“LIFE STRESS” IN A NORMAL POPULATION

Abstract

One hundred and one postpartum women unselected for psychiatric or other illness, were interviewed concerning the possible occurrence of 27 potentially stressful life experiences within the year prior to hospitalization for delivery. The group was composed of 34 white private patients, 25 white ward patients, 5 Negro private patients and 37 Negro ward patients. A mean of 2.8 events of the kinds studied had occurred in the lives of these individuals within the one-year period. The range was from no events to eight. Eighty-nine per cent of the Ss reported at least one. A remarkable similarity was found in the frequency and kinds of experiences among the groups, despite the differences in the racial and sociologic composition of the groups. Some possible effects of pregnancy on the findings have been discussed.