University of Twente Student Theses
The association between emotion-focused coping and stress levels among university students within a daily context : an experience sampling study
Dimitriadou, E.K. (2021) The association between emotion-focused coping and stress levels among university students within a daily context : an experience sampling study.
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| Abstract: | Background. Stress plays an important role in daily life since it can negatively affect an individual's wellbeing; consequently, coping mechanisms have become an area of intense investigation. Emotion-focused coping (EFC) is one form of coping identified as ineffective when responding and dealing with stress. However, even if the relationship between EFC and stress seems well established, no study investigated the association on a state level within a daily context by differentiating the distinct units of EFC, namely avoidant EFC and active EFC. Objective. The current study examined the association between momentary state EFC and momentary state stress in daily life. Moreover, the association between momentary avoidant EFC and momentary state stress and momentary active EFC and momentary state stress was examined. Finally, the study assessed the association between trait EFC and trait stress. Method. The current study used the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) for eight consecutive days among 47 University students. (Mage= 21.13; 82,6% females) based on convenience sampling. State measures were assessed three times daily. Trait measures were assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations – Short form (CISS-SF) to measure dispositional stress and EFC. Further, state stress was assessed with the Stress Numerical Rating Scale-11 (SNRS-11) and state EFC with a combination of four items out of the Ways of Coping Checklist (WOCC). Results. A simple linear regression analysis revealed a strong positive association between trait EFC and trait stress, indicating that people who, on average, report higher stress levels, on average, report more use of EFC. Further, three distinct linear mixed model analysis displayed that state EFC is positively associated with state stress (b = .46, SE = .03, p < .000. ). Moreover, the higher state stress levels, the higher the use of state avoidant EFC (b = .36, SE= .03, p < .000, 95% CI [.30, .42]) and state active EFC (b = .50, SE = .03, p < .000, 95% CI [.44, .56]). Conclusion. This study provides insight into the association between momentary state stress and momentary state EFC. Moreover, novel and unique insight was found for the differentation between the units of EFC, namely active EFC and avoidant EFC. Moreover, a greater use of state active EFC was identified compared to state avoidant EFC for mild stress levels within a daily context. Therefore, the current research expands and adds to the existing literature, which can add to the suggestions of effective coping stratgegies in daily used stress-management interventions by providing insight into the daily use of EFC, when mild stress levels are identified. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Clients: | Unknown organization, Netherlands |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/87433 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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