The influence of stress upon symptom structure.

Evaluated the influence of stress on the factor structure of symptoms in a nonclinical population. A random sample of 299 persons in the process of divorcing were subdivided into those high and low on stressful life events. Separate factor analyses of symptoms for each group provided evidence that stress does affect symptom structure. Ruminative Depression was the only stable factor. Two anxiety factors from the low stress group merged into one factor among the high stressed, while agitated depression appeared only in the low stress condition. A factor suggestive of stress response syndrome was evident among the high stressed.