Resilience, Positivity and Social Support as Perceived Stress Predictors among University Students

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Mental Health Research
• Sociology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted academic life, impacting student mental health.
• Identifying personal resources to mitigate stress is crucial for student well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictive role of individual (resilience, positivity) and socio-environmental (social support, nationality) factors on perceived stress in university students.
• To understand how these factors influence mental health costs associated with academic disruptions.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed 559 university students from Poland, Serbia, and Italy.
• Utilized Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Positivity Scale (PS), and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL-12).
• Employed a general linear model (GLM) for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Personal resources (positivity, resilience, social support) were positively interrelated and significantly associated with lower stress levels.
• Gender and nationality were found to differentiate stress levels.
• Resilience, positivity, tangible support, and gender were the strongest predictors of perceived stress.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing students' awareness of personal resources can bolster their mental health.
• Interventions focused on building resilience, positivity, and social support are recommended for stress prevention.
• The universality of these predictors suggests broad applicability across diverse student populations and cultural contexts.