Social Safety Theory: Conceptual foundation, underlying mechanisms, and future directions

Slavich, George M.; Roos, Lydia G.; Mengelkoch, Summer; Webb, Christian A.; Shattuck, Eric C; Moriarity, Daniel P.; Alley, Jenna

doi:10.1080/17437199.2023.2171900

Cited by 34 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 323 publications

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“…Other studies have indicated that childhood adversity may be associated with a higher probability of experiencing an adulthood psychiatric disorder, major depression (Radford et al, 2017), panic disorder and anxiety (McEwen et al, 2012), and mood disorders (McEwen et al, 2012; Radford et al, 2017). Although the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear, childhood adversity may lower the threshold needed to develop depressive symptoms following recent life stress (Slavich et al, 2011) and may activate neurobiological pathways (e.g., involving inflammation) that can induce both depression and anxiety symptoms (Slavich, 2020, 2022; Slavich & Irwin, 2014; Slavich et al, 2023). The cumulative impact of life stress can also affect cognitive functions (Shields et al, 2017; Shields & Slavich, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This decision was based on the potential mediating role of depressive symptoms on the association between stress and cognition, which could obscure the primary association we aimed to investigate — the direct impact of adversity on cognition. Finally, because the study was not designed to elucidate mechanisms linking stress with psychiatric symptoms or cognitive impairment, additional research is needed to neural, immune, and other processes that could play a role (Slavich, 2020, 2022; Slavich et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…| 1043 impact of adversity on cognition. Finally, because the study was not designed to elucidate mechanisms linking stress with psychiatric symptoms or cognitive impairment, additional research is needed to neural, immune, and other processes that could play a role (Slavich, 2020(Slavich, , 2022Slavich et al, 2023).…”

Section: Strengths and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lifetime adversity predicts depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States

Ahn,

Kim,

Zhang

et al. 2024

J Clin Psychol

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ObjectiveAlthough life stress and adversity are well‐known risk factors for mental health problems and cognitive impairment among older adults, limited research has comprehensively examined the impact of both childhood and adulthood adversity on psychiatric and cognitive impairment symptoms over a prolonged period. To address this issue, we investigated how lifetime adversity exposure is related to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of older adults in the United States.MethodWe analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study (1992–2016). The sample included 3496 individuals (59.9% female), aged ≥64 years old (Mage = 76.0 ± 7.6 years in 2016). We used the individual‐level panel data and ordinary least squares regressions to estimate associations between childhood and adulthood adversities, and later‐life depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.ResultsMany participants experienced a significant early life (38%) or adulthood (79%) stressor. Moreover, experiencing one childhood adversity (vs. none) was associated with a 17.4% increased risk of adulthood adversity. Finally, as hypothesized, childhood adversity exposure was related to experiencing more depression and anxiety symptoms in later life, whereas adulthood stressor exposure predicted more cognitive impairment as well as more depression and anxiety symptoms.DiscussionThese findings demonstrate significant associations between lifetime adversity and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in older adults. Screening for lifetime stressors may thus help healthcare professionals and policymakers identify individuals who could potentially benefit from interventions designed to reduce stress and enhance resilience.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lifetime adversity predicts depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States

Ahn,

Kim,

Zhang

et al. 2024

J Clin Psychol

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“…Humans are inherently social creatures, and our social interactions and their quality influence our stress levels and well-being by influencing perceptions of social safety [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. Whereas social safety, connectedness, and inclusion predict positive life outcomes, loneliness, social isolation, and rejection predict negative health outcomes, reduced happiness, and reduced longevity [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ].…”

Section: Psychological Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Ecological Momentary Assessments to Study How Daily Fluctuations in Psychological States Impact Stress, Well-Being, and Health

Mengelkoch,

Moriarity,

Novak

et al. 2023

JCM

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Despite great interest in how dynamic fluctuations in psychological states such as mood, social safety, energy, present-focused attention, and burnout impact stress, well-being, and health, most studies examining these constructs use retrospective assessments with relatively long time-lags. Here, we discuss how ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) address methodological issues associated with retrospective reports to help reveal dynamic associations between psychological states at small timescales that are often missed in stress and health research. In addition to helping researchers characterize daily and within-day fluctuations and temporal dynamics between different health-relevant processes, EMAs can elucidate mechanisms through which interventions reduce stress and enhance well-being. EMAs can also be used to identify changes that precede critical health events, which can in turn be used to deliver ecological momentary interventions, or just-in-time interventions, to help prevent such events from occurring. To enable this work, we provide examples of scales and single-item questions used in EMA studies, recommend study designs and statistical approaches that capitalize on EMA data, and discuss limitations of EMA methods. In doing so, we aim to demonstrate how, when used carefully, EMA methods are well poised to greatly advance our understanding of how intrapersonal dynamics affect stress levels, well-being, and human health.

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“…In reviewing stress-induced neuronal pathophysiology, it is important to highlight that brain networks communicate with the immune system to monitor and respond to many kinds of threats, including social, physical, and psychological stressors. Psychological stressors can trigger anticipatory neuroimmune responses that reduce risk for injury and infection by upregulating inflammatory activity in the mere presence of social threat [e.g., 417 – 419 ]. Therefore, even a “painful” feeling such as shame, but not guilt—which is an understanding that our actions have harmed somebody else—can increase proinflammatory cytokine activity while not affecting cortisol levels in healthy adults [e.g., 420 ].…”

Section: Psychoneuroimmunologic Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress-related cellular pathophysiology as a crosstalk risk factor for neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders

Palamarchuk,

Slavich,

Vaillancourt

et al. 2023

BMC Neurosci

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In this narrative review, we examine biological processes linking psychological stress and cognition, with a focus on how psychological stress can activate multiple neurobiological mechanisms that drive cognitive decline and behavioral change. First, we describe the general neurobiology of the stress response to define neurocognitive stress reactivity. Second, we review aspects of epigenetic regulation, synaptic transmission, sex hormones, photoperiodic plasticity, and psychoneuroimmunological processes that can contribute to cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric conditions. Third, we explain mechanistic processes linking the stress response and neuropathology. Fourth, we discuss molecular nuances such as an interplay between kinases and proteins, as well as differential role of sex hormones, that can increase vulnerability to cognitive and emotional dysregulation following stress. Finally, we explicate several testable hypotheses for stress, neurocognitive, and neuropsychiatric research. Together, this work highlights how stress processes alter neurophysiology on multiple levels to increase individuals’ risk for neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders, and points toward novel therapeutic targets for mitigating these effects. The resulting models can thus advance dementia and mental health research, and translational neuroscience, with an eye toward clinical application in cognitive and behavioral neurology, and psychiatry.

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Social Safety Theory: Conceptual foundation, underlying mechanisms, and future directions

Cited by 34 publications

References 323 publications

Lifetime adversity predicts depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States

Lifetime adversity predicts depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States

Using Ecological Momentary Assessments to Study How Daily Fluctuations in Psychological States Impact Stress, Well-Being, and Health

Stress-related cellular pathophysiology as a crosstalk risk factor for neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders

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