Skip to main content

Life Events as Stressors in Childhood and Adolescence

  • Chapter
Advances in Clinical Child Psychology

Part of the book series: Advances in Clinical Child Psychology ((ACCP,volume 5))

Abstract

Children, in the process of growing up, frequently encounter a range of life experiences or events that may result in changes in their lives and that necessitate varying degrees of coping and adaptation. They often experience the birth of siblings. They must adapt to school entry and often to change from one school to another. In our mobile society, these school changes are often associated with a change in residence, which may in turn, be correlated with a host of other changes that require additional coping efforts. Parental separation and divorce, serious illness or injury to family members, deaths in the family, and illnesses experienced by the children themselves are among other life events that affect the lives of children. Although children vary in the extent to which they experience significant life changes, such events are a potential source of stress to which all children are exposed to a greater or lesser degree.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 74.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Barrera, M. Social support’s role in the adjustment of pregnant adolescents: Assessment issues and findings. In B. H. Gottleib (Ed.),Social networks and social support in community mental health. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bedell, J. R., Giordani, B., Amour, J. L., Tavormina, J., & Boll, T. Life stress and the psychological and medical adjustment of chronically ill children.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1977,21, 237–242.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boyce, T. W., Jensen, E. W., Cassell, J. C., Collier, A. M., Smith, A. H., & Raimey, C. T. Influence of life events and family routines on childhood respiratory tract illness.Pediatrics, 1977,60, 609–615.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, C. Life events and the control of diabetes mellitus.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1979, 23, 159–162.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bramwell, S. T., Wagner, N. N., Masuda, M., & Holmes, T. H. Psychosocial factors in athletic injuries.Journal of Human Stress, 1975,1, 6–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carranza, E.A study of the impact of life changes on high school teacher performance in the Lansing school district as measured by the Holmes and Rahe Schedule of Recent Experiences. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coddington, R. D. The significance of life events as etiologic factors in the diseases of children. I. A survey of professional workers.Journal of Psychosomatic Research,1972,16,7–18. (a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Coddington, R. D. The significance of life events as etiologic factors in the diseases of children. II. A study of a normal population.Journal of Psychosomatic Research,1972,16,205–213. (b)

    Google Scholar 

  • de Araujo, G., Van Arsdel, P. P., Holmes, T. H., & Dudley, D. L. Life change, coping ability and chronic intrinsic asthma.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1973,17, 359–363.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R.SCL-90: Administration,scoring,and procedures manual for the R version. Baltimore: Author, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohrenwend, B. S. Life events as stressors: A methodological inquiry.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1973,14, 167–175.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feiner, R. D., Farber, S. S., & Primavera, J. Children of divorce, stressful life events, and life transitions: A framework for preventative efforts. In R. H. Price, R. F. Ketterer, B. C. Bader, & J. Monahan (Eds.),Prevention in mental health: Research,policy and practice. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feiner, R. D., Ginter, M. A., Farber, S. S., Boike, M. F., & Cowen, E. L. Family stress and organization following parental divorce or death.Journal of Divorce, 1980, 4, 67–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feiner, R. D., Ginter, M. A., Boike, M. F., & Cowen, E. L. Parental death or divorce and the school adjustment of young children.American Journal of Community Psychology, 1981, 9, 181–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feiner, R. D., Ginter, M. A., Boike, M. F., & Cowen, E. L. Parental death or divorce in childhood: Problems, interventions, and outcomes in a school based mental health project.Journal of Prevention,in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gad, M. T., & Johnson, J. H. Correlates of adolescent life stress as related to race, SES, and levels of perceived social support.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 1980, 9, 13–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gersten, J. C., Langer, T. S., Eisenberg, J. G., & Orzeck, L. Child behavior and life events: Undesirable change or change per se. In B. S. Dohrenwend & B. P. Dohrenwend (Eds.),Stressful life events: Their nature and effects. New York: Wiley, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gersten, J. C., Langer, T. S., Eisenberg, J. G., & Simcha-Fagan, O. An evaluation of the etiological role of stressful life-change events in psychological disorders.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1977,18, 228–244.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gorsuch, R. L., & Key, M. K. Abnormalities of pregnancy as a function of anxiety and life stress.Psychosomatic Medicine, 1974, 36, 352–361.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, I., Kyle, G. C., Teichman, S., & Mendels, J. Recent life events and diabetes in adults.Psychosomatic Medicine, 1974,36, 121–128.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Green, W. A.Psychological factors and reticuloendothelial disease. III. Further observations on psychological and somatic manifestations in patients with lymphomas and leukemia. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society, Chicago, March 1952.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, W. A. Psychological factors and reticuloendothelial disease: Preliminary observations on a group of males with lymphomas and leukemia.Psychosomatic Medicine, 1954,16, 220–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, W. A., Young, L. E., Swisher, S. N., & Miller, G. Psychological factors and reticuloendothelial disease: Observations on a group of females with lymphomas and leukemias.Psychosomatic Medicine, 1955,18, 284–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, P. W.The relationship of life change to academic performance among selected college freshmen at varying levels of college readiness. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, East Texas State University, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heisel, J. S., Ream, S., Raitz, R., Rappaport, M., & Coddington, R. D. The significance of life events as contributing factors in the diseases of children.Behavioral Pediatrics, 1973, 83, 119–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, T. H., & Rahe, R. H. The social readjustment rating scale.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1967, 11, 213–218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hotaling, G. T., Atwell, S. G., & Linsky, A. S. Adolescent life changes and illness: A comparison of three models.Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 1978,7, 393–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, T. J., & Charles, E. Life events and the occurrence of cancer in children.Psychosomatic Medicine, 1980,42, 11–24.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. H., & McCutcheon, S. M. Assessing life stress in older children and adolescents: Preliminary findings with the Life Events Checklist. In I. G. Sarason & C. D. Spielberger (Eds.),Stress and anxiety (Vol.7). Washington, D.C.: Hemisphere, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. H., & Overall, J. E. Factor analysis of the Psychological Screening Inventory.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1973,41, 57–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. H., & Sarason, I. G. Life stress, depression and anxiety: Internal-external control as a moderator variable.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1978, 22, 205–208.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. H., & Sarason, I. G. Recent developments in research in life stress. In V. Hamilton & D. Warburton (Eds.),Human stress and cognition: An information processing approach.London: Wiley, 1979. (a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. H., & Sarason, I. G. Moderator variables in life stress research. In I. G. Sarason & C. D. Spielberger (Eds.),Stress and anxiety(Vol. 6). Washington, D.C.: Hemisphere, 1979. (b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. H., & Sarason, I. G. Life stress health and adjustment: Research findings, methodological issues and methods at coping. In G. Twentyman, L. Epstein, E. Blanchard, & J. Brady (Eds.),Behavioral medicine: Theory research and practice.New York: Springer, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Langer, T. A twenty-two item screening scale of psychiatric symptoms indicating impairment.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1962, 3, 269–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lauer, R. H. The social readjustment scale and anxiety: A cross-cultural study.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1973, 17, 171–174.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leaverton, D. R., White, C. A., McCormick, C. R., Smith, P., & Sheikholislam, B. Parental loss antecedent to childhood diabetes mellitus.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1980, 19, 678–689.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Monaghan, J. H., Robinson, J. O., & Dodge, J. A. The Children’s Life Events Inventory.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1979,23, 63–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, D. P., Edwards, D. W., & Yarvis, R. M. Stressful life events and psychiatric symptomatology: Change or undesirability?Journal ofHealth and Social Behavior, 1977,18, 307–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. K., Lindenthal, J. J., & Pepper, M. P. Social class, life events, and psychiatric symptoms: A longitudinal study. In B. S. Dohrenwend & B. P. Dohrenwend (Eds.),Stressful life events: Their nature and effects. New York: Wiley, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nuckolls, K. B., Cassell, J., & Kaplan, B. H. Psychosocial assets, life crisis and the prognosis of pregnancy.American Journal of Epidemiology, 1972, 95, 431–441.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Padilla, E. R., Rohsenow, D. J., & Bergman, A. B. Predicting accident frequency in children.Pediatrics, 1976,58, 223–226.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paykel, E. S. Life stress and psychiatric disorder: Applications of the clinical approach. In B. S. Dohrenwend & B. P. Dohrenwend (Eds.),Stressful life events: Their nature and effects. New York: Wiley, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabkin, J. G., & Struening, E. L. Life events, stress and illness.Science, 1976,194, 1013–1020.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rahe, R. H., & Lind, E. Psychosocial factors and sudden cardiac death: A pilot study.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1971, 15, 19–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rahe, R. H., Mahan, J. L., & Arthur, R. J. Prediction of near-future health changes from subject’s preceding life changes.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1970, 14, 401–406.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sandler, I. N. Social support resources, stress and maladjustment of poor children.American Journal of Community Psychology, 1980,8, 41–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sandler, I. N., & Block, M. Life stress and maladaptation of children.American Journal of Community Psychology, 1979, 7, 425–439.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, L G., & Johnson, J. H. Life stress, organizational stress, and job satisfaction.Psychological Reports, 1979,44, 75–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I. G., Johnson, J. H., & Siegel, J. M. Assessing the impact of life changes: Development of the Life Experiences Survey.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1978, 46, 932–946.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, J. M., Johnson, J. H., & Sarason, I. G. Life stress and menstrual discomfort.Journal of Human Stress, 1979,5, 41–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, L. J. Unpublished data. University of Missouri, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E.Manual forthe State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, Calif.: Consulting Psychologist Press, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, S. P., & Charles, E. Emotional factors in juvenile diabetes mellitus: A study of early life experiences of adolescent diabetics.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1971,128, 56–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Theorell, T., & Rahe, R. H. Psychosocial factors and myocardial infarction. I. An inpatient study in Sweden.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1971, 15, 25–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vinokur, A., & Selzer, M. L. Desirable vs. undesirable life events: Their relationship to stress and mental distress.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1975,. 32, 329–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenet, G.Life stress and the adolescent sexual offender: A comparative study. Unpublished manuscript, University of Washington, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyler, A. R., Masuda, M., & Holmes, T. H. Magnitude of life events and seriousness of illness.Psychosomatic Medicine, 1971, 33, 115–122.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yeaworth, R. C., York, J., Hussey, M. A., Ingle, M. E.,& Goodwin, T. The development of an adolescent life change eventscale. Adolescence, 1980, 15, 91–98.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1982 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Johnson, J.H. (1982). Life Events as Stressors in Childhood and Adolescence. In: Lahey, B.B., Kazdin, A.E. (eds) Advances in Clinical Child Psychology. Advances in Clinical Child Psychology, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9811-0_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9811-0_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-9813-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-9811-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics