Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Major depressive disorder in persons exposed to trauma: relationship between emotional intelligence and social
Laura E Kwako1, Sarah J Szanton, Leorey N Saligan
1National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Laura.kwako@nih.gov
Background:
Traumatic events are often linked to the onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) and for the increase of nonremittance of symptoms; however, psychological factors that contribute to the relationship between trauma and chronic depression are not well defined.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to determine if emotional intelligence (EI) and social support differ in traumatized depressed patients when compared with controls.
Method:
The present study examines two psychosocial factors that may contribute to this link: EI and social support. Participants who experienced a trauma and had current MDD (n=38) were compared with nontraumatized healthy controls ( n=40).
Results:
Traumatized depressed participants exhibited lower total EI, because of reductions in strategic EI ability, as well as lower levels of social support compared with the control group.
Conclusions:
EI and social support were significantly correlated. These findings suggest that EI may be a novel target for intervention to prevent and treat MDD.
Related Concept Videos
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Social Relationships and Well-Being
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Psychological Responses to Stress
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques V
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...

