ORIGINAL PAPER
Sense of coherence and the style of interpersonal functioning and coping in adolescence
Submission date: 2015-03-01
Final revision date: 2015-05-14
Acceptance date: 2015-05-14
Online publication date: 2015-06-15
Publication date: 2015-06-15
Health Psychology Report 2015;3(4):292-299
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background
Sense of coherence is widely discussed with respect to adults. The objective of this study was to find experiences (interpersonal relations and coping) forming the sense of coherence in the adolescent period. Another aim was to find a correlation between the kind of experiences resulting from the style of functioning and the kind of strategy of coping with stress.
Participants and procedure
Three hundred and four subjects aged 17-19 took part in the study. The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire, the Coping with Stress Questionnaire and the Scale of Interpersonal Relations were used.
Results
The analysis showed that girls are characterized by a lower level of sense of coherence. Sense of coherence is in adolescents statistically significantly associated with the following functional styles: self-effacing-masochistic (F: r = –.50, p < .001/M: r = –.52, p < .001), rebellious-distrustful (F: r = –.46, p < .001/M: r = –.41, p < .001) and emotion-focused strategy (F: r = –.65, p < .001/M: r = –.60, p < .001); in girls: cooperative-overconventional (r = .23, p < .01), aggressive-sadistic (r = –.34, p < .001) and problem-focused strategy (r = .40, p < .001); in boys: managerial-autocratic (r = .47, p < .001). The values of the explained variance in girls and boys are comparable (61%). In this model of explanation of the results, an aggressive-sadistic style is important for girls, but a docile-dependent style is important for boys.
Conclusions
Sense of coherence in adolescence is significantly determined by the kind of experiences connected with coping with stress and the style of interpersonal functioning.
Sense of coherence is widely discussed with respect to adults. The objective of this study was to find experiences (interpersonal relations and coping) forming the sense of coherence in the adolescent period. Another aim was to find a correlation between the kind of experiences resulting from the style of functioning and the kind of strategy of coping with stress.
Participants and procedure
Three hundred and four subjects aged 17-19 took part in the study. The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire, the Coping with Stress Questionnaire and the Scale of Interpersonal Relations were used.
Results
The analysis showed that girls are characterized by a lower level of sense of coherence. Sense of coherence is in adolescents statistically significantly associated with the following functional styles: self-effacing-masochistic (F: r = –.50, p < .001/M: r = –.52, p < .001), rebellious-distrustful (F: r = –.46, p < .001/M: r = –.41, p < .001) and emotion-focused strategy (F: r = –.65, p < .001/M: r = –.60, p < .001); in girls: cooperative-overconventional (r = .23, p < .01), aggressive-sadistic (r = –.34, p < .001) and problem-focused strategy (r = .40, p < .001); in boys: managerial-autocratic (r = .47, p < .001). The values of the explained variance in girls and boys are comparable (61%). In this model of explanation of the results, an aggressive-sadistic style is important for girls, but a docile-dependent style is important for boys.
Conclusions
Sense of coherence in adolescence is significantly determined by the kind of experiences connected with coping with stress and the style of interpersonal functioning.
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