The relationship between stress and depression in first onsets versus recurrences: A meta-analytic review.
Abstract
S. M. Monroe and K. L. Harkness reviewed the empirical evidence supporting R. M. Post's kindling model, which suggests the 1st episode of depression is more likely to be preceded by major stressors than are subsequent episodes. Their review highlighted the diverse interpretations of Post's premise in the current literature and the changes in research methods that have contributed to this interpretive shift. The authors conducted a meta-analysis (N=13 studies) to test Post's premise that integrated early and recent research and examined potential moderators. A proportion difference effect size was used. Results indicated that 1st onsets of depression were more likely than recurrences to be preceded by severe life events, supporting Post's premise. The moderator analyses suggested that support may be most evident in patient samples and may vary according to age and gender, with less support for Post's premise evidenced in younger samples and in women. Although these results are preliminary, as the analysis included a small number of studies, they suggest that future research should further examine factors that influence the stress-depression relationship with successive recurrences.
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Earlier depressive episodes are more likely than later ones to be triggered by major life stressors.
“The relationship between depression and stress is complex and changes over time, such that earlier episodes are more likely than later episodes to be cued by major life stressors (Post, 1992; Stroud, Davila, & Moyer, 2008).”
From Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Improves Emotional Reactivity to Social Stress: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial (2012) · cites this paper as Stroud, Davila, & Moyer, 2008
Cites
THE EFFECTS OF STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS ON DEPRESSION
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“The relationship between life stress and major depression is well established (Kessler, 1997; Mazure, 1998). Most reports, however, have not investigated the role of stress in the etiologies of first onsets and recurrences separately (Monroe, Rhode, Seeley, & Lewinsohn, 1999), in spite of widespread acceptance of Post…”
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- Authors
- Stroud, C. B., Davila, J., & Moyer, A.
- Affiliations
- Stony Brook University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Abnormal Psychology
- Published
- 2008-02
- Volume
- 117
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 206-213
- ISSN
- 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1846
- OpenAlex
- W2071632053
- Cited by
- 254
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 57 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 17.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- depression, stress, life events, first-episode depression, depression recurrence, kindling model, moderators, age differences, gender differences
- MeSH terms
- Depressive Disorder, Humans, Life Change Events, Recurrence, Stress, Psychological
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