Effects of Academic Stress, Somatization Symptoms, and Social Support on Coping Responses in High School Students

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with coping responses in Korean public high school students. Methods: This study employed a descriptive survey research design. The sample included 263 high school students who responded to a self-report questionnaire. Variables included socio-demographic characteristics, health-related characteristics, academic stress, somatization symptoms, social support, and coping responses. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlations, and multiple regressions. Results: Participants, regarding their school life, reported moderate levels of academic stress (M±SD=2.3±0.52) and somatization symptoms (M±SD=2.3±0.71), and a relatively high level of social support (M±SD=4.2±0.67). All the variables were associated with the use of multiple coping responses. Active-cognitive coping (M±SD=2.9±0.68) was most frequently used, followed by active-behavioral coping (M±SD=2.8±0.56) and avoidant coping (M±SD=2.3±0.75). Significant relationships were found among the measured variables: positive relation between academic stress and somatization symptoms, but, negative between academic stress and both somatization symptoms and social support. Students who had higher stress and more somatization symptoms were more likely to use avoidant coping than the others. In multiple regression analysis, while factors associated with each coping response differed, gender appeared to be a significant factor in all methods. Variables included in the final model explained 27% of the variance in avoidant coping (F=11.40, p<.001). Conclusion: Based on the study results, schools should provide tailored educational programs to help high school students reduce multisource stress and somatization symptoms at school and cope with them in more active and effective ways.