A Longitudinal Study of the Influence of the Psychosocial Environment on Health Status: A Preliminary Report

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Various aspects of the psychosocial environment and their relationship to health status are studied. Over 2 yr, measures are being taken on 500 human subjects of: social relationship networks; the extent to which subjects perceive themselves as having some control over their environment; accumulating life changes; subjective strain; and health status. The research hypothesis states that the extent to which individuals are successful in coping with changes in their lives will be reflected in the degree to which they report distress on strain. It is this cost in the coping struggle that results in an increase in the likelihood of health problems. Positive (desirable) life events do not have a significant statistical correlation with the measure of strain, whereas negative (undesirable) life events do. Dimensions of life events (2), anticipation and control, add substantial and interactional information about these relationships.