Life Events, Social Supports, and Psychiatric Symptoms: A Re-Analysis of the New Haven Data

Author:
  • WEWilliam W. Eaton
    William W. Eaton
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Abstract
Longitudinal data on life events and psychiatric symptoms, presented in this journal by Myers et al. in 1975, are reanalyzed using the panel regression technique. This analysis shows that life events are fairly independent of each other over a two-year time period. The effect of recall distortion on the life events-mental disorder relationship is negligible. The data provide some serendipitous evidence that life events are more likely to cause mental disorder if the individual has not experienced similar stresses before. There is also evidence that members of the household provide support in times of crisis that help prevent mental disorder.