Naslov
The sources of stress and coping styles as mediators and moderators of the relationship between personality traits and physical symptoms

Autori
Hudek-Knežević, Jasna ; Kardum, Igor ; Kalebić Maglica, Barbara

Izvornik
Review of Psychology (1330-6812) 12 (2005); 91-101

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
stressful events; coping styles; personality traits; physical symptoms

Sažetak
The mediating and moderating effects of various sources of stressful events (stress connected to relations with parents/family, teachers, friends/peers and achievement) and coping styles (problem-focused, emotion-focused and avoidance coping) between dimensions of the five-factor model of personality and perceived frequency of physical symptoms were examined on the representative sample of 948 students from the fifth to the eight grade of elementary school using hierarchical regression and path analyses. The results of hierarchical regression analyses show that stressful events connected to relations with teachers and parents/family significantly moderate the effects of neuroticism on physical symptoms. The frequency of physical symptoms increases more as a function of stress intensity connected to relations with teachers in adolescents high in neuroticism than in emotionally stable adolescents, while with the increase of stress intensity connected to relations with parents/family the frequency of physical symptoms increases more in emotionally stable adolescents. Considering coping styles, only problem-focused coping moderates the effect of neuroticism on physical symptoms, so that in emotionally stable individuals the increase of problem-focused coping is related to a decrease, while in individuals high in neuroticism to the increase of the frequency of physical symptoms. The results of two path analyses show that stressful events connected to the relations with parents/family and teachers partly mediate positive effects of neuroticism and negative effects of conscientiousness on the frequency of physical symptoms. Stressful events connected to relations with parents/family and friends/peers mediate the negative effects of extraversion, while stressful events connected to relations with parents/family to a lesser extent mediate positive effects of openness/intellect on the frequency of physical symptoms. Regarding coping styles, emotion-focused coping partly mediates positive effect of extraversion, and avoidance coping positive effects of neuroticism on physical symptoms.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Psihologija

POVEZANOST RADA