Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

1. The first purpose of this study was to collect information of the types, severity and frequency of life-events and difficulties in orthodox Anglo-Jewish women and men.
2. Secondly, to study the relations between depression, anxiety and provoking agents (severe events and major difficulties), and to elucidate some vunerability factors, in orthodox, Anglo-Jewish women and men.
3. Thirdly, to compare the sub-groups - men and women, middle- and strictly-orthodox, on the factors assessed (psychiatric symptoms, events, difficulties etc.), and to examine each group and sub-group separately for specific aetiological and maintenance factors.
4. Finally, to collect data on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in orthodox Anglo-Jews.


Main Topics:

Current social and family circumstances; biography; religious practice; life events; difficulties; anxiety; depression; tension; mood check list.
Measurement Scales Used
Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (G.W. Brown and T.O. Harris: <i>Social origins of depression</i>, Tavistock,1978),(see Archive study number GN:33127). Very slightly modified for use with Jewish subjects, and rated in consultation with the Brown and Harris current research teams for contextual threat and related features of stressful events and difficulties.
A shortened form of the <i>Present State Examination</i> was used as described in Brown and Harris (1978) to assess symptoms of minor psychiatric disorders.