Sending your teenagers away. Controlled stress decreases neurotic vulnerability.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of a controlled stressor on the rate of personality maturity.


METHODS
Eighteen-month prospective controlled study.


METHODS
General community.


METHODS



METHODS
Exposed to the stress of 12 months' intercultural experience.


METHODS
Remained in usual environment.


METHODS
A measure of personality vulnerability/maturity derived from a canonical correlational combination of trait anxiety, locus of control, and defense style.


RESULTS
Exchange students exposed to the stressor made significantly greater gains in personality maturity (0.28 vs 0.03 SD: P < or = .01) than did the control students matched on this measure at baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
Exchange students exposed to the stress of living abroad showed a substantial decrease in vulnerability, which should decrease the risk of future neurotic disorders in this group.
Andrews
G
G
Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety Disorders, University of New South Wales, Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, Australia.
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Neilson
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D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007393:International Educational Exchange; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010553:Personality Development; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*