Daily events and mood prior to the onset of respiratory illness episodes: a non-replication of the 3-5 day 'desirability dip'.
We attempted to replicate and extend the findings of three previous studies (Evans & Edgerton, 1991; Evans, Pitts & Smith, 1988; Stone, Reed & Neale, 1987) that found a lagged relationship between daily life events, mood and the onset of episodes of respiratory illness. The findings and methods of the three previous studies are reviewed, and similarities and differences in their analytic approaches are discussed. Seventy-nine middle-aged male subjects completed daily records of life events, mood and symptoms for an average of 83 days. Twenty-three men suffered at least one illness episode that met our selection criteria. Using the methodology of Stone et al. (1987) and Evans et al. (1988), we were unable to detect a relationship between daily events or mood and the onset of illness episodes. The necessity of standardizing procedures of defining illness episodes and control days and the importance of including analyses of variables that may mediate the relationship between events and illness are discussed.
Stone
A A
AA
Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Stony Brook 11794-8790.
Porter
L S
LS
Neale
J M
JM
D000339:Affect; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology