Stressful Life Events: A Predictor in Recovery from Heart Attacks

Ell, Kathleen; Guzman, Maria de; Haywood, L. Julian

doi:10.1093/hsw/8.2.133

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…An equally plausible interpretation is that these patients actually were exposed to more stressors or experienced more adverse reactions to stressful situations and that this accounted for their deteriorating health. There is evidence that exposure to pre-onset stressors is predictive of recovery from a myocardial infarction (Ell, Guzman, & Haywood, 1983) and that people who have had a heart attack tend to interpret stressful life events in a more "emotionally adverse" way (Byrne, 1983).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Causal attribution, perceived benefits, and morbidity after a heart attack: An 8-year study.

Affleck¹,

Tennen²,

Croog³

et al. 1987

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

410

336

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In a sample of 287 heart attack victims who were interviewed 7 weeks and 8 years after their attack or who were known to have died during follow-up, interrelations among causal attributions for the attack, perceived benefits of the attack, survivor morbidity, and heart attack recurrence were explored. Analyses focused on early cognitive predictors of heart attack recurrence and 8-year morbidity and on the effects of surviving another heart attack on cognitive appraisals. Independently of sociodemographic characteristics and physicians' ratings of initial prognosis, patients who cited benefits from their misfortune 7 weeks after the first attack were less likely to have another attack and had lower levels of morbidity 8 years later. Attributing the initial attack to stress responses (e.g., worrying, nervousness) was also predictive of greater morbidity in 8-year survivors and blaming the initial attack on other people was predictive of reinfarctions. Men who survived a subsequent heart attack were more likely than men who did not have additional attacks to cite benefits and made more attributions 8 years after the initial attack.The search for meaning is a central theme in theories of coping with serious illness and other aversive life experiences (e.g., Janoif-Bulman & Frieze, 1983; Silver &Wortman, 1980; Taylor, 1983). This literature has drawn attention to the psychological significance of causal attributions and appraisals of benefit or gain, which are two ways to find meaning in illness and in other misfortune.Whereas contributors to the popular literature speculate that people's appraisals of their illness can affect its course (e.g., Cousins, 1979;Pelletier, 1977), investigators have usually limited their inquiries to the concurrent association between illness cognitions and psychological adaptation. We examined relations between cause and benefit appraisals and health outcomes in a large sample of men who were followed for 8 years after suffering a first myocardial infarction. Two major questions were addressed: Are early cause and benefit appraisals predictive of long-term health outcomes, including the recurrence of heart attacks? Are cause and benefit appraisals affected by subsequent heart attacks?Causal attributions for a heart attack could affect recovery by enhancing victims' perceptions of control and predictability Data for this analysis were collected in connection with the study "Social Factors in Recovery of Heart Patients," UPHS Grant HS 00268, formerly located in the

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Causal attribution, perceived benefits, and morbidity after a heart attack: An 8-year study.

Affleck¹,

Tennen²,

Croog³

et al. 1987

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

410

336

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These findings stimulated investigation of other variables that might be related to these differences. Study findings from subsequent research have suggested that life events prior to MI may have been more uncontrollable and undesirable than those experienced by persons who did not have a diagnosed MI (Ell, Guzman, & Haywood, 1983;Gupta & Verma, 1989;Magni et al, 1983). Study findings also suggested that persons with MI may interpret these events in an emotionally adverse way and have higher anxiety and depression than persons without MI (Ell et al, 1983).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Stressful appraisals include harm (loss), threat (impending loss), and challenge (opportunity for growth, mastery, or gain), all of which place demands on the individual. In a secondary appraisal, the individual evaluates what, if anything, can be done to prevent or overcome harm or to improve prospects of benefit (Folkman, Lazarus, Dunkel-Schetter, DeLongis, & Gruen, 1986). The four primary modes of coping behavior that individuals employ in stress management are information seeking (scanning characteristics of a stressful encounter for knowledge needed to make a sound coping decision, or to reappraise damage or threat); direct action (anything one does, except cognitively, to handle stressful transactions); inhibition of action (holding back impulses that will do harm); and/or intrapsychic processes (saying things to oneself to regulate emotions).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Study findings from subsequent research have suggested that life events prior to MI may have been more uncontrollable and undesirable than those experienced by persons who did not have a diagnosed MI (Ell, Guzman, & Haywood, 1983; Gupta & Verma, 1989;Magni et al, 1983). Study findings also suggested that persons with MI may interpret these events in an emotionally adverse way and have higher anxiety and depression than persons without MI (Ell et al, 1983).As knowledge accumulated about differences in the stress that people experienced about the same stressful events and situations, some investigators began research on how persons cope with stress. Few studies are available in the literature that 306/Nov-Dec 90/Rehabilitation NursingWol.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Stressors and Stress Management 1 Month After Myocardial Infarction

Miller

Garrett

Stoltenberg

et al. 1990

Rehabilitation Nursing

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Stressors and stress management behaviors reported by 52 myocardial infarction (MI) patients were identified from a content analysis of transcriptions of nurse/patient/spouse interactions that took place 30 days postinfarction. Subjects defined stress primarily in terms of distress related to appraisals of harm, loss, or threat. Stressors and stress management behaviors varied, although subjects were similar in age and occupation and were in the same phase of recovery. Most stressors related to recent myocardial infarction and pertained to thoughts and feelings more than to external events. Others, related to family and/or work, were ongoing before the MI. Stress management behaviors comprised a continuum of physical, cognitive, and verbal behaviors ranging from active to passive. Avoidance of situations, ignoring situations, expressing feelings, and thinking things through were the four major modes of stress management behaviors. Implications for rehabilitation nursing practice are identified.

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“…Anxiety can also interfere with recovery by preventing efficient and realistic planning. MI survivors may develop ineffective coping mechanisms or become depressed and deplete all of their energy stores (Cay et al, 1972;Ell, DeGuzman, & Haywood, 1983;Maeland & Havik, 1989;Stern, Pascale, & Ackerman, 1977). Postdischarge return to pre-MI habits such as smoking, inadequate exercise, lack of stress management, and poor dietary habits has been associated with the anxiety experienced during hospitalization for acute MI (Brown & Mumford, 1984;Winefield & Martin, 1982).…”

Section: Selected Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anxiety and Self-Care Following Myocardial Infarction

Rose

Conn

Rodeman

1994

Issues in Mental Health Nursing

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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between trait and state anxiety experienced during hospitalization for an acute myocardial infarction and self-care behaviors several weeks after the infarction. Sixty-two male (n = 39) and female (n = 23) subjects were interviewed during their hospital stay and again 3 months after discharge. State and trait anxiety were measured by the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Test. Medication, exercise, smoking, diet, and stress management self-care were measured by Miller's Health Behavior Scale. The findings revealed low correlations between trait anxiety and exercise performance, medication administration, stress management, and smoking cessation behavior, and between state anxiety and smoking behavior. The findings were interpreted in light of the conceptual differences between state and trait anxiety, and suggest that mental health interventions during hospitalization should emphasize teaching patients to manage their own anxiety instead of directly intervening to reduce current levels of anxiety among this population.

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Stressful Life Events: A Predictor in Recovery from Heart Attacks

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Causal attribution, perceived benefits, and morbidity after a heart attack: An 8-year study.

Causal attribution, perceived benefits, and morbidity after a heart attack: An 8-year study.

Stressors and Stress Management 1 Month After Myocardial Infarction

Anxiety and Self-Care Following Myocardial Infarction

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