The mediator effect of coping strategy between stressful life events and negative emotions in young military men

Abstract

Objective To investigate mediate role of coping strategy between stressful life events and negative emotions which anxiety and depression are included. Methods Questionnaires of psychosocial stress survey for groups(PSSG), Simple Coping Style Questionnarire(SCSQ), Selfrating Anxiety Scale(SAS) and Selfrating Depression Scale(SDS) were used to examine 1 764 young servicemen. Results Correlation analysis showed that there existed negative correlations between positive coping and stressful life events, passive coping, anxiety, depression(r=-0.080~-0.304, P<0.05). And correlation analysis also showed there existed positive correlations among the other variables(r=0.230~0.756, P<0.05). There existed partly mediating effect of positive coping, passive coping between stressful life events and negative emotions.The standardized total effect of life events to anxiety was 0.302.Mediating effects of positive coping and passive coping were 0.033, 0.044. The standardized total effect of life events to depression was 0.230, mediating effects of positive coping and passive coping were 0.051, 0.029. Conclusion Coping strategy is an important mediator between stress and negative emotions such as anxiety and depression. Key words: Stressful life events; Coping style; Anxiety; Depression; Mediating effect