This paper examines whether the simultaneous occurrence of two or more adverse life course transitions has a stronger effect on mental health compared to the effects of the sum of each. The focus is on four life course transitions (partner loss (divorce/separation or death), death of a parent, unemployment, disability) and the data come from a large four-wave longitudinal dataset in the Netherlands (N = 4,192 respondents). There is clear evidence that negative life course transitions tend to cluster. Of the four transitions, partner loss and disability onset have the largest negative impact on mental health but unemployment also has a clear effect. There is not only additive but also interactive accumulation during the life course: one adverse event has a more negative impact on mental health when it occurs simultaneously with another. This provides evidence on the link between ‘turbulent times’ in the life course and negative mental health trajectories. We did not find evidence that effects of adverse transitions depend on education.

中文翻译：

---

从坏到坏？多种不利的人生历程转变对心理健康的影响

本文研究了与同时发生的两个或多个不利的人生过程过渡同时发生相比，对心理健康的影响是否更大。重点是四个人生历程的过渡（伴侣丧失（离婚/分居或死亡），父母死亡，失业，残疾），数据来自荷兰的大型四波纵向数据集（N = 4,192被调查者）。有明确的证据表明，消极的人生过程过渡趋于聚集。在这四个过渡中，伴侣丧失和残疾发作对心理健康的负面影响最大，但失业也有明显的影响。在生活过程中，不仅会有累加，而且还会有互动积累：一种不良事件与另一种不良事件同时发生会对精神健康产生更大的负面影响。这为生活过程中的“动荡时期”与负面的心理健康轨迹之间的联系提供了证据。我们没有找到证据表明不利过渡的影响取决于教育。