Chronic stress and psychological well-being: evidence from Thailand on household crowding.
Soc Sci Med
; 42(2): 265-80, 1996 Jan.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8928035
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the effect of one form of chronic stress--household crowding--on psychological well-being, as measured by multiple inverse indicators of psychological well-being. We rely on data from a large (n = 2017) random sample of households in Bangkok, Thailand, a context that has a higher level and broader range of crowding than typically found in the United States. Objective household crowding is found to be detrimental to psychological well-being, controlling for a number of background characteristics. The effect of objective crowding is mediated by subjective crowding, which has strong, consistent and direct detrimental effects on well-being. There is no evidence of a gender effect. Extended family households are not uncommon in Bangkok, but the effects of objective and subjective crowding are similar in both two- and three-generation households, as well as in one- and multiple-couple households. The argument that subjective crowding is an effect, rather than a cause, of psychological well-being is examined and rejected. The findings suggest that crowding, as a chronic source of stress, constitutes a major threat to psychological well-being. Although the empirical analyses are based on data from one city, we frame the issue of household crowding in a historical and theoretical context in order to suggest in which cultural settings household crowding is most likely to have detrimental effects on psychological well-being.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Estresse Psicológico
/
Adaptação Psicológica
/
Aglomeração
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
1996
Tipo de documento:
Article