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Psychological Distress and Size of Place: The Epidemiology of Rural Economic Stress
Author(s) -
Hoyt Danny R.,
O'Donnell David,
Mack Kristin Yagla
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
rural sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.083
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1549-0831
pISSN - 0036-0112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1549-0831.1995.tb00602.x
Subject(s) - nonfarm payrolls , distress , psychological distress , population , rural area , psychology , socioeconomic status , socioeconomics , gerontology , demography , geography , mental health , sociology , medicine , clinical psychology , agriculture , psychiatry , archaeology , pathology
Size‐of‐place differences in the distribution of psychological distress are examined. Residents in communities of less than 2,500 population are predicted to have higher levels of distress than persons living in farm, rural nonfarm, and larger places. A research instrument was designed to measure economic stress, personal resources, and psychological distress in a survey of adult householders in a midwestern state. Results support the interpretation that long‐term demographic and social trends had a negative impact upon the psychological well‐being of residents in rural communities. Residents of these rural communities have higher levels of distress than persons living on farms or in towns of up to 9,999 population. Levels of psychological distress are not significantly different between persons living in rural communities and those in small cities or urban centers.