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Temporal scaffolding and agentic pathways: a mixed-methods analysis of hope as a buffer in the personality-stress
1Institute of Dunhuang Studies, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Introduction:
This study examined hope as a buffer in the process linking personality to perceived stress via self-esteem.
Methods:
Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design (QUAN → qual), 425 Chinese adults completed measures of neuroticism, conscientiousness, self-esteem, hope, and perceived stress. Quantitative analysis employed latent moderated mediation modeling. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 20 purposefully selected participants (low self-esteem, high/low hope).
Results:
Quantitative analysis confirmed that self-esteem mediated the personality-stress relationship, and this mediation was moderated by hope (β = 0.16). The negative association between self-esteem and stress was significantly weaker for individuals with high hope, and the detrimental indirect effect of neuroticism was attenuated by 45% compared to those with low hope. Interviews revealed three buffering mechanisms: Temporal Scaffolding, Self-Worth Decoupling, and Agentic Pathway Generation.
Discussion:
The findings demonstrate that hope acts as an active psychological resource, providing specific cognitive and behavioral strategies that mitigate the impact of low self-esteem on stress, offering nuanced insights for targeted interventions.
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