Death of an immediate family member is one of the most stressful life events. According to the American Sociological Association, prison inmates die more often of stress-related illnesses than the general population. The death of a family member tests the family's boundaries and each member experiences grief in their own way. Moreover, the death of a loved one can leave an individual feeling confused, isolated, or even suicidal. While death of an immediate family member can be devastating, it can also lead to other stress-related illnesses.
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Relationship between stress and mental health
The relationship between stressful life events and mental health has long been studied, and there are numerous tools available for assessing this relationship. One of the most widely used measures is the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS). This self-report checklist includes 43 items with varying stress levels, ranging from 11 to 100. Each life event is scored on a scale from mild to severe, and the total score of all events in the last three months determines its magnitude.
While the study findings indicate that there is a relationship between stressful life events and mental health, these results should be interpreted in the context of six potential methodologic limitations. First, the sample is entirely female, and a relationship between financial stress and mental health may not hold in men. Second, the study sample consists of twin pairs. This may lead to differential exposure to stress, but correlations within twin pairs were low enough to be of little practical concern. Third, the study did not test for the association between stressful life events and mental health in children and adolescents. The correlation between stressful life events and mental health was stronger among men than women.
Measurement of stress
The main objective of measuring stress during stressful life events is to determine how well people can handle multiple demands and cope. To develop stress-measurements, researchers developed the Rahe stress scale, which measures the degree of difficulty of various stressful life events. Designed to capture the total amount of stress experienced during a stressful event, this measure includes questions about the stressors and the people's responses to them. It is not feasible to predict the full impact of stressful life events.
The PSS is a validated measure of stressful life events. The ACE score has been linked to inflammatory responses relevant to rheumatic diseases. The ACE score is a useful predictor of disease incidence and progression, although further studies are needed to test the correlation between stress levels and inflammatory responses. The PSS measures the number of stressful life events experienced during a person's lifetime. The scale also enables researchers to identify the factors that contribute to the severity of stress.
Impact of social support
Social support is a resource embedded within a person's social networks. It may include the people with whom the individual has relationships, the social organizations one is a part of, and a sense of community and belonging to a community or city. Social capital has been measured and is often defined in terms of perception. Other types of social support are influenced by the individual's own values and beliefs. These factors may influence the person's propensity to accept and give support.
The present study evaluated whether social support affects the level of psychological distress caused by stressful life events. The participants were asked to complete a battery of questions related to their present psychological state and the intervening variables such as their spiritual beliefs and physical status. The study also evaluated the impact of social support on the perception of social support. The researchers used a measure of perceived social support, called the MOS-SSS, that comprises four subscales. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale.