Partners in adversity: II. Measurement and description of stressful event sequences ('complexes')

Three groups of married women were studied with each defined by their experience of a different stressful incident (the target event). In the first (the Coronary Group), the husband had suffered a non-fatal myocardial infarction whilst in the second (the Bereaved Group), he had recently died. In the third (the Refuge Group) the subject had just entered a refuge run by Women's Aid in order to flee from her husband. This paper concentrates on the description and measurement of the sequence of these experiences and of others occurring within the same study time. The Bedford College core rating scheme together with other ratings were applied. In the Coronary group, the target event was rated as a severe threat in 46.9% of cases, and also rated as being of uncertain outcome and hopeless. Over one quarter of the sample received other ratings such as subject-focused and choice of action. Virtually all the bereavements were rated severe threat, loss, hopeless and subject-focused. The refuge target events were mostly rated of only moderate threat but differed widely on other characteristics. In the 6 months prior to the target event, other severe events tended to occur most frequently to the Refuge group and least frequently to the Coronary group. However, these other severe events were mostly connected with the target event and what had lead up to it. Issues concerning the measurement of the principal study events and the other stressors experienced are discussed.