INFORMATION

Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.

PSICOTHEMA
  • Director: Laura E. Gómez Sánchez
  • Frequency:
         February | May | August | November
  • ISSN: 0214-9915
  • Digital Edition:: 1886-144X
CONTACT US
  • Address: Ildelfonso Sánchez del Río, 4, 1º B
    33001 Oviedo (Spain)
  • Phone: 985 285 778
  • Fax: 985 281 374
  • Email:psicothema@cop.es

Negative affect, perceived health, and endocrine and immunological levels in caregivers of offspring with schizophrenia

Sara De Andrés-García, Irene Cano-López, Luis Moya-Albiol and Esperanza González-Bono

Universitat de València

Background: Negative affect (NA) and chronic stress are separately associated with health imbalances, and the interaction between the two aspects remains unclear. Care of relatives with long-term pathologies could be a likely model in the study of this issue, as caregivers frequently report chronic stress and health complaints. The aim of this study is examine the role of NA on psychophysiological stress-induced response and health in schizophrenia caregivers. Method: Forty-one caregivers were distributed into two groups accordingly to their scores in NA. Thirteen non-caregivers were included as a control group. Participants were exposed to a repeated acute psychosocial stress while salivary cortisol, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and skin conductance level (SCL) were measured before, during, and after stress. Mood, state-anxiety, care conditions and perceived general health were also assessed. Results: Caregivers with higher NA reported negative perceptions, worse health, and greater decreases in cortisol and IgA response than caregivers with low NA and than non-caregivers. Conclusions: NA could reduce the capability to develop adaptive psychophysiological stress responses. From a preventive view, the evaluation of NA could be useful to detect and assist high-risk individuals in potentially chronically stressed populations.

Afecto negativo, salud percibida y niveles endocrinos e inmunológicos en cuidadores de hijos con esquizofrenia. Antecedentes: afecto negativo (AN) y estrés crónico se asocian con desequilibrios de salud, y la interacción entre ambos permanece desconocida. El cuidado de familiares a largo plazo es un modelo de estudio, ya que informan de estrés crónico y problemas de salud. El objetivo es examinar el papel del AN sobre la respuesta de estrés y la salud en cuidadores de esquizofrenia. Método: cuarenta-y-un cuidadores fueron distribuidos en dos grupos de acuerdo con su AN y trece no cuidadores formaron el grupo control. Los participantes fueron expuestos a un estresor psicosocial agudo repetido, midiéndose el cortisol, la inmunoglobulina A (IgA) y el nivel de conductancia cutánea (SCL) antes, durante y después del estrés. También se evaluó el estado de ánimo, el estado de ansiedad, las condiciones de cuidado y la salud percibida. Resultados: los cuidadores con mayor AN muestran peor salud, y mayores disminuciones de cortisol y de respuesta de IgA que los cuidadores con menor AN y los no cuidadores. Conclusiones: el AN podría reducir la capacidad para desarrollar respuestas psicofisiológicas adaptativas al estrés. Desde un punto de vista preventivo, la evaluación de AN podría ser útil para la detección precoz en poblaciones de alto riesgo.

PDF

Impact factor 2022:  JCR WOS 2022:  FI = 3.6 (Q2);  JCI = 1.21 (Q1) / SCOPUS 2022:  SJR = 1.097;  CiteScore = 6.4 (Q1)