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Life event categories differentially predict psychopathology symptom levels
1Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Francis Scott Key Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224.
The Journal of Psychology
|May 1, 1992
Summary
Daily hassles, or negative life events, were found to predict psychopathology levels in college students. Different types of hassles varied in their ability to predict mental health outcomes over one month.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Mental Health Research
- Stress and Coping Studies
Background:
- Daily negative life events, termed 'hassles,' are recognized stressors.
- Understanding the impact of hassles on mental health is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine if different categories of daily hassles predict psychopathology levels.
- To determine if hassles predict changes in psychopathology over a one-month period.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study design with a mixed-sex, nonclinical undergraduate sample.
- Assessed hassles using the Revised Hassles Scale (HS-R).
- Measured psychopathology with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) at two time points, one month apart.
Main Results:
- All eight subscales of the Revised Hassles Scale significantly predicted psychopathology levels at the second time point.
- The predictive strength of different hassle categories varied considerably.
- Hassles demonstrated predictive utility for both current and changing levels of psychopathology.
Conclusions:
- Daily hassles are significant predictors of psychopathology in young adults.
- The specific type of daily stressor influences its impact on mental health.
- Findings highlight the differential impact of various hassles on psychological well-being.