Coping as a Mechanism Linking Stressful Life Events and Mental Health Problems in Adolescents

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• 作者：Xiu Hong MENG^a ; ^b ; ^{mengxiuhong@163.com}  ; [Author Vitae] ; Fang Biao TAO^a ; ^b ; Yu Hui WAN^a ; ^b ; Yan HU^a ; ^b ; Ren Xi WANG^a ; ^b
• 关键词：Coping ; Stressful life events ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Adolescents
• 刊名：Biomedical and Environmental Sciences
• 出版年：2011
• 出版时间：December, 2011
• 年：2011
• 卷：24
• 期：6
• 页码：649-655
• 全文大小：279 K

文摘

Objective

Although stressful life events represent an etiologic factor of mental health problems in adolescents, few studies have been conducted to address mechanisms linking the stress-psychopathology relation. The present study was designed to examine coping as a mediate factor on the relationship between stressful life events and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Methods

The participants were 13 512 students from eight cities of China, who participated in a school-based survey. Data were collected by a questionnaire comprising coping, stressful life events, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. As a model, a series of regression equations were used to examine whether coping mediated the association between stressful life events and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Results

Each dimension of stressful life events showed significant correlation with anxiety, depression and coping (all P<0.001). In the model to analyze mediate effects, all standardized coefficients (¦Â) were significant (all P<0.01), indicating marked mediator effects. Furthermore, negative coping might account for more mediate effects than positive coping on this relationship.

Conclusion

Coping partially mediated the relationship between stressful life events and mental health during adolescence. This study highlighted an important public health priority for preventive interventions targeting stress-related psychopathology, and for further promoting adolescents' mental health.