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Annals of Psychophysiology                                                                                                        Volume 3, October 2016                  
©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre                                                                    www.aeirc-edu.com 

ISSN 2412 - 3188 
 

Original Article 

Life Hassles; Cause and Effect Relations among  

Diverse Age Groups 

Syeda Farah Batool1, Shamoon Noushad1,2 & Sadaf Ahmed1,2 
1Psycho-physiology Research Lab, University of Karachi 

2Advance Educational Institute and Research Centre 

Corresponding Author: Emanraza14@gmail.com 

  

Abstract 

This study was done to evaluate the basic cause of trauma among people of different ages. Stress levels in subjects 

were observed and their reported symptoms were analyzed on the basis of physiological indications towards 

neurological disorder. Impact of stress on individual’s mental health and social life were determined. Sadaf Stress 

Scale (SSS) was used to determine the level of stress in subjects, a questionnaire based Performa was filled for 

evaluation of physiological symptoms regarding their trauma. Subjects were divided into four groups according to 

their ages. Moderate to severe stress was observed among the age group of 18-24 and 25-31, and severe stress was 

found in 32-38 while subjects lying in last age group i.e. 40+ were in least stress. A cause of trauma varies among 

different age groups. Stress does have a great impact on nervous system by altering and modulating its function. 

Continuous exposure to stress or stressful environment can cause severe damage to memory and perception, which 

either lead you to severe psychological issues or may tempt you to commit suicide. 

 

Introduction 

An individual can be a fruitful addition to the society 

if the person realizes his potential and has a stamina 

to fight with the daily stresses of life, but all this is 

only possible if a person is Mentally healthy 

(Shamoon Naushad et al.,). A nation cannot proceed 

onto the track of success if the people are not 

mentally healthy. As Pakistan is going through the 

worst law and order conditions and has emerged as a 

country with limited resources or a country which is 

unable to utilize its resources. People of different age 

group are suffering from various type of stresses now 

a day especially in Karachi.  

 

These traumatic stresses are leading them to state of 

depression, especially people of young to middle age 

are the most affected categories among all. Trauma is 

basically a reflex action of a negative event that 

utterly affects the individual’s mental and emotional 

state (Hogan et al., 2014).  According to National 

Institute of Mental Health (NIHM), trauma is not 

always associated with being a part of that traumatic 

event, it can also occur just by watching the event 

from a distance. There is no age or gender restriction 

to sustain trauma from a trauma-inducing event, 

although the rate at which an individual is affected 

varies from person to person (Hogan et al., 2014).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Materials and Methods 

Individuals of age between 18-40 were investigated 

through a pre-designed questionnaire which 

determines the mental state of the subjects and 

evaluate the ultimate cause their trauma. SSS (Sadaf 

Stress Scale) is used as a tool for analyzing and 

grading the level of trauma from normal to severe.  

 

Results were analyzed by using MS Excel and SPSS 

version 16. To make the analysis easier and to 

identify the trauma in particular age and gender, we 

made groups according to their age and gender as 

follow and then concluded the results. 

 

 Group A = 18-24 years 

 Group B = 25-31 years 

 Group C = 32-38 years 

 Group D = 39-45 years 

 Group E = above 45 years 

 

As we had the lowest number of subjects that fall in 

group D and E so we combine these group and make  

them a single group “D” that has subjects above 40 

years. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Syeda Farah Batool 44 

  

Annals of Psychophysiology                                                                                                        Volume 3, October 2016                  
©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre                                                                    www.aeirc-edu.com 

ISSN 2412 - 3188 
 

Results 

 

 
The above graph is showing the level of stress among individuals of different age groups, in which group A (18-24) 

and group B (25-31) has approximately similar numbers of subjects that are moderately and severely stressed 

subjects and has secured the second position in most stressed age group. The group that stays at top in most stressful 

age group is group C (32-38), which has the largest percentage of subjects that are severely stressed out. 

 

This graph represents the cause of trauma in the subjects of Group A (18-24), in which the most reported cause was 

emotional abuse. Collectively 41% of subjects reported admission and education related problems, while accidents 

and death of loved ones was reported by 37% subjects. Another consequence of trauma, “Domestic violence” was 

reported by 32% people. 

 
 

 

42 44

0

56

3 0
10 11

21 19

40

22
34 37

50

11

0

50

100

A B C D

N MI MO S

0

20

40

60
44.3

3.2

13 11.5
19.3

26

13

29

16.1 16.1 13

26

8.3

17.9

0

20

40

60

80

37

4.3
12

2

32
37

0

71

21

39 43

6 6

22

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Syeda Farah Batool 45 

  

Annals of Psychophysiology                                                                                                        Volume 3, October 2016                  
©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre                                                                    www.aeirc-edu.com 

ISSN 2412 - 3188 
 

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80

0 0 0 0 0

71.4

43

57.1

0 0 0

14.2

0

43

This graph is representing the reason behind the trauma of subjects belong to age Group B (25-31), indicating that 

accident was the cause that affect 44.3% subjects of this group, while 29% reported emotional abuse and 26% 

reported unemployment as their cause of trauma. 

 

 
 

Trauma of individuals of Group C is illustrated in this graph. Emotional abuse and death of loved ones were the 

most reported causes of trauma among this age group. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individuals of Group D has trauma that are mentioned in the graph above, which indicates that death of loved ones, 

emotional abuse and marriage as their cause of trauma, while 14.2% reported unemployment as consequence of 

trauma. 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig# 1. is showing the case studies we have found during this study, in which a 42-year-old female with a very 

strong background of traumatic stress, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis afterwards, even the worst case was 

observed during this study was a Suicide attempted by a 24-year-old boy.  

 

 

 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

10

20 20 20

0

50

1

60

0 0 0

10

20

0

Case# Subject Data Stress Lead Them to 

1. Age: 42 Gender: F Multiple Sclerosis 

2. Age: 24 Gender: M Suicidal Attempt 

http://www.aeirc-edu.com/


 
 

Syeda Farah Batool 46 

  

Annals of Psychophysiology                                                                                                        Volume 3, October 2016                  
©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre                                                                    www.aeirc-edu.com 

ISSN 2412 - 3188 
 

Psychological Trauma

Sense Of Helplessness And Fear

Disturbance In Neurological And 
Behavioral Patterns

Discussion 

According to this study, people belong to age group 

A, B and C were the most affected ones from stress 

especially subjects of Group C were found to be the 

most affected group that has the maximum numbers 

of subjects that are severely affected by their trauma.   

Kathleen. J, Moroz et al., 2005 concluded from a 

number of surveys done on US population regarding 

psychological trauma that the youth of United states 

of America was more psychologically affected by the 

stressful event than does the adult or old, but as far as 

this study was concerned it reveals that late adults are 

more affected by trauma than youth and adolescents, 

but the fact that we cannot see through is the level of 

stress that keep on increasing in adolescent and it 

showed itself with a bang at mid-aged individuals. 

This might be because of the regrets of past and 

unrevealed wishes. The cause of trauma could differ 

from age groups but the reason is just as mentioned 

above (Peter A. Levine et al., 1997). Another factor 

that cannot be neglected in Pakistan especially in 

Karachi robberies, target killings, snatching and 

brutal attacks from terrorists have now became 

routine and almost every single person is a victim 

either direct victim or indirect (S. Ahmed et 

al.,2014). This is the major reason why our 

population is suffering from that much emotional 

distress. Emotional abuse, death of loved and 

accidents were the most reported cause of trauma of 

the individual while education related issues and 

unemployment stands just after the above three 

issues. The International Labor Organization (ILO) 

presented in the report “Global Employment Trends” 

that the unemployment rate in Pakistan was 5.17% in 

2013 and it has been raised to 5.29% in 2014 (Ali 

Sidiki et al., 2014). This is an alarming situation for 

everyone that approximately 50% of our population 

is suffering from stress majority of them are young, 

and they are choosing Death over Life. As “The 

regional directorates of the Ministry of Law, Justice 

and Human rights in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and 

Quetta”, has revealed that 50% of the total suicidal 

cases reported in Pakistan are because of poverty and 

economic crashes (The Express Tribune Pakistan, 

2010). Unemployment is one of the most reported 

cause of trauma by the subjects of this study and they 

were suffering from severe stress, if this stress persist 

for a longer period of time it will start to alter 

behavioral and neurological pattern (W.Miller 

et.al.,2014).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table#1. (Adapted from W. Miller’s article entitled 

as “Traumatic stress, Oxidative stress, PTSD, 

Neurodegeneration and Cell Aging Hypothesis, 

2014)  

 

Conclusion 

Stress does have a great impact on nervous system by 

altering and modulating its function. Continuous 

exposure to stress or stressful environment can cause 

severe damage to memory and perception, which 

either lead individuals to severe psychological issues 

or may tempt ones to commit suicide.  

  

References 

 American Psychiatric Association (1994). 

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental 

Disorders, 4th Edn. Washington, DC: American 

Psychiatric Association. 

 Kathleen J. Moroz, The Effects of Psychological Tr

auma on Children and Adolescents, June 30, 2005 

 NINDS traumatic brain injury information page. 

 Patricia A. Resick, Stress and Trauma, January 1, 

2001, 

 Peter A. Levine, Waking the Tiger, July 7th 1997 

by North Atlantic Books. 

 Sadaf Ahmed1&2, Shamoon Noushad, Sehrish 

Shahzad, Syed Zain Azher, Adnan Aziz, 

Muhammad Taha Saleem, Postraumatic Stress 

Disorder in Karachites Due to Random Events of 

Violence. 2014 

 S Ahmed, M Shaukat, A Hasni, S Noushad, 

Psycho-social stress as a risk factor for cognitive 

decline in houswives, 2011, Indian journal of health 

and wellbeing 2 (5), 935-937 

 Mark W. Miller and Naomi Sadeh Traumatic stress, 

oxidative stress and posttraumatic stress disorder: 

neurodegeneration and the accelerated-aging 

hypothesis, PMCID: PMC4211971, 2014 

 Kay Hagon M. T M.Ed, The Physiological Effects 

of Trauma and Benefits of Tomatis-Based Sound 

Stimulation, 2014. 

 

 

   

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