Into the Unknown: Anticipatory Stressors in the Stress Process Paradigm

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Public Health

Background:

• Anticipatory stressors, or worries about future events, are increasingly studied.
• Existing research highlights the impact of these future-oriented worries on mental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formalize a scale for measuring anticipatory stress.
• To examine predictors and consequences of anticipatory stress.
• To investigate the role of social support under high anticipatory stress.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from two national surveys (N = 3,834).
• Developed and applied a scale for anticipatory stress, assessing worries about economic security, trauma, and discrimination.
• Analyzed the relationship between stress exposure, marginalized group status, distress, and social support.

Main Results:

• Both personal and vicarious stress exposure predicted higher anticipatory stress.
• Anticipatory stress was concentrated among historically marginalized groups.
• Anticipatory stressors significantly predicted distress, even after accounting for other adversities.
• Social support's protective effect on mental health diminished with increased anticipatory stress.

Conclusions:

• Anticipatory stressors are a significant component of the stress process impacting mental health.
• The findings underscore the need to include future-oriented worries in stress models.
• Interventions may need to address anticipatory stress, particularly for vulnerable populations.