Comparing multidimensional facets of stress with social, emotional, and physical well-being using ecological momentary assessment among a Hispanic sample.

Abstract

Stress is multidimensional, including exposure, subjective appraisals, perceived coping, rumination, and worry. Although research has shown each dimension can predict poor social, emotional, and subjective well-being, rarely have these dimensions of stress been compared as one is experiencing stress. This paper used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to repeatedly measure stress dimensions and self-reported health to test whether each stress dimension has a unique relationship with well-being over time at the between-person and within-person levels. Participants (n=165, 79.6% female) were Hispanic undergraduates, who completed EMAs twice a day for 14 consecutive days, resulting in 3,436 EMAs and 1,987 morning sleep observations. At each EMA, participants reported on the dimensions of stress, feelings of loneliness and belongingness (social well-being), levels of sadness, happiness, and anxiety (emotional well-being), and how healthy they felt (subjective well-being). Sleep quality and duration (subjective well-being) were assessed each morning. Multilevel models revealed few relationships at the between-person level. At the within-person level, appraisals, coping, rumination, and worry consistently predicted social, emotional, and subjective well-being. Lagged analyses suggested some relationships for appraisal, coping, and worry. Results suggest the importance of measuring stress in a multidimensional capacity and examining associations with well-being across multiple health facets.