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Cited by 412Psychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsSurvey Methodology and NonresponseMental Health Research Topics

Methodological aspects of life events research

Paykel, E.S.·1983·Journal of Psychosomatic Research
DOI 10.1016/0022-3999(83)90065-x
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Abstract

This paper reviews the methodology of studies of recent life events and illness, as relevant to psychosomatic studies. Three critical issues are discussed: the method of data collection; elimination of events which are consequences of illness; quantification of stress. It is concluded that the most important aspect is collection of data by careful interview technique covering defined events and time periods. Self-report event questionnaires, although heuristically valuable in the past, must now be regarded as inadequate. Exclusion of events which may be consequences of illness is also important in psychosomatic studies. Different methods of quantification produce refinements but are less crucial and alternative approaches may give similar results.

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Crossref · 10.1016/0022-3999(83)90065-x

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  • Nearly all prior studies of stressful life events have relied on questionnaire or interview-based retrospective assessments completed by respondents.

    “Nearly all such studies have relied on a questionnaire or interview-based retrospective assessments of SLEs completed by respondents with the interview-based measures likely producing more valid results (Brown, Sklair, Harris, & Birley, 1973; Dohrenwend, Link, Kern, Shrout, & Markowitz, 1987; Dohrenwend, Raphael, Schwartz, & Skodol, 1993; Dohrenwend, Dohrenwend, Dodson, & Shrout, 1984; Paykel, 198”

    From The development of an environmental risk score using Swedish National Registers and its impact on subsequent episodes of major depression (2025) · cites this paper as Paykel, 1983

  • Interview-based measures of stressful life events likely produce more valid results than questionnaire-based measures.

    “Nearly all such studies have relied on a questionnaire or interview-based retrospective assessments of SLEs completed by respondents with the interview-based measures likely producing more valid results (Brown, Sklair, Harris, & Birley, 1973; Dohrenwend, Link, Kern, Shrout, & Markowitz, 1987; Dohrenwend, Raphael, Schwartz, & Skodol, 1993; Dohrenwend, Dohrenwend, Dodson, & Shrout, 1984; Paykel, 198”

    From The development of an environmental risk score using Swedish National Registers and its impact on subsequent episodes of major depression (2025) · cites this paper as Paykel, 1983

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Authors
Paykel, E. S.
Affiliations
St George's, University of London (GB)
Corresponding author
Paykel, E.S.
Venue
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1983-01
Volume
27
Issue
5
Pages
341-352
ISSN
0022-3999 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0022-3999(83)90065-x
OpenAlex
W1993353042
Cited by
412
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 13
FWCI
12.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Psychosomatic Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
Keywords
life events, recent life events, illness, psychosomatic medicine, stress measurement, interview techniques, self-report questionnaire, event selection, data collection methods
MeSH terms
Data Collection, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Life Change Events, Psychophysiologic Disorders, Research Design, Time Factors

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