Symptom distress and frequency of life events.

A study of the frequency of life events was conducted in a group of subjects selected from the general population over a period of 9 months. Four assessments were made, using an events questionnaire and the Psychiatric Symptom Index (PSI), at 3-monthly intervals. The results show a significant relationship (maintained over time) between PSI score and the number of upsetting events, but no significant relationship between PSI score and non-upsetting events. These observations are interpreted as follows: the higher frequency of upsetting life events is secondary to the previous psychological pattern of subjects.