engleski

Perceived Stress, Coping Styles and Mindfulness as Predictors of Students’ Self-Reported Health Behaviors

The main aim of this study was to examine the predictive contribution of Perceived stress, styles of coping with stress and Mindfulness in explanation of partaking in Health Promotion Behaviors, with gender and age as controlled variables. In this study 307 college students from 45 different higher education institutions in Croatia were included. The rate of taking part in health promotion behaviors was assessed using the Health-promotion Lifestyle Profile-II - HPLP-II, levels of perceived stress were assessed using the short version of Perceived Stress Scale - PSS10, and a short version of the COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) questionnaire - BriefCOPE was used to assess different styles of coping with stress, while the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale – MAAS was used to assess the level of mindfulness. Significant Pearson correlation coefficients were found between Perceived stress, Problem-oriented and Emotion- oriented style of coping, Mindfulness and taking part in Health Promotion Behaviors. According to the results of hierarchical regression analysis, Perceived stress, Problem- oriented and Emotion-oriented styles of coping and Mindfulness have a significant contribution in predicting taking part in Health Promotion Behaviors. Specifically, lower levels of stress, a higher level of Problem and Emotion- oriented styles of coping and a higher level of Mindfulness predict a higher level of taking part in Health Promotion Behaviors by college students. The results of this study may be useful for constructing educational programs and interventions with the aim of spreading the knowledge on many potential benefits of partaking in promotional health behaviors as well as helping both, students and general population, in changing their potentially harmful behaviors or in sustaining their protective health behaviors.

health promotion behaviors, perceived stress, copying with stress, mindfulness

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