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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 10/2016

01-10-2016 | Original Paper

Life-stress and reactivity by gender in a longitudinal birth cohort at 30 and 35 years

Authors: Geraldine F. H. McLeod, L. J. Horwood, D. M. Fergusson, J. M. Boden

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 10/2016

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous literature has shown gender differences in reactivity to stressful life events. However, it is unclear whether gender differences in stress reactivity are consistent across a series of life event domains among longitudinal adult sample populations.

Methods

Data were gathered from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS). The CHDS is a longitudinal birth cohort of 1265 children born in 1977 in Christchurch, New Zealand. Cohort members were questioned on their experience of, and distress from, a series of life event domains (interpersonal problems; victimization; illness/death; pregnancy/parenthood; employment/finance problems) spanning two age-periods 25–30 years (data collected in 2007) and 30–35 years (data collected in 2012). The data were pooled across observations and analyzed using population-averaged repeated-measures regression methods.

Results

Overall, men and women reported experiencing similar numbers of life events for each domain. However, men reported more victimization and more employment/financial problems; women reported more illness/death events. Women reported experiencing more distress per life event for the domains of interpersonal problems, illness/death and pregnancy/parenthood. Men and women reported similar distress per life event for the victimization and employment/finance domains. The results were robust to control for: child and adolescent factors (childhood abuse exposure; adolescent personality; mental health) and adult factors (mental health; self-esteem).

Conclusion

These findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence indicating that some life events including interpersonal problems, illness/death and pregnancy/parenthood may be intrinsically more distressing for women. Detection of life event distress is important to aid in the prevention of mental/physical health problems.
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Metadata
Title
Life-stress and reactivity by gender in a longitudinal birth cohort at 30 and 35 years
Authors
Geraldine F. H. McLeod
L. J. Horwood
D. M. Fergusson
J. M. Boden
Publication date
01-10-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 10/2016
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1254-z

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