title: Coping, affect, and the metabolic syndrome in older men: how does coping get under the skin?
abstract: The metabolic syndrome is a complex construct with interrelated factors of obesity, blood pressure, lipids, and glucose. It is a risk factor for a number of chronic diseases in late life. This study tested a model in which the relationship between stress and the metabolic syndrome was mediated by appraisal, coping, and affect. Data were collected from 518 male participants in the Normative Aging Study (X(age) = 68.17 years). The model was partially confirmed. Relationships among stress, appraisal, coping, and affect were valenced along positive and negative pathways. However, affect was not directly related to the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome was related to positive coping as operationalized by self-regulatory strategies. The results of this study suggest that the influence of coping on physical health may occur through emotional regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University Of Hawai'i at Manoa, Manoa, HI, USA.
authors.forename: Loriena A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Yancura
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Aldwin
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Levenson
authors.forename: Avron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spiro
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015438:Health Behavior; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012803:Sick Role; D012919:Social Behavior; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications