self-esteem, quality of life, and stress were all significantly associated with SO involvement. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore whether scores on these variables were able to predict group membership. Self-esteem was found to be a significant predictor of group membership, those in the SO having the highest self-esteem. The findings provide further evidence of a positive association between sport involvement and increased psychological wellbeing, especially for those involved in the SO. The implications of these findings for practice and future research into the relationship between sport and psychological wellbeing within the learning disabled population are considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive affect and psychosocial processes related to health.

PubMed

Steptoe, Andrew; O'Donnell, Katie; Marmot, Michael; Wardle, Jane

2008-05-01

Positive affect is associated with longevity and favourable physiological function. We tested the hypothesis that positive affect is related to health-protective psychosocial characteristics independently of negative affect and socio-economic status. Both positive and negative affect were measured by aggregating momentary samples collected repeatedly over 1 day, and health-related psychosocial factors were assessed by questionnaire in a sample of 716 men and women aged 58-72 years. Positive affect was associated with greater social connectedness, emotional and practical support, optimism and adaptive coping responses, and lower depression, independently of age, gender, household income, paid employment, smoking status, and negative affect. Negative affect was independently associated with negative relationships, greater exposure to chronic stress, depressed mood, pessimism, and avoidant coping. Positive affect may be beneficial for health outcomes in part because it is a component of a profile of protective psychosocial characteristics.

Pathways to Aging: The Mitochondrion at the Intersection of Biological and Psychosocial Sciences

PubMed Central

Picard, Martin

2011-01-01

Compelling evidence suggests that both biological and psychosocial factors impact the process of aging. However, our understanding of the dynamic interplay among biological and psychosocial factors across the life course is still fragmentary. For example, it needs to be established how the interaction of individual factors (e.g., genetic and epigenetic endowment and personality), behavioral factors (e.g., physical activity, diet, and stress management), and psychosocial experiences (e.g., social support, well-being, socioeconomic status, and marriage) in perinatal, childhood, and adulthood influence health across the aging continuum. This paper aims to outline potential intersection points serving as an interface between biological and psychosocial factors, with an emphasis on the mitochondrion. Mitochondria are cellular organelles which play a critical role in cellular senescence. Both chronic exposure to psychosocial stress and genetic-based mitochondrial dysfunction have strikingly similar biological consequences; both predispose individuals to adverse age-related health disorders and early mortality. Exploring the interactive nature of the factors resulting in pathways to normal healthy aging, as well as those leading to morbidity and early mortality, will continue to enhance our ability to translate research into effective practices that can be implemented throughout the life course to optimise the aging process. PMID:21961065

Pathways to aging: the mitochondrion at the intersection of biological and psychosocial sciences.

PubMed

Picard, Martin

2011-01-01

Compelling evidence suggests that both biological and psychosocial factors impact the process of aging. However, our understanding of the dynamic interplay among biological and psychosocial factors across the life course is still fragmentary. For example, it needs to be established how the interaction of individual factors (e.g., genetic and epigenetic endowment and personality), behavioral factors (e.g., physical activity, diet, and stress management), and psychosocial experiences (e.g., social support, well-being, socioeconomic status, and marriage) in perinatal, childhood, and adulthood influence health across the aging continuum. This paper aims to outline potential intersection points serving as an interface between biological and psychosocial factors, with an emphasis on the mitochondrion. Mitochondria are cellular organelles which play a critical role in cellular senescence. Both chronic exposure to psychosocial stress and genetic-based mitochondrial dysfunction have strikingly similar biological consequences; both predispose individuals to adverse age-related health disorders and early mortality. Exploring the interactive nature of the factors resulting in pathways to normal healthy aging, as well as those leading to morbidity and early mortality, will continue to enhance our ability to translate research into effective practices that can be implemented throughout the life course to optimise the aging process.

[Psycho-social sources of stress and burnout in schools: research on a sample of Italian teachers].

PubMed

Pedditzi, Maria Luisa; Nonnis, M

2014-01-01

Numerous studies show the existence of stress and burnout among teachers. The psycho-social sources of stress and burnout in teachers cover many aspects, often of conflictual nature, affecting the relationship with the school organization, colleagues, parents, students, and many other variables. This study aimed at exploring the incidence of burnout among teachers in primary and secondary schools and to describing the characteristics of burnout taking into account the educational level, the location of the school and the teacher's length of service. Another objective of this study was to identify, among the principal sources of teachers' job stress, those sources that are more able to predict the occurrence of burnout. Among these predictors of stress we considered the personal image of the teacher with respect to the work-family interface and the gap between professional and social status. 882 teachers from the cities of Rome, Bari, Cagliari and Sassari completed the Maslach burnout Inventory (MBI), and an adaptation to the school environment of the OSI (Organizational Stress Indicator, Cooper, Sloan & Williams). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and analysis of the multivariate variance. 29.9% of the teachers surveyed presented high levels of emotional exhaustion, 33.8% had the highest scores of depersonalization; 28.3% had a low level of professional achievement; 8.2% of the teachers were in burnout. Interpersonal conflict and personal image were included among the predictors of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. The study highlights the existence of burnout among teachers and the need for prevention, particularly against depersonalization, that affects the quality of both the teacher-student relationship and the teaching-learning process.

The effect of psychosocial stress on muscle activity during computer work: Comparative study between desktop computer and mobile computing products.

PubMed

Taib, Mohd Firdaus Mohd; Bahn, Sangwoo; Yun, Myung Hwan

2016-06-27

The popularity of mobile computing products is well known. Thus, it is crucial to evaluate their contribution to musculoskeletal disorders during computer usage under both comfortable and stressful environments. This study explores the effect of different computer products' usages with different tasks used to induce psychosocial stress on muscle activity. Fourteen male subjects performed computer tasks: sixteen combinations of four different computer products with four different tasks used to induce stress. Electromyography for four muscles on the forearm, shoulder and neck regions and task performances were recorded. The increment of trapezius muscle activity was dependent on the task used to induce the stress where a higher level of stress made a greater increment. However, this relationship was not found in the other three muscles. Besides that, compared to desktop and laptop use, the lowest activity for all muscles was obtained during the use of a tablet or smart phone. The best net performance was obtained in a comfortable environment. However, during stressful conditions, the best performance can be obtained using the device that a user is most comfortable with or has the most experience with. Different computer products and different levels of stress play a big role in muscle activity during computer work. Both of these factors must be taken into account in order to reduce the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders or problems.

Psychosocial Working Conditions and Cognitive Complaints among Swedish Employees

PubMed Central

Stenfors, Cecilia U. D.; Magnusson Hanson, Linda; Oxenstierna, Gabriel; Theorell, Töres; Nilsson, Lars-Göran

2013-01-01

Background Cognitive complaints involving problems with concentration, memory, decision-making and thinking are relatively common in the work force. The sensitivity of both subjective and objective cognitive functioning to common psychiatric conditions, stress levels and to cognitive load makes it plausible that psychosocial working conditions play a role in cognitive complaints. Thus, this study aimed to test the associations between psychosocial work factors and cognitive complaints in nationally representative samples of the Swedish work force. Cross-sectional (n = 9751) and prospective (n = 3644; two time points two years apart) sequential multiple regression analyses were run, adjusting for general confounders, depressive- and sleeping problems. Additional prospective analyses were run adjusting for baseline cognitive complaints. Cross-sectional results High quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, underqualification and conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints, while social support, good resources at work and overqualification were negatively associated with cognitive complaints in all models. Skill discretion and decision authority were weakly associated with cognitive complaints. Conflicts were more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men, after adjustment for general confounders. Prospective results Quantitative job demands, ICT demands and underqualification were positively associated with future cognitive complaints in all models, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. Decision authority was weakly positively associated with future cognitive complaints, only after adjustment for depressive- and sleeping problems respectively. Social support was negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders and baseline cognitive complaints. Skill discretion and resources were negatively associated with future

The Relation between Social Cohesion and Smoking Cessation among Black Smokers, and the Potential Role of Psychosocial Mediators

PubMed Central

Reitzel, Lorraine R.; Kendzor, Darla E.; Castro, Yessenia; Cao, Yumei; Businelle, Micheal S.; Mazas, Carlos A.; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Li, Yisheng; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.; Wetter, David W.

2012-01-01

Background Social cohesion, the self-reported trust and connectedness between neighbors, may affect health behaviors via psychosocial mechanisms. Purpose Relations between individual perceptions of social cohesion and smoking cessation were examined among 397 Black treatment-seeking smokers. Methods Continuation ratio logit models examined the relation of social cohesion and biochemically-verified continuous smoking abstinence through 6 months post-quit. Indirect effects were examined in single mediator models using a nonparametric bootstrapping procedure. All analyses controlled for sociodemographics, tobacco dependence, and treatment. Results The total effect of social cohesion on continuous abstinence was non-significant (β=.05, p=.10). However, social cohesion was associated with social support, positive affect negative affect, and stress, which, in turn, were each associated with abstinence in adjusted models (ps<.05). Conclusions Results suggest that social cohesion may facilitate smoking cessation among Black smokers through desirable effects on psychosocial mechanisms that can result from living in a community with strong interpersonal connections. PMID:23135831

Psychosocial stress induces hyperphagia and exacerbates diet-induced insulin resistance and the manifestations of the Metabolic Syndrome.

PubMed

Sanghez, Valentina; Razzoli, Maria; Carobbio, Stefania; Campbell, Mark; McCallum, Jacob; Cero, Cheryl; Ceresini, Graziano; Cabassi, Aderville; Govoni, Paolo; Franceschini, Paolo; de Santis, Valentina; Gurney, Allison; Ninkovic, Ivana; Parmigiani, Stefano; Palanza, Paola; Vidal-Puig, Antonio; Bartolomucci, Alessandro

2013-12-01

Stress and hypercaloric food are recognized risk factors for obesity, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Given the complexity of these metabolic processes and the unavailability of animal models, there is poor understanding of their underlying mechanisms. We established a model of chronic psychosocial stress in which subordinate mice are vulnerable to weight gain while dominant mice are resilient. Subordinate mice fed a standard diet showed marked hyperphagia, high leptin, low adiponectin, and dyslipidemia. Despite these molecular signatures of MetS and T2D, subordinate mice fed a standard diet were still euglycemic. We hypothesized that stress predisposes subordinate mice to develop T2D when synergizing with other risk factors. High fat diet aggravated dyslipidemia and the MetS thus causing a pre-diabetes-like state in subordinate mice. Contrary to subordinates, dominant mice were fully protected from stress-induced metabolic disorders when fed both a standard- and a high fat-diet. Dominant mice showed a hyperphagic response that was similar to subordinate but, unlike subordinates, showed a significant increase in VO2, VCO2, and respiratory exchange ratio when compared to control mice. Overall, we demonstrated a robust stress- and social status-dependent effect on the development of MetS and T2D and provided insights on the physiological mechanisms. Our results are reminiscent of the effect of the individual socioeconomic status on human health and provide an animal model to study the underlying molecular mechanisms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder in refugees and asylum seekers resettled in high-income countries: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Nosè, Michela; Ballette, Francesca; Bighelli, Irene; Turrini, Giulia; Purgato, Marianna; Tol, Wietse; Priebe, Stefan; Barbui, Corrado

2017-01-01

Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in refugees and asylum seekers resettled in high-income countries presents specific challenges. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for this group. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of randomised trials, CINAHL, EMBASE, PILOTS, PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science up to July 2016. Studies included randomised and controlled clinical trials comparing psychosocial interventions with waiting list or treatment as usual in adult refugees and asylum seekers with PTSD resettled in high-income countries. PTSD symptoms post-intervention was the primary outcome. We computed standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). This study is registered with PROSPERO: CRD42015027843. Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis. Psychosocial interventions were effective in decreasing PTSD symptoms relative to control groups (SMD -1·03, 95% CI -1·55 to -0·51; number needed to treat 4·4; I2 86%; 95% CI 77 to 91). Narrative exposure therapy, a manualized short-term variant of cognitive behavioural therapy with a trauma focus, was the best-supported intervention (5 RCTs, 187 participants, SMD -0·78, 95% CI -1·18 to -0·38, I2 37%; 95% CI 0 to 77). Methodological quality of the included studies was limited. Overall, psychosocial interventions for asylum seekers and refugees with PTSD resettled in high-income countries were found to provide significant benefits in reducing PTSD symptoms. Yet, the number of studies is small and their methodological quality limited, so that more rigorous trials should be conducted in the future.

The psychosocial work environment and mental health of teachers: a comparative study between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

PubMed

Tang, Jessica Janice; Leka, Stavroula; MacLennan, Sara

2013-08-01

There is limited research on teachers' psychosocial work environment and mental health, and most has been conducted in predominantly Western countries that share a number of important common characteristics that distinguish them from countries in many other regions of the world. Within the framework of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) theoretical model, the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and mental health of teachers in the United Kingdom (UK) and Hong Kong (HK) was investigated. Full-time qualified teachers from both the UK and HK (N = 259) participated in the research. They were asked to fill in a set of questionnaires that measured their perceived stress, mental health, psychosocial work environment and demographic information. Perceived stress was found to predict teachers' mental health. Overcommitment, the intrinsic component of the ERI model, predicted mental health among HK teachers. There were significant differences in the psychosocial variables between UK and HK teachers. The results showed support for the ERI model and in particular for the relationship between stress and mental health and demonstrated the role of overcommitment in the teaching profession. Some implications are discussed for combating cultural differences in managing the psychosocial work environment of teachers.

Do painkillers serve as "hillbilly heroin" for rural adults with high levels of psychosocial stress?

PubMed

Black, Pamela; Hendy, Helen M

2017-07-05

Nonmedical use of painkillers has increased in recent years, with some authors suggesting that painkillers serve as "hillbilly heroin": a drug chosen by rural adults to cope with psychosocial stresses in their lives. The present study compared rural and urban adults for their reported use of 5 drugs during the past year (painkillers, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin) and for associations between these 5 drugs and their reported psychosocial stressors. This study conducted secondary analyses of anonymous survey data provided by the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health with responses from 8,699 rural and 18,481 urban adults. The survey included demographics (gender, age, race, education, marital status, family income), reports of whether participants had used each of 5 illicit drugs during the past year, and measures of psychological distress and social functioning problems. Controlling for demographics, rural adults showed no greater prevalence of painkiller use than urban adults, but rural adults were more likely than urban adults to use methamphetamine and less likely to use marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Controlling for demographics, rural adults showed no associations between psychological or social stressors and the use of painkillers, but such stressors were significantly associated with the use of marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin. Urban adults showed significant associations of psychological and social stressors with the use of painkillers, as well as with the use of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Results suggest that painkillers are unlikely to serve as "hillbilly heroin" for rural adults, but they may serve as "big-city heroin" for urban adults.

The acute salivary ghrelin response to a psychosocial stress is enhanced in symptomatic patients with bulimia nervosa: a pilot study.

PubMed

Monteleone, Palmiero; Tortorella, Alfonso; Scognamiglio, Pasquale; Serino, Ismene; Monteleone, Alessio Maria; Maj, Mario

2012-01-01

Stress is a precipitating factor for both binge eating and bulimia nervosa (BN); however, the biological mechanisms through which it may trigger binge eating are poorly understood. There is evidence that the adrenal hormone cortisol and the gastric peptide ghrelin might be involved in stress-induced food ingestion. We hypothesized that symptomatic patients with BN might disclose deranged responses of ghrelin and/or cortisol to stressors and that this could be related to their binge-eating behaviour. Here we investigated salivary cortisol and ghrelin responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in 10 women with acute BN and 10 age-matched healthy females. Eating-related psychopathology and behaviours were assessed by self-report measures. No significant differences emerged between bulimic patients and healthy controls in the pre-stress salivary levels of both cortisol and ghrelin. The BN patients displayed normal cortisol but enhanced ghrelin responses to TSST. No significant correlations emerged between stress-induced salivary hormone changes and self-report measures of binge eating. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing deranged salivary ghrelin reactivity to a psychosocial stressor in symptomatic patients with BN. The extent to which this could contribute to the binge-eating behaviour of BN subjects awaits clarification. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A systematic review of psychosocial factors associated with emotional adjustment in in vitro fertilization patients.

PubMed

Rockliff, Helen E; Lightman, Stafford L; Rhidian, Emily; Buchanan, Heather; Gordon, Uma; Vedhara, Kavita

2014-01-01

IVF treatment is usually stressful for patients, but individual differences in emotional response do exist. Differences in the stress response may be related to reproductive outcomes as well as to the development of psychiatric problems. This review collates research exploring which psychosocial factors (e.g. personality traits and coping strategies) are associated with the emotional adjustment of IVF patients. The aim is to reveal what is currently known about risk and protective factors for coping with the stress of IVF treatment and where further enquiry would be most beneficial. The databases, MEDLINE/PUBMED (US National Library of Medicine), PsycINFO (American Psychological Association), Web of Science (Social Sciences Citation Index) and EMbase, were searched from 1978 to September 2012 using relevant key words. All published peer-reviewed studies exploring associations between psychosocial factors and emotional adjustment outcomes were considered for inclusion. There were 23 studies identified for review. One-third of the psychosocial factors explored were found to be significantly related to emotional adjustment outcome measures. Neuroticism and the use of escapist coping strategies were positively associated with distress by multiple studies. Social support was negatively associated with distress by several studies. A number of other psychosocial variables appear to be associated with distress, including self-criticism, dependency, situation appraisals and attachment style, but these have only been explored by one or two studies at most. There is a paucity of research using positive emotional outcome measures (e.g. well-being, positive affect, happiness or life satisfaction) to quantify emotional adjustment. Whilst some psychosocial variables appear to be consistently associated with distress for IVF patients, two-thirds of the variables tested to date do not appear to be associated with emotional adjustment. This review highlights key psychosocial factors

Masculine Discrepancy Stress and Psychosocial Maladjustment: Implications for Behavioral and Mental Health of Adolescent Boys.

PubMed

Reidy, Dennis E; Smith-Darden, Joanne P; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M; Malone, Carolyn A; Kernsmith, Poco D

2017-01-01

Gender role discrepancy (GRD), or nonconformity to socially prescribed gender roles, has been linked to a multitude of adverse mental and behavioral health outcomes. Masculine discrepancy stress (MDS), stress about being perceived not to conform to one's gender role, may explain the relationship between GRD and deleterious health outcomes. However, research on MDS has primarily been restricted to adult males. This leaves a critical gap pertaining to the potential effect of MDS on adolescent boys, who may be more malleable and susceptible to the influence and pressures of gender socialization. In the current study, data are drawn from a sample of adolescent male students ( N = 592) who completed self-report questionnaires. We employed structural equation modeling to test the effects of GRD and MDS on psychosocial maladjustment measured via sexual behavior, substance use, violence, mood disorder symptoms, and hopelessness. In addition, we controlled for critical risk factors including sociodemographic characteristics, adverse childhood experiences, trauma symptoms, and neighborhood disorganization. Findings indicate significant potentiating effects of MDS on maladjustment while there were direct protective effects of GRD. These data suggest that developing prevention strategies that incorporate social norms pertaining to gender socialization may have an impact on multiple behavioral and mental health problems.

Psychosocial risk factors in home and community settings and their associations with population health and health inequalities: A systematic meta-review

PubMed Central

Egan, Matt; Tannahill, Carol; Petticrew, Mark; Thomas, Sian

2008-01-01

Background The effects of psychosocial risk factors on population health and health inequalities has featured prominently in epidemiological research literature as well as public health policy strategies. We have conducted a meta-review (a review of reviews) exploring how psychosocial factors may relate to population health in home and community settings. Methods Systematic review (QUORUM) of literature reviews (published in any language or country) on the health associations of psychosocial risk factors in community settings. The literature search included electronic and manual searches. Two reviewers appraised included reviews using criteria for assessing systematic reviews. Data from the more robust reviews were extracted, tabulated and synthesised. Results Thirty-one reviews met our inclusion criteria. These explored a variety of psychosocial factors including social support and networks, social capital, social cohesion, collective efficacy, participation in local organisations – and less favourable psychosocial risk factors such as demands, exposure to community violence or anti-social behaviour, exposure to discrimination, and stress related to acculturation to western society. Most of the reviews focused on associations between social networks/support and physical or mental health. We identified some evidence of favourable psychosocial environments associated with better health. Reviews also found evidence of unfavourable psychosocial risk factors linked to poorer health, particularly among socially disadvantaged groups. However, the more robust reviews each identified studies with inconclusive findings, as well as studies finding evidence of associations. We also identified some evidence of apparently favourable psychosocial risk factors associated with poorer health. Conclusion From the review literature we have synthesised, where associations have been identified, they generally support the view that favourable psychosocial environments go hand in hand

Association between prenatal psychological stress and oxidative stress during pregnancy.

PubMed

Eick, Stephanie M; Barrett, Emily S; van 't Erve, Thomas J; Nguyen, Ruby H N; Bush, Nicole R; Milne, Ginger; Swan, Shanna H; Ferguson, Kelly K

2018-03-30

Prenatal psychological stress during pregnancy has been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes. A growing animal literature supports an association between psychological stress and oxidative stress. We assessed this relationship in pregnant women, hypothesising that psychological stress is associated with higher concentrations of oxidative stress biomarkers during pregnancy. Psychosocial status and stressful life events (SLE) were self-reported. 8-iso-prostaglandin F 2α (8-iso-PGF 2α ) was measured as a biomarker of oxidative stress in urine samples at median 32 weeks' gestation. We examined SLEs individually (ever vs never) and in summary (any vs none) and psychosocial status as measured by individual subscales and in summary (poor vs good). Linear models estimated associations between these parameters and urinary 8-iso-PGF 2α concentrations after adjusting for covariates. The geometric mean of 8-iso-PGF 2α was significantly higher among pregnant women who were non-White, smokers, had less than a college education, higher pre-pregnancy BMI and were unmarried. Having ever had a death in the family (n = 39) during pregnancy was associated with a 22.9% increase in 8-iso-PGF 2α in unadjusted models (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50, 48.8). Poor psychosocial status was associated with a 13.1% (95% CI 2.43, 25.0) greater mean 8-iso-PGF 2α in unadjusted analyses. Associations were attenuated, but remained suggestive, after covariate adjustment. These data suggest that 8-iso-PGF 2α is elevated in pregnant women with who are at a sociodemographic disadvantage and who have higher psychological stress in pregnancy. Previous studies have observed that 8-iso-PGF 2α levels are associated with adverse birth outcomes, oxidative stress could be a mediator in these relationships. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.