The DOI matches its Crossref record; 49 of the 49 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Methodological aspects of life events research
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.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“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
In the citing paper
“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
Citations
Cites
The social readjustment rating scale
Holmes, T. H., & Rahe, R. H. (1967) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/0022-3999(67)90010-4 · Cited by 11,560
Social Origins of Depression: A Study of Psychiatric Disorder in Women.
Schnitzer, P. K., Brown, G. W., & Harris, T. (1980) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2065631 · Cited by 3,053
Social Origins of Depression: A Study of Psychiatric Disorder in Women
McDaniel, E. G. (1980) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-198009000-00013 · Cited by 1,894
Stressful Life Events: Their Nature and Effects
Turfboer, R. (1975) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.132.7.772-a · Cited by 1,452
Exemplification of a Method for Scaling Life Events: The PERI Life Events Scale
Dohrenwend, B. S., Askenasy, A. R., Krasnoff, L., & Dohrenwend, B. P. (1978) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.2307/2136536 · Cited by 1,211
Paykel, E. S. (1969) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1969.01740240113014 · Cited by 972
Self-citationNeurosis and the Social Environment
Henderson, S., Byrne, D. G., & Duncan‐Jones, P. (1982) · Cited by 741
Paykel, E. S. (1971) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1971.01750160052010 · Cited by 736
Self-citationLife Events and Social Support in Puerperal Depression
Paykel, E. S., Emms, E. M., Fletcher, J., & Rassaby, E. (1980) · The British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.136.4.339 · Cited by 686
Self-citationCrises and Life Changes and the Onset of Schizophrenia
Brown, G. W., & Birley, J. L. T. (1968) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.2307/2948405 · Cited by 680
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Lipman, 1965, Patient report of significant life situation events, Dis Nerv Syst, 26, 586
- Rahe, 1974, Recent life changes, myocardial infarction, and abrupt coronary death, Arch Intern Med, 133, 221, 10.1001/archinte.1974.00320140059006 · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 301–400 of 411
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070321 · Cited by 8
On genes, environment, and experience
McGue, M. K., Bouchard, T. J., Lykken, D. T., & Finkel, D. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070448 · Cited by 6
Stressful sequelae of disabling illness
Caplan, B., Gibson, C. J., & Weiss, R. (1984) · International Rehabilitation Medicine · doi:10.3109/03790798409166759 · Cited by 6
Alcohol consumption and health : contributions to the explanation of the u-shaped curve
Aza, B. S. J. (2000) · EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) · Cited by 6
Data collection in studies of life events and the harmful use of alcohol
Gorman, D. M. (1990) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1080/09595239000185091 · Cited by 6
The Severity of the Trauma Issues abou t Its Ro le in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
McFARLANE, A. C. (1995) · Cited by 6
Baumrind, D. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x0007028x · Cited by 7
Repeated suicidal behaviour: Stressful life events and 5-HTTLPR genetic polymorphism
Schillani, G., Goljevscek, S., Carlino, D., Vanna, M. D., Aguglia, E., & Giraldi, T. (2009) · International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice · doi:10.1080/13651500902785652 · Cited by 5
Social support, adversities and emotional distress in an Italian community sample
Zimmermann‐Tansella, C., Donini, S., Galvan, U., Rizzetto, A., Turrina, C., Siciliani, O., & Wilkinson, G. (1993) · Journal of Clinical Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/0895-4356(93)90010-x · Cited by 5
Help-seeking for psychological problems in late adolescence
Rickwood, D. (1992) · ANU Open Research (Australian National University) · doi:10.25911/5d78d6e7a6ce8 · Cited by 5
Ma, Y., Chiappelli, J., Kvarta, M. D., Bruce, H. A., van der Vaart, A. D., Goldwaser, E. L., Du, X. M., Sampath, H., Lightner, S., Endres, J., et al. (2023) · Schizophrenia · doi:10.1038/s41537-023-00415-3 · Cited by 4
Krysinska, K. E., Spittal, M. J., Pirkis, J., & Currier, D. (2018) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel9060180 · Cited by 4
Inconsistent reporting of life experiences: What people think and how they explain it?
Azevedo, V., Martins, C., Carvalho, M., & Maia, Â. (2021) · Análise Psicológica · doi:10.14417/ap.1813 · Cited by 4
The construction of family reality
Scarr, S. W. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070473 · Cited by 4
The Measurement of Stress and Its Effects
Workman, E. A. (1997) · CRC Press eBooks · doi:10.1201/9781420048421.sec4 · Cited by 4
THE FEASIBILITY OF ASCERTAINING EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES BY SELF REPORT IN AUSTRALIAN VIETNAM VETERANS
O’Toole, B. I. (1985) · Community Health Studies · doi:10.1111/j.1753-6405.1985.tb00473.x · Cited by 4
The Epidemiology of Misfortune
Surtees, P. G. (1987) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-52057-0_17 · Cited by 4
Life events in Japanese employees
Shima, S. (1993) · Stress Medicine · doi:10.1002/smi.2460090307 · Cited by 4
Genetics, Environmental Risks, and Protective Factors
Plomin, R. J. (1995) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4757-9377-2_12 · Cited by 4
Ma, R., & Else-Quest, N. M. (2024) · Feminism & Psychology · doi:10.1177/09593535241278213 · Cited by 10
Silveira, F. C. P., Perosa, G. B., & Carvalhães, M. A. D. B. L. (2012) · Journal of Human Growth and Development · doi:10.7322/jhgd.44934 · Cited by 3
Modeling and measuring environment
Tellegen, A. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070527 · Cited by 4
Assessment of Stress in Research and Clinical Settings
Davis, G. L., Al’Absi, M., & Hovland, J. (2007) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-012370632-4/50016-4 · Cited by 3
Life Experiences Throughout the Lifespan: What Do People Say (or Not) About Them?
Azevedo, V., Martins, C., & Maia, Â. (2017) · Journal of Adult Development · doi:10.1007/s10804-017-9277-6 · Cited by 3
The heavy vehicle study: final report
Elkington, J., & Stevenson, M. (2013) · Cited by 3
The Interface between Family Structure, Life Events and Major Depression in Uganda
Muhwezi, W. W. (2007) · Figshare · Cited by 3
Comorbidity, outcome and treatment of dsm-IV major depressive disorder in psychiatric care
Melartin, T. K. (2005) · STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari) · Cited by 3
Method and technique of life events research in depression and anxiety
Oei, T. I. (1988) · Comprehensive Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/0010-440x(88)90077-6 · Cited by 3
Improvisations on the behavioral-genetics theme
Thelen, E. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070539 · Cited by 3
Paykel, E. S. (1987) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-71819-9_7 · Cited by 3
Self-citationCraig, T. (2010) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9780470684214.ch16 · Cited by 3
Living in the present with the past: mental health of Bosnian refugee children in Sweden
Goldin, S. (2008) · KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) · doi:10.13140/rg.2.1.2583.2566 · Cited by 3
Kritische Lebensereignisse, soziale Unterstützung und Depression
Fiedler, P. A. (1991) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-76318-2_19 · Cited by 3
Polygenic Risk, Trait Variables, and External Stressors in Fatal and Nonfatal Suicidal Behavior
Kim, M. J., Galfalvy, H., Singh, T., & Mann, J. J. (2026) · JAMA Network Open · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.54325 · Cited by 2
Losing a child: the impact on parental sexual activity
Dyregrov, A., & Gjestad, R. (2012) · Bereavement Care · doi:10.1080/02682621.2012.654689 · Cited by 2
Nature and nurture: A shaky alliance
Wachs, T. D. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070552 · Cited by 2
Alcohol consumption and health
Hendriks, H. F. J. (1999) · TNO Repository · Cited by 2
Seeds, P. M. (2012) · Scholarship@Western (Western University) · Cited by 2
Caractère dépendant et indépendant des événements de vie dans la dépression
Chahraoui, K., Bénony, H., & Trapet, P. (2001) · Annales Médico-psychologiques revue psychiatrique · doi:10.1016/s0003-4487(01)00060-9 · Cited by 2
Origins of nurture: It is not just effects on measures and it is not just effects of nature
Rutter, M. L. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070461 · Cited by 2
A psychological autopsy study of non-deliberate fatal opiate-related overdose.
Oliver, P., Horspool, M. J., Rowse, G., Parry, M. E., Keen, J., & Mathers, N. J. (2007) · Cited by 2
Methodische Aspekte der Erfassung lebensverändernder Ereignisse
Geyer, S. (1992) · VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-322-95874-7_4 · Cited by 4
Brucefors, A. B., Hochwälder, J., Jeanneau, M., & Fosselius, H. (2004) · Cited by 2
We wondered where the errors went
Schönemann, P. H., & Schönemann, R. D. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070485 · Cited by 2
Les événements anticipés comme stresseurs
Truchon, M., & Lemyre, L. (2007) · Santé mentale au Québec · doi:10.7202/032354ar · Cited by 2
Change and stability of attachment from childhood to early adulthood
Sundin, E., Wiberg, B., & Eklöf, H. (2002) · KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) · doi:10.13140/rg.2.2.16077.45286 · Cited by 2
The role of life events in short term metabolic control of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
Sanyal, D., & Basu, J. (1998) · Europe PMC (PubMed Central) · Cited by 2
Kendler, K. S., Lönn, S. L., Sundquist, J., & Sundquist, K. (2025) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291725000583 · Cited by 1
“…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, 1983).”
Romoli, M., Rabischong, P., & Puglisi, F. (2009) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-06866-9.00005-2 · Cited by 1
Guzmán, M. F. S., Ruiz, D. D. P., & Lenis, M. V. (2019) · Prospectiva · doi:10.15665/rp.v17i1.1813 · Cited by 1
Aldwin, C. M. (2022) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108891004.004 · Cited by 1
Pech, M., Correll, C. U., Schmidt, J., Zeeck, A., Hofmann, T., Busjahn, A., & Haas, V. K. (2024) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu16121889 · Cited by 1
Skillgate, E. (2007) · Figshare · Cited by 1
On the misuse of certain concepts derived from genetic analysis
Duyme, M., & Capron, C. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070357 · Cited by 1
Psychological Methods: An Overview of Clinical Applications
Steptoe, A. (1984) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-009-3283-8_14 · Cited by 1
Waldman, I. D., & Weinberg, R. A. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070564 · Cited by 1
Evolutionary Biology and Life-Events Research
McGuire, M. T. (1992) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1992.01820060081014 · Cited by 1
Harkiolakis, N., Halkias, D., & Antoniou, A. A. (2007) · PsycEXTRA Dataset · doi:10.1037/e678702007-001 · Cited by 1
Bookstein, F. L. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070291 · Cited by 1
Three shocks to socialization research
Rowe, D. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x0007045x · Cited by 1
Milassin, A. N. (2019) · doi:10.14267/phd.2019016 · Cited by 1
(1993) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1993.tb05606.x · Cited by 1
Olaya, B., & Essau, C. A. (2011) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_1656 · Cited by 1
Stress, Affect Systems and Eating Pathology in Problematic Weight Regulation
Kupeli, N. (2014) · University of Hertfordshire Research Archive (University of Hertfordshire) · doi:10.18745/th.15438 · Cited by 1
Lifetime Experiences Scale (LIFES): Desenvolvimento e validação em amostras da comunidade
Azevedo, V., Martins, C., & Maia, Â. (2020) · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) · doi:10.17575/psicologia.v34i1.1456
Las nuevas tipologías migratorias y su relación con la Salud Mental de los y las migrantes
Ubach, S. L. I. (2012) · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
DSM-IV vakavan masennustilan pitkäaikaisennuste psykiatrisessa hoidossa
Holma, M. (2010) · STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari)
So, A. P. K. (2010) · Digital Commons (Liberty University)
Life events and social support among patients with major depressive disorder
Leskelä, U. S. (2008) · STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari)
Biographieforschung und Klinische Psychologie
Wiedemann, P. M. (1987) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-71614-0_21
Implications for behavior genetics research: No shared environment left?
Boomsma, D. I., & Molenaar, P. C. M. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070308
Like images refracted: A view from the interactionist perspective
Bradley, R. H., & Caldwell, B. M. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x0007031x
Genetic explanations of environment explain little
GRAHAM, P. J. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070370
Genes and genius from Galton to Freud
Simonton, D. K. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070503
Trait Emotional Intelligence: Protecting Health from the Negative Impact of Stress
Ould, S. J. (2010) · CLOK (University of Central Lancashire)
Ahmad, B. (2008) · UCL Discovery (University College London)
Genetic effects on “environmental” measures: Consequences for behavior-genetic analysis
Crusio, W. E. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070345
Life Events Stress in Saudi Peptic Ulcer Patients of the Eastern Province
Mahgoub, O. M., Abdel-Hafeiz, H. B., Al-Quorain, A. A., Al‐Idrissi, H. Y., al-Ghassab, G., & Absood, G. H. (1991) · Annals of Saudi Medicine · doi:10.5144/0256-4947.1991.669
Life events and psychological problems in people with intellectual disabilities.
Hulbert-Williams, S. L. (2008) · Bangor University Research Portal (Bangor University)
Developing an expressive writing intervention for people with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Domènech, C. (2004) · Doctoral thesis, University of London.
Genes and environment: A complicated affair
Johnson, R. C. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070412
Problems with the “environment as phenotype” hypothesis
Socha, R. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070515
A psychiatric perspective on the “nature of nurture”
Kendler, K. S. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070424
Hirsch, J. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070400
Overinterpreting model fitting effects
Willerman, L. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070576
Caspi, A. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070333
Environment – A dubious concept?
Schulsinger, F. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070497
Hay, D. A. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070382
There is indeed no substitute for multivariate genetic and environmental analyses
Hewitt, J. K. (1991) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00070394
Martínez-Correa, A., & del Paso, G. A. R. (2003)
Leiknes, K. A. (2007) · NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives
The Effects of Stress on the Respiratory System
Sriram, T., & Silverman, J. (1997) · CRC Press eBooks · doi:10.1201/9781420048421.ch3
Martinho, T., de Oliveira, G. G., & Menezes, P. R. (2016) · Tempus Actas de Saúde Coletiva · doi:10.18569/tempus.v10i3.1939
Marinho, T. C., de Oliveira, G. G., & Menezes, P. R. (2017) · Tempus Actas de Saúde Coletiva · doi:10.18569/tempus.v11i1.2377
Stress and Work-Task Satisfaction: School Counselors' Perspective.
Schmaltz, K. M. (2017) · NDSU Repository (North Dakota State University)
Horn, S. (1992) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-7506-0185-6.50011-9
The relationship between psychosocial variables and treatment outcome in chronic fatigue syndrome
Bent, G. C. (1998) · UCL Discovery (University College London)
Nikolova, Y. S. (2014) · DukeSpace (Duke University)
Fragile insights: some psychological views of depression
Barker, P. (1992) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-4455-9_2
Rating Scales for Psychosocial Stressors
Bech, P. (1993) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-77759-2_7
Metadata
- 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)
- 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
- 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
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review