[International comparative study on health condition of young people]

The connection between physical condition, coping strategies and emotional intelligence is widely studied in the international literature, but comparative research data collected among Transylvanian and Hungarian adolescents are not available in contemporary psychological literature.

The aim of the authors was to study health indicators, emotional intelligence and coping strategies among adolescents and analyse connections between these factors and physical condition as part of an international research.

The physical condition, coping strategies and emotional intelligence of 390 individuals, aged between 13 and 19 years living in Debrecen (Hungary) and Érmihályfalva (Romania) were observed.

adaptive (i. e. problem-focused) coping strategies used in stressful situations resulted in lower depression rates, as well as better mental well-being than the maladaptive ones such as emotional clearing, self-punishment, distraction of attention. Adolescents showing higher emotional intelligence had lower depression levels and better mental well-being.

Institutionally initiated emotional intelligence and coping strategy development for young people may prove to be an important preventive interventional public health programme. This may serve as a basis to assist health-consciousness and personality formatting.