TY - JOUR
T1 - Stress, psychological distress, psychosocial factors, menopause symptoms and physical health in women
AU - Bauld, Rosie
AU - Brown, Rhonda F.
PY - 2009/2/20
Y1 - 2009/2/20
N2 - Objectives: Relatively few studies have evaluated relationships between stress, psychological distress, psychosocial factors and menopause symptoms, and none have evaluated emotional intelligence (EI) in relation to menopause. In this study, direct and indirect relationships were evaluated between stress, psychological distress, psychosocial factors (e.g. social support, coping, EI), menopause symptom severity and physical health in middle-aged women. Methods: One hundred and sixteen women aged 45-55 years were recruited through women's health centres and community organizations. They completed a short questionnaire asking about stress, psychological distress (i.e. anxiety, depression), EI, attitude to menopause, menopause symptoms and physical health. Results: Low emotional intelligence was found to be related to worse menopause symptoms and physical health, and these associations were partly mediated by high stress, anxiety and depression, a negative attitude to menopause and low proactive coping. Conclusions: Women with high EI appear to hold more positive attitudes to menopause and experience less severe stress, psychological distress and menopause symptoms and better physical health. These results suggest that women who expect menopause to be a negative experience or are highly stressed or distressed may be more likely to experience a more negative menopause. Crown
AB - Objectives: Relatively few studies have evaluated relationships between stress, psychological distress, psychosocial factors and menopause symptoms, and none have evaluated emotional intelligence (EI) in relation to menopause. In this study, direct and indirect relationships were evaluated between stress, psychological distress, psychosocial factors (e.g. social support, coping, EI), menopause symptom severity and physical health in middle-aged women. Methods: One hundred and sixteen women aged 45-55 years were recruited through women's health centres and community organizations. They completed a short questionnaire asking about stress, psychological distress (i.e. anxiety, depression), EI, attitude to menopause, menopause symptoms and physical health. Results: Low emotional intelligence was found to be related to worse menopause symptoms and physical health, and these associations were partly mediated by high stress, anxiety and depression, a negative attitude to menopause and low proactive coping. Conclusions: Women with high EI appear to hold more positive attitudes to menopause and experience less severe stress, psychological distress and menopause symptoms and better physical health. These results suggest that women who expect menopause to be a negative experience or are highly stressed or distressed may be more likely to experience a more negative menopause. Crown
KW - Emotional intelligence
KW - Menopause
KW - Psychological distress
KW - Stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=60749102334&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.maturitas.2008.12.004
DO - 10.1016/j.maturitas.2008.12.004
M3 - Article
SN - 0378-5122
VL - 62
SP - 160
EP - 165
JO - Maturitas
JF - Maturitas
IS - 2
ER -