title: Perceived primal threat, stress, and health: further examination of the role of perceived primal threat in the stress process.
abstract: The general aim of the two studies presented here was to further examine the role of Perceived Primal Threat (PPT) in the stress process. PPT refers to threats against a four-component set of interdependent "primal" needs: self-preservation, social integration, personal identity and growth, and personal worldview. These threats are suggested to represent a pathway through which stress affects health. The first study (cross-sectional) was conducted in a sample of 216 healthy adults, while the second (prospective) in a sample of 137 chronically ill outpatients. The findings of both studies underlined the incremental and discriminant validity of PPT in relation to other stress-related variables. Furthermore, they provided support to the hypotheses that PPT is independently related to well-being and also mediates the relation of the stressful condition to well-being. Overall, the two studies underlined the important role of PPT in the stress process and indicated that PPT represents a promising research area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Crete, 74100 Gallos, Rethymnon, Greece. karademas@psy.soc.uoc.gr
authors.forename: Evangelos C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Karademas
authors.forename: Pariana
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Smaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mermiga
authors.forename: Alexios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Psaroudakis
authors.forename: Christiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garipi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult