Tenth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

The aim of the study was twofold: a) to assess the extent to which psychosocial resources (i.e., optimism, mastery, and social support) are associated with negative affect, positive affect, and with risk taking following stressful academic events among students, and b) to assess psychosocial resources as moderators of the effects of stress on affective reactions and risk-taking. A secondary analysis of the data of 294 participants was conducted. Participants completed questionnaires assessing dispositional optimism, sense of mastery, social support, stress appraisal, positive and negative affect, risk-taking behaviors (e.g., drinking alcohol excessively, driving faster than usual), social desirability, and demographic variables. The three resources were highly intercorrelated, and factor analysis resulted in one factor with all three resources loaded highly on that factor. Therefore, a combined resources score was created by averaging the standard scores of the three resources. The results showed that the resources score was negatively associated with negative affect and risk taking and positively associated with positive affect. The stress score showed a positive correlation with negative affect and risk taking and no correlation with positive affect. Under high levels of stress, the resources score demonstrated the highest negative association with risk taking. The results highlight the important role of psychosocial resources in lowering negative feelings and risk-taking behaviors. The findings of the study suggest that among students, and youth in general, interventions aimed at strengthening psychosocial resources can be important in preventing risk-taking behaviors and their outcomes following stressful academic events.