The Impact of Negative Life Events on Attempted Suicide in Rural China

Past research has found that a perceived meaning in life can act as a protective factor against adverse mental health symptomology, while also providing coping resources to buffer against the impact of negative life events. The current research investigated how the impact of self-perceived meaning in life as well as its predictors interact with stressors and worry related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected survey based data (n = 260) from Australian participants during the pandemic, measuring their meaning in life, orientation to differing life goals and COVID-19 related stressors via the impact of events scale. We found that meaning in life predicted less stress and worry associated with COVID-19. We also found that intrinsic based aspirations related positively to meaning in life within this context whereas extrinsic based goals related negatively to it, although these aspirations were not significant in reducing the stressors associated with COVID-19. These results reinforce past findings that meaning in life can effectively buffer against the impact of negative life events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. They also suggest that intrinsic based aspirations centred on relationships and self-acceptance may be an important mechanism in how people choose to pursue life meaning during uncertain life events.

Download Full-text

The associations between family characteristics and depressive symptoms in older adults: a community-based survey in rural China

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610211002663 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (8) ◽

pp. 1226-1234 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yanhong Gong ◽

Xiaopiao Wen ◽

Chaoping Guan ◽

Zhiqing Wang ◽

Yuan Liang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Life Events ◽

Rural China ◽

Economic Status ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Family Members ◽

Family Characteristics ◽

Negative Life Event ◽

The Past

ABSTRACTBackground: The aim of the current study was to investigate the associations between family characteristics and depressive symptoms, and provide new evidence and recommendations for prevention and intervention in the depressive symptoms of older adults.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted door-to-door, utilizing a sample of 1,317 individuals aged 60 years and above in rural China. The five family characteristic variables recorded were: living with spouse, living with descendant, support of family members, self-reported family economic status in the previous year, and family-related negative life events that occurred anytime in the past with a continuous psychological effect during the past 12 months. Gender, age, years of schooling, and self-rated physical health status were taken as potential confounders. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine independent effects on depressive symptoms.Results: In addition to the potential confounders, only family-related negative life events, support of family members, and self-reported family economic status had significant effects on depressive symptoms in older adults. Experiencing a family-related negative life event was the most significant variable (OR = 11.70, 95% CI: 7.72–17.73), the second was support of family members (OR = 6.93, 95% CI: 3.26–14.70), while family economic status was less important than support of family members (OR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.08–5.25).Conclusion: This study, from the perspective of family characteristics on depressive symptoms in older adults, showed a strong correlation between being exposed to harmful family environments and depressive symptoms among the elderly. Efforts to address family risk factors and strengthen family cohesiveness deserve a higher priority, given the importance of these factors, compared with other efforts such as promoting economic development.

Download Full-text

Longitudinal investigation of the role of temperament and stressful life events in childhood anxiety

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579413000989 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 437-449 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Suzanne Broeren ◽

Carol Newall ◽

Helen F. Dodd ◽

Ruth Locker ◽

Jennifer L. Hudson

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Life Events ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Childhood Anxiety ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Positive Behavior ◽

Stressful Life ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe current study investigated the longitudinal relationships among behavioral inhibition (BI), life events, and anxiety in a sample of 102 BI children and 100 behaviorally uninhibited (BUI) children aged 3 to 4 years. Children's parents completed questionnaires on BI, stressful life events, and anxiety symptoms, and were administered a diagnostic interview three times in a 5-year period. In line with our hypotheses, negative life events, particularly negative behavior-dependent life events (i.e., life events that are related to the children's own behaviors), and the impact of negative life events were predictive of increases in subsequent anxiety symptoms, the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder, and increased number of anxiety diagnoses over the 5-year follow-up period. Experiencing more positive, behavior-independent life events decreased the risk of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Furthermore, differences were found in life events between BI and BUI children. That is, BI children experienced fewer positive and specifically positive behavior-dependent life events, and the impact of these positive life events was also lower in BI children than in BUI children. However, BI did not interact with life events in the prediction of anxiety problems as hypothesized. Therefore, this study seems to indicate that BI and life events act as additive risk factors in the development of anxiety problems.

Download Full-text

Negative Life Events and Antenatal Depression among Pregnant Women in Rural China: The Role of Negative Automatic Thoughts

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0167597 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. e0167597 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yang Wang ◽

Xiaohua Wang ◽

Fangnan Liu ◽

Xiaoning Jiang ◽

Yun Xiao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Life Events ◽

Rural China ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Antenatal Depression ◽

Automatic Thoughts ◽

Negative Automatic Thoughts

Download Full-text

Assessment of Undergraduates’ Real-World Outcomes of Critical Thinking in Everyday Situations

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/0033294117701906 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 120 (4) ◽

pp. 707-720 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Amanda R. Franco ◽

Patrício S. Costa ◽

Heather A. Butler ◽

Leandro S. Almeida

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Life Events ◽

Real World ◽

Cognitive Skills ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Self Report ◽

First Year Students ◽

Portuguese Version ◽

Original Proposal ◽

The Impact

Critical thinking is a kind of “good” thinking that integrates a set of cognitive skills and dispositions to use those skills with knowledge to increase the chances of success in academic settings, job market, and daily life. The impact of critical thinking on life events, in face of everyday decisions and challenges, is still unclear, and further research is needed. In this exploratory study, a sample of 230 first-year students of a Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s Degree in Portugal completed an experimental Portuguese version of the Real-World Outcomes, a self-report inventory measuring everyday negative life events that are mediated by a lack of critical thinking. Based on exploratory factor analysis results and theoretical premises, changes were made to the Portuguese version of the inventory that was administered, and items were aggregated into six dimensions, creating a new version that is more familiar to Portuguese young adults in college. This original proposal of the inventory presents six types of negative life events resulting from a lack of critical thinking: health neglect, mismanagement, slackness, poor impulse control, academic negligence, and rashness. Both limitations and future potentialities of this version are presented.

Download Full-text