Psychosocial predictors of sudden death: a review and critique

Research and selected case studies concerning psychosocial prediction of sudden death are evaluated under three categories: sudden cardiac, sudden infant and sudden traumatic death. The psychosocial predictors reviewed include novelty-pre-exposure, control-helplessness, restraint, Type A behavior, life change, bereavement, denial, social support and contact, voodoo, psychiatric illness, mother infant separation, submission-defeat, housing, handling and environmental enrichment. Four of these predictors, controllability-helplessness, pre-exposure-novelty, depressive affect and physical restraint are repeatedly cited in both human and animal studies and their importance is critically evaluated. Methodological and substantive recommendations for future research are made and a discussion of possible mechanisms is presented.