Stressor diversity: Introduction and empirical integration into the daily stress model.

Abstract

The present study examined if and how stressor diversity, the extent to which one’s stressor events are spread across multiple types of stressors, contributes to daily affective well-being through the adult life span. Stressor diversity was examined as a unique predictor of daily affect and as a moderator of stressor exposure and stressor reactivity effects. Analyses span two independent studies of daily stress: the National Study of Daily Experiences with N=2,022 adults, aged 33–85, assessed over T=8 days, and the Intraindividual Study of Affect, Health, and Interpersonal Behavior with N=150 adults, aged 18–89, assessed over T=63 days. Across both studies, older age was associated with less stressor diversity. Additionally, multivariate multilevel models indicated higher stressor diversity was linked with better affective well-being. Age, however, was not a consistent moderator of such associations. The combination of low stressor diversity and high stressor exposure is discussed as an operationalization of chronic stressors, and this combination was associated with particularly high negative affect and low positive affect. We believe further work will benefit from including both the frequency and diversity of stressor experiences in analyses in order to better characterize individuals’ stressor experiences.

Mechanisms of Stress in Humans

“…Researchers have found that under high stress exposure, individuals influenced by stressors focused on a few areas tended to experience less positive affect and more negative effect daily as compared to those with stressors spread out to more areas (Koffer et al, 2016).…”

“…On the other hand, from the chronicity of stressor perspective, low stressor diversity is more likely to be associated with low positive affect and high negative affect as individuals with stressors concentrating on a few areas have less coping options as compared to those with stressors spreading throughout more areas (e.g., Koffer et al, 2016). Koffer et al (2016) extracted and analyzed data from two independent studies, National Study of Daily Experiences (2,022 adults) and The Intraindividual Study of Affect, Health, and Interpersonal Behavior (150 adults). Both studies collected self-report data on daily stressors and daily affect.…”

“…Among other research interests, Koffer et al examined the relationship between stressor diversity and daily affect to address the contradictory predictions generated by two different hypotheses. From the perspective of the uncertainty of stressor hypothesis, high stressor diversity is more likely to be associated with low positive affect and high negative affect as individuals with stressors spreading throughout more areas tend to experience more uncertainties as compared to those with stressors limiting to a few areas (e.g., Koffer et al, 2016). On the other hand, from the chronicity of stressor perspective, low stressor diversity is more likely to be associated with low positive affect and high negative affect as individuals with stressors concentrating on a few areas have less coping options as compared to those with stressors spreading throughout more areas (e.g., Koffer et al, 2016).…”

“…From the perspective of the uncertainty of stressor hypothesis, high stressor diversity is more likely to be associated with low positive affect and high negative affect as individuals with stressors spreading throughout more areas tend to experience more uncertainties as compared to those with stressors limiting to a few areas (e.g., Koffer et al, 2016). On the other hand, from the chronicity of stressor perspective, low stressor diversity is more likely to be associated with low positive affect and high negative affect as individuals with stressors concentrating on a few areas have less coping options as compared to those with stressors spreading throughout more areas (e.g., Koffer et al, 2016). Koffer et al (2016) extracted and analyzed data from two independent studies, National Study of Daily Experiences (2,022 adults) and The Intraindividual Study of Affect, Health, and Interpersonal Behavior (150 adults).…”

“…The concept of stressor diversity was discussed by Koffer, Ram, Conroy, Pincus, and Almeida (2016) in understanding the effect of chronic stress on health. Stressor diversity expresses the degree to which the total stressors are spread out across different stressor types.…”