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Misfortune and resilience: a community study of women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

P. E. Bebbington ,
E. Sturt ,
C. Tennant  and
J. Hurry
P. E. Bebbington*
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
E. Sturt
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
C. Tennant
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
J. Hurry
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr P. E. Bebbington, MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.
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Synopsis

A community survey of psychiatric disorder carried out in South London enabled the authors to investigate the ‘vulnerability model’ proposed by Brown & Harris (1978). In the current study none of the ‘vulnerability factors’ proposed by Brown & Harris fulfilled the requirements of the model. It was, however, found that working class women with children seemed particularly prone to develop minor psychiatric disorder in response to adversity. A similar result is apparent in the analyses of the earlier authors. A number of studies now published give some support to the vulnerability model using what are broadly measures of social support, but there is little corroboration using the other variables proposed by Brown & Harris.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , May 1984 , pp. 347 - 363
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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