A multi-component model exploring how psychological, behavioral, and environmental characteristics influence physical health and psychological wellness

The purpose of this study is to understand how experiences of childhood maltreatment, anger style, social support and health behaviors impact psychological well-being (anxiety and depressive symptoms), physical health (immune, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disease risk) and physiological reactivity. The role of psychosocial stress (financial/family, community/residential and prejudice) will be looked at as a potential moderator of this relationship. The study will use two mechanisms for assessing stress. One being self-reported chronic life stress. The other being acute psychosocial stress created in a lab environment. This will allow for an assessment of a multi-component model addressing some of the potential mechanisms that may underlie the development of specific diseases in African-American, Hispanic and Caucasian populations.