Partners in adversity V: Support, personality and coping behaviour at the time of crisis

摘要: This paper presents further results from a study of married women in Edinburgh who had just suffered an adverse experience: either their husband's non-fatal myocardial infartion, death or own arrival Women's Aid refuge for battered women. Interviews were carried out 4–6 weeks following the experience and, where possible, again approximately 3 months later. Symptoms assessed using 30-item General Health Questionnaire and criterion-based measures depression anxiety derived it. The extent nature crisis support household members groups people outside household, also failures expected support, was measured at first interview. A modified version Tyrer Alexander's (1979) personality schedule administered follow-up interview, resulting data then reduced to six factors principal components analysis. An interviewer assessment how well subject coping made both interviews. vast majority sample received extensive practical emotional family friends, perhaps because such positive so prevalent, variations it seemed have little effect on symptoms. However, subjects unexpectedly ‘let down’ criticised by friends tended show higher symptom levels, although, surprisingly, this less true bereaved wives than others. that emerged labellednervousness (similar neuroticism)impulsivity, social withdrawal, helplessness, inferiority andaggressiveness. There evidence high nervousness remained symptomatic longer experience. aggressiveness factor showed curvilinear trend with low aggressives showing levels middle aggressives. coronary linear having Subjects impulsivity more affected being family. interviewer-assessed measure linearly related relationship aggressiveness.