A systematic theoretical review of daily life stressors across disciplines and countries

Abstract Background Daily life stressors are associated with negative health outcomes and are thus essential in public health research. Over decades, numerous stressor theories developed. The present research is part of a large-scale systematic review on the existing theoretical literature on daily life stressors across disciplines and countries. Specifically, this research aims to answer how daily life stressors have been classified. A synthesis of stressor classifications is crucial to identify which daily life stressors are important to include in public health studies. Methods We conducted a systematic review on theoretical papers and empirical studies that developed or extended stressor theories. A systematic search was performed across 5 databases including Medline, PsycInfo, Web of Science, SocIndex, and Business Source Premier, focusing on papers published in English with no restriction on publication year. Results The search yielded 26,794 records. Using the artificial intelligence screening software ASReview, 27% (n = 7,318) of the records were title-abstract screened before a predetermined stopping rule was fulfilled. A total of n = 1,044 records were full-text screened. The preliminary results indicate that stressor classifications not only differ in their content (e.g., interpersonal stressors, work stressors) but also differ on other dimensions such as life domain (e.g., work, family, leisure, work-family interface), source (from the individual or environment), timescale (chronic, acute, accumulated), and level of social reality (micro, meso, macro). Conclusions While studies often focus on a specific set of stressors, this theoretical review highlights the full spectrum of stressor classes that require attention in public health research. This theoretical synthesis of stressor classifications can guide researchers in designing future studies that examine the complex relationships between various classes of stressors and health across diverse populations. Key messages • Public health research on daily life stressors benefits from a comprehensive theoretical foundation. • Daily life stressors are complex, spanning life domains, sources, timescales, and societal levels.