The Prediction of Frequency of Illness from the Response to Seperation

Psychosomatic phenomena: An extension of Wright.

“…For example, at least one study (Schmale, 1958) has shown that many consecutive admissions to a general medical hospital were preceded by significant loss. Other investigators (Maddison & Viola, 1968;Parens, McConville & Kaplan, 1966;Parkes, Benjamin & Fitzgerald, 1969) have found similar results.…”

Stress and infectious disease in humans.

“…Overall, there is fairly consistent evidence for a positive relation between measures of both stressors (e.g., Linville, 1987;Parens et al, 1966;Spilken & Jacobs, 1971;Stone Reed, & Neale, 1987) and distress (Imboden et al, 1961;Parens et al, 1966;Spilken & Jacobs, 1971) and URI-related illness behaviors. There is good reason, however, to question the extent to which these studies reflect stress-induced pathology as opposed to other (nonpathogenic) stress-induced processes that drive illness behaviors (see Figure 3).…”

“…Prospective studies. Parens, McConville, and Kaplan (1966) tracked the use of health services of two samples of first year nursing students (Ns = 75 and 61) for 8 months after administering a series of psychological measures. In both studies, those reporting poor adjustment to their new environment (on a measure devised by the authors) and those reporting very high depressive affect (BDI) used health services (mostly for URI) more frequently.…”

Psychosomatics and self-regulation.

“…Empirical support for the validity of Engel and Schmale's (1972) psychobiological model was provided by a number of investigations including studies that predicted (a) the frequency of illness in first-year nursing students living in residence, on the basis of their responses to separation from home (Parens, McConville, & Kaplan, 1966); and (b) the outcome of cone biopsy in women with suspicious cervical cytology, on the basis of ratings for depression and hopelessness (Schmale & Iker, 1966). Research examining the effects of bereavement on health also provided evidence that the loss of a close relationship can lead to increased morbidity and mortality (Klerman & hen, 1977;Parkes, Benjamin, & Fitzgerald, 1969).…”