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Stressful Life Events and Depressive Symptoms in a Post-War Context: Which Informal Support Makes a Difference?

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Abstract

Gerontological literature utilizes the life stress paradigm to understand the impact of stress on psychological well-being, as well as the protective role that social resources play in buffering those effects; however these relationships are not well understood within various historical and social contexts. Utilizing a sample of 490 community-residing older adults in post-civil war Lebanon, this study investigates the moderating role of various social support factors in the stress–depression relationship. Contrary to expectations, results suggest that older Lebanese are more susceptible to the effects of health-decline and serious accident events than other types of stressors such as losses in the family and financial problems. Furthermore, findings provide evidence for a differential protective role for the respondent’s spouse and children for only certain stressful events. The discussion highlights the role of family as a stress buffer in a shifting physical, social and political environmental context. Results from this study add to the discourse by emphasizing the importance of understanding the saliency of the stressor as well as source of support provided.

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Acknowledgment

Data for this paper comes from a larger inter-disciplinary research project on Urban Health, coordinated by the Center for Research on Population and Health at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, with support from the Wellcome Trust, Mellon Foundation, and Ford Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    May H. Jawad

  2. Center for Research on Population and Health, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon

    Abla M. Sibai & Monique Chaaya

  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

    Abla M. Sibai & Monique Chaaya

Authors
  1. May H. Jawad
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  2. Abla M. Sibai
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  3. Monique Chaaya
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Correspondence to Abla M. Sibai.

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Jawad, M.H., Sibai, A.M. & Chaaya, M. Stressful Life Events and Depressive Symptoms in a Post-War Context: Which Informal Support Makes a Difference?. J Cross Cult Gerontol 24, 19–32 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-008-9059-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-008-9059-5

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