Interpersonal stress, depression, and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients.

Abstract

The relationships among interpersonal stressors, depression, coping inefficiency, hormones (prolactin, cortisol, and estradiol), and disease activity were examined. The sample comprised 33 women with rheumatoid arthritis (RAs; age 37-78) and 37 women with osteoarthritis (OAs; age 47-91), who served as controls. In a regression analysis, interpersonal conflict events accounted for more than twice as much variance in depression in RAs than in OAs. In the RA patients, the immune-stimulating hormones prolactin and estradiol were significantly positively correlated with interpersonal conflicts, depression, coping inefficacy, and clinician ratings of disease activity, suggesting that RAs are more reactive to interpersonal stressors than are OAs, both psychologically and physiologically.

Chronic strain, daily work stress and pain among workers with rheumatoid arthritis: Does job stress make a bad day worse?

“…Although we demonstrated a possible moderating effect for control and demands in paid work on the event-mood relationship within a day, we have used a widely-tested model that views undesirable events as stressors that lead to outcomes such as changes in mood and pain (Affleck et al, 1990Crosby, 1988;Mason et al, 1990;Parker et al, 1988;Zautra et al, 1994). However, we cannot rule out the fact that negative mood states at midday might have enhanced the recall of the morning's negative events (Blaney, 1986;Bower, 1981).…”

“…A growing body of evidence indicates that such stressful daily circumstances are associated with daily mood (Affleck, Tennen, Urrows, & Higgins, 1990;Armeli, Tennen, Affleck, & Kranzler, 2000;Bolger, DeLongis, Kessler, & Schilling, 1989), and illness symptoms (DeLongis, Folkman, & Lazarus, 1988;Repetti, 1993;Stone, Reed, & Neale, 1987). Studies show an association between minor stressful events and the course of RA as well, including symptoms such as pain (Affleck et al, 1990Crosby, 1988;Parker et al, 1988), emotional well-being (Zautra, Burleson, Matt, Roth, & Burrows, 1994), daily mood (Affleck et al, 1990) and indicators of disease activity (Mason, Anderson, Meenan, Weaver, & Haralson, 1990;. Few studies have examined the role of work events at the daily (cf.…”

Profiles of depressive symptoms among African Americans and Caribbean Blacks

“…Negative interactions (e.g., conflict, excessive demands, criticism) are a direct source of stress that have serious consequences for mental health. In fact, unpleasant encounters with social network members arouse more distress than do other types of stress (Bolger, DeLongis, Kessler, & Schilling, 1989;Zautra, Burleson, Matt, Roth, & Burrows, 1994), persist over a longer period of time (Bolger et al, 1989), and their harmful effects on mental health often outweigh the positive benefits of social support (Gray & Keith, 2003;Lincoln, Chatters, & Taylor, 2003, 2005.…”

Daily interpersonal events in pain patients: Applying action theory to chronic illness

“…Here we draw on data from a sample of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, joint swelling and tenderness, pain, morning stiffness, fatigue, and disability. RA symptoms and markers of disease activity often co-occur with psychosocial stressors, particularly those of an acute and interpersonal nature (e.g., Affleck et al, 1997; Arango & Cano, 1998;Zautra et al, 1994). The process by which RA patients' stable and varying illness symptoms, as well as personality and demographic characteristics, contribute to the experience of and responses to interpersonal events cannot be captured in a single assessment.…”