Rahe, Mahan and Arthur

Question 1

Name of research

Answer 1

Prediction of near-future health-change from subjects’ preceding life changes

Question 2

Date of research

Answer 2

1970

Question 3

Aims

Answer 3

• To limit the methological flaws in their research and so use a prospective test
• To investigate if their is a relationship between the pre-deployment life events score (SRE) in Naval personnel and the number of illnesses during deployment

Question 4

Context (names + dates only)

Answer 4

1. Selye (1930s)
2. Hawkins et al (1957)
3. Holmes + Rahe (1967)

Question 5

Selye 1930s (context)

Answer 5

• suggested casual link between stress + physical illness
• whatever stressor rats = exposed to led to the same response
• leading to eventual exhaustion of the immune system

Question 6

Hawkins et al. 1957 (context)

Answer 6

• TB patients + sanaatorium workers
• matched for age, sex, race and income
• TB patients had more ‘disturbing occurrences’ in the 2 years prior to admission than the others

Question 7

Holmes and Rahe SRE 1967

Answer 7

• past = retrospective research
• patients = already ill
• info recall can result in memory distortion + perception of illness = subjective
• needed to study before illness happened
• SRE = filled in + evaluated stress in life events before became ill

Question 8

Sample (procedures)

Answer 8

Opportunity sample

Question 9

Mean age (procedures)

Answer 9

22.3

Question 10

Number of ppts (procedures)

Answer 10

2664

Question 11

Gender of ppts (procedures)

Answer 11

Male

Question 12

Profession of ppts (procedures)

Answer 12

Naval + marine personnel

Question 13

Variety (procedures)

Answer 13

In rank, education + experience

Question 14

% lost (procedures)

Answer 14

10% lost due to transfer

Question 15

Where = study (procedures)

Answer 15

Aboard 3 Us navy cruisers

• 2 = Vietnam
• 1 = Mediterranean

Question 16

Technique (procedures)

Answer 16

Double-blind

Question 17

At beginning of each mission… (procedures)

Answer 17

…all ppts completed SRE

Question 18

As each ship returned… (procedures)

Answer 18

…a research physician reviewed the health records

- used to calculate the SRE

Question 19

2 benefits of procedures

Answer 19

• All men exposed to the same conditions at sea

- Researchers had acces to detailed medical records

Question 20

Relationship between pre-cruise TLCUs + cruise period illness? (Findings)

Answer 20

No significant relationship

Question 21

Correlation between LCU totals for 6 months prior to deployment + illness (Findings)

Answer 21

+ 0.118 (significant)

Question 22

Sailors in decile 1 + 2 = (Findings)

Answer 22

Low illness group

Question 23

Sailors in decile 9 + 10 = (Findings)

Answer 23

High illness group

Question 24

Significant difference between decile… (Findings)

Answer 24

1 + 2

Question 25

Decile 1 = (Findings)

Answer 25

10% of ship’s crew w/ lowest TLCU scroes

Question 26

Decile 1 = mean illness number = (Findings)

Answer 26

1.434

Question 27

Decile 10 = mean illness number = (Findings)

Answer 27

2.049

Question 28

Married men = (Findings)

Answer 28

More likely to get ill than single young sailors

Question 29

Conclusions (x3)

Answer 29

1. Results support linear relationship between ppt’s TLCUs + illness rate
2. Th illneses were generally minor + pre-deployment life changes were often few + of low significance so positive relationship = even more impressive
3. Cruiser 2 = worst cruise + least rel. between TLCU and illness suggesting environmental factors can increase illness + overwhelm the effect of life events on illness

Question 30

Alternative Evidence (names + dates only)

Answer 30

1. Selye (1930s)
2. Hawkins et al. (1957)
3. De Longis et al (1988)

Question 31

Selye (Alt Ev.)

Answer 31

SUPPORTS

• proves stress causes illness
• LIMITED: extrapolation

Question 32

Hawkins et al. (Alt Ev.)

Answer 32

SUPPORTS

• proves life events effect health
• people w/ disturbing life occurrences –> TB
• DIFFER: Rahe = over 6 months Hawkins = over 2 years

Question 33

De Longis et al. (Alt Ev.)

Answer 33

-Studied stress in 75 married couples
-Life events questionnaire + hassle + uplifts scale
-Found no rel. between life events + health
=Pos. correlation w/ hassles + next day health problems
GOES AGAINST:
- not major life events
- Rahe = 6 months De Longis = long term
-Married couples and sailors = v. different groups