Congruent stress-preventing factors and anxiety in a long-term stress situation

The relationship of state anxiety to personal and social stress-preventing factors and to criterion measure was examined in 38 family men who were recent immigrants to Israel from Western countries. As predicted, state anxiety accounted for more variance in the criterion measure of stated intention of remaining in Israel than all the stress-preventing factors combined. Moreover, approximately half of the effect of the latter factors on the criterion was achieved through the anxiety variable. Given the modest sample size, the specific findings are regarded as tentative, but the general conclusion of the study appears to be amply supported. Namely, the level of state anxiety in the individual may be regarded as an index of the effectiveness of the various stress-preventing factors operating in the situation and as a stress-preventing factor in its own right that directly affects problem-solving behavior and outcomes.