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The article reports a study examining the relationship between perceived threat and subjective well-being (positive and negative affect) in pregnant women. Subjects were multiparas classified as having low-risk or high-risk pregnancies and receiving prenatal care from private obstetricians. High-risk women were using home uterine activity monitoring and receiving nursing contact by telephone and home visit. By means of repeated measure analysis of variance, significant risk group differences were found in negative affect and degree of perceived threat. The event of the high-risk pregnancy appeared to be stressful to the high-risk group, with high-risk pregnant women indicating more negative emotions. Based on the findings of this study, interventions to assist women in managing stress should be focused on the second trimester. A balance between personal support and technologic intervention is necessary.

Relationships of stress, social support, and risk in pregnancy were tested in low-income women receiving outpatient antepartal care. Nineteen high-risk and 20 low-risk women completed the State Anxiety Inventory and Brown's Support Behavior Inventory. Urinary catecholamine levels from a single morning urine sample, determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, were used as the indicator of physiological stress. There was a significant difference between the groups in epinephrine level, but not in norepinephrine level, anxiety, or social support scores. In the high-risk group, norepinephrine level and partner support were negatively correlated; there were no other significant correlations. In the low-risk group, epinephrine level was positively correlated with norepinephrine level and age; anxiety was negatively correlated with partner support and age.

Perceptions of cancer stressors and protective factors are predictors of stress experienced during treatment for childhood cancer were assessed in this study. Cancer stressors were the type of treatment received during two clinic visits and the child's perception of the cancer experience. Protective factors were self-perception, coping strategies, perceived social support, and family environment. The child's responses to stressors were assessed by epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol levels of urine, and measures of state anxiety. Forty-four children between 6 1/2 and 13 1/2 years of age receiving treatment for cancer were evaluated during two clinic visits. Epinephrine was elevated for children during both clinic visits, while norepinephrine and cortisol remained normal. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that the family environment and global self-worth were the best predictors of epinephrine levels, while social support from friends predicted norepinephrine levels. The family environment and social support from teachers predicted state anxiety.

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