https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4299-0538
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ABSTRACT
Introduction
Stress generation suggests a reciprocal relationship between depression and prospective stressful life events. However, the applicability of stress generation to anxiety disorders has been understudied, particularly among youth. We address this gap by examining stress generation in youth at high-risk of developing anxiety disorders.
Methods
Participants were one-hundred thirty-six at-risk youth (M age = 8.69, 84.6% Caucasian; 55.9% female), each of whom had a parent with an anxiety disorder. We examined the role of an anxiety disorder diagnosis, anxiety symptoms, and cognitive distortions in youth’s prospective one and six-year stressful life events (i.e., stress generation).
Results
Anxiety symptoms and cognitive distortions were significant predictors of one-year total dependent stress. Anxiety diagnosis and anxiety symptoms were significant predictors of one-year dependent interpersonal stress. Anxiety diagnosis and anxiety symptoms were significant predictors of six-year independent stress.
Conclusion
Support for the stress generation model was found in high-risk youth, but only over a one-year period. This suggests important effects of anxiety and cognitive distortions on stress generation, though their implications might be time-capped.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Information about Data sharing
Data is available upon request to the corresponding author.
Location of work
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut West Hartford, CT and the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Role of the sponsor
The funding source had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript, and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.