Stress, social relations, and psychological health over the life course

Abstract

This paper documents experiences of stress among people 18+ (N = 500) in Beirut, Lebanon. We investigate the extent to which social relations function as a stabilizing factor for psychological health. Regression analyses indicate a curvilinear link between stress and psychological health. Both low and high levels of stress predict higher depressive symptoms. Among those aged 18–39 years, there is no buffering effect of social relations yet for those aged 40–59 years positive support quality buffers the effect of stress on depressive symptoms. Among those 60+ years old, negative support quality buffers the effect of stress on depressive symptoms. The function of social relations varies both in its main and buffering effects at different points in the life course.