Stress Coping Strategies Research Articles

A longitudinal examination of the measurement properties and invariance of the Sleep Condition Indicator in Chinese healthcare students

BackgroundThe Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI), an insomnia measurement tool based on the updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria with sound psychometric properties when applied in various populations, was evaluated here among healthcare students longitudinally, to demonstrate its measurement properties and invariance in this particularly high-risk population.MethodsHealthcare students of a Chinese university were recruited into this two-wave longitudinal study, completing the simplified Chinese version of the SCI (SCI-SC), Chinese Regularity, Satisfaction, Alertness, Timing, Efficiency, Duration (RU_SATED-C) scale, Chinese Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4-C), and sociodemographic variables questionnaire (Q-SV) between September and November 2022. Structural validity, measurement invariance (MI), convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability of the SCI-SC were examined. Subgroups of gender, age, home location, part-time job, physical exercise, and stress-coping strategy were surveyed twice to test cross-sectional and longitudinal MI.ResultsWe identified 343 valid responses (62.9% female, mean age = 19.650 ± 1.414 years) with a time interval of seven days. The two-factor structure was considered satisfactory (comparative fit index = 0.953–0.989, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.931–0.984, root means square error of approximation = 0.040–0.092, standardized root mean square residual = 0.039–0.054), which mostly endorsed strict invariance except for part-time job subgroups, hence establishing longitudinal invariance. The SCI-SC presented acceptable convergent validity with the RU_SATED-C scale (r ≥ 0.500), discriminant validity with the PHQ-4-C (0.300 ≤ r < 0.500), internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.811–0.835, McDonald’s omega = 0.805–0.832), and test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.829).ConclusionThe SCI-SC is an appropriate screening instrument available for assessing insomnia symptoms among healthcare students, and the promising measurement properties provide additional evidence about validity and reliability for detecting insomnia in healthcare students.

Perceived social support and stress-coping strategies among cardiac patients

Abstract Social support is one of the most important factors influencing human health. It is particularly important for patients after myocardial infarction, as it helps them reduce feelings of anxiety, uncertainty and isolation. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the influence of sociodemographic variables and social support on the choice of stress coping styles among patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction. Methods This survey-based study involved 120 patients after myocardial infarction, hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology with the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit of the Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 2, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. The research instruments used in this study were: the author’s questionnaire and The Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB), The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Results Based on the collected data, it was observed that the vast majority of respondents experienced high levels of stress. Women had significantly higher levels of stress than men (0 = 0.039), and were more likely to choose an emotion-oriented coping style (p = 0.011). It was also observed that avoidance-oriented coping was significantly more often used by retirees and pensioners than by employees (0.008). The study showed that information support statistically significantly correlated with avoidance-oriented coping (AOC) (r = -0.235, p = 0.01), including social diversion (seeking social contact) (r = -0.222, p = 0.015). Emotional support statistically significantly correlated with task-oriented coping (r = -0.224, p = 0.014), and avoidance-oriented coping (r = -0.24, p = 0.008), including social diversion (r = -0.284, p = 0.002). Instrumental support statistically significantly correlated with social diversion (r = -0.259, p = 0.004). Furthermore, valuation support statistically significantly correlated with task-oriented coping (r = -0.341, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and emotion-oriented coping (r = 0.195, p = 0.033). Conclusion The vast majority of patients hospitalized for heart attack experience high levels of stress and receive instrumental and information support. Women have usually higher levels of stress than men, and are more likely to utilize emotion-oriented coping strategies. There is a statistically significant negative correlation between receiving information support and adopting stress-coping styles focused on avoidance and seeking social contacts.

Stuck in a moment you can't get out of: the psychological effects of expatriates' coping with a crisis situation

PurposeWe draw upon stress theory and utilize the context of the COVID-19 pandemic to investigate how various coping strategies employed by expatriates affect their psychological stress, subsequently influencing their expatriation satisfaction and intention to withdraw from the host country.Design/methodology/approachWe utilize structural equation modeling to analyze a sample of 453 expatriates residing and working in the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsOur analysis shows that the effects of different coping strategies on expatriates vary. Depending on the nature of the strategy, they can have either positive or negative effects. While coping via problem-focused and denial strategies decreases expatriates' stress, coping by distancing increases it. Social support-seeking is not found to be an effective stress-coping strategy. In terms of implications, the problem-focused strategy leads to the most positive outcomes, whereas distancing leads to the most negative outcomes.Originality/valueOur study provides significant theoretical and practical insights into expatriates' coping mechanisms within the context of natural crises.

The Role of Student Coping Strategies on Success in the Command Actions Course: A Special Operations Selection Course of the Brazilian Army.

Army Command Action units in Brazil are recognized for their operational effectiveness, operating in hostile scenarios. However, these operations are extremely stressful, requiring specific stress-coping skills. The objective of this study was to identify the profile of stress-coping strategies of military personnel enrolled in the Command Actions Course (CAC) and their relationship with completion of the course. A prospective cohort study was carried out with 87 military personnel from the CAC class of 2022. Data were collected on personal characteristics, coping strategies, and stress levels, among other variables. Specific instruments were used to assess coping (Brief-COPE), stress (DASS-21), social support (MOSS), and sociodemographic variables (own instrument) to evaluate the relationship between coping with stress and course completion. Descriptive analyses were performed (central tendency and dispersion measures), and overall survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test for comparison (P < .05). Cox regression was used for multiple analyses considering a statistical significance of 5%. A total of 31% of the participants completed the course. The profile of graduates is mainly composed of young people with higher education, single status, and White. Certain coping strategies such as Active Coping (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.25-1.75) as well as high stress levels (HR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11) were associated with disengagement, while the Humor-based coping strategy reduced the chance of disengagement by 15% (HR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74-0.98). This study highlights the importance of investigation using coping strategies in the military context as a useful tool in coping with stress in the CAC.

Comparative analysis of stress level and coping strategies due to COVID-19 pandemics among dental students in Indonesia and Vietnam

ObjectiveThis study investigated and compared the perceived stress levels and coping strategies of dental students in Indonesia and Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted online in 2022 for dental students from the University of Indonesia and Can Tho University, Vietnam (n = 304). Perceived stress levels and coping strategies were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire about student sociodemographic factors, learning experiences, coping strategies, stress-related factors, and stress levels. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Kruskal Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests. ResultsThis study showed the overall mean stress level was 23.9 (SD = 5.63), with a significant difference observed between Indonesian (24.44, SD = 5.14) and Vietnamese students (23.32, SD = 6.13) (p = 0.016), indicating potential variations in stress experiences. Key findings include a correlation between living arrangements and stress, as students living independently report higher stress (23.96, SD = 6.24) compared to those living with family (23.95, SD = 5.29) (p = 0.018). Fifth-year students exhibit lower stress levels (21.17, SD = 6.12) than other grades (p = 0.026). Multiple training sessions about COVID-19 are associated with better coping strategies (9.95, SD = 0.91, p < 0.001). The study also revealed different perceptions of COVID-19 learning experiences among dental students in Indonesian and Vietnamese dental students, with significant correlations observed between stress levels, coping strategies, and specific concerns such as graduation time and COVID-19-induced changes (p < 0.05). ConclusionThis study shows students experience moderate stress levels, but the significant differences in stress experiences and coping strategies between the two countries highlighted the need for tailored approaches. Providing social support from faculty, family, friends, and peer dental students was one of the students’ strategies to cope and minimize stress levels.

Job Stress Health and Coping Strategies among Bank Branch Managers

Job Stress Health and Coping Strategies among Bank Branch Managers

Coping-strategies as a mediator between emotional disorders and problematic alcohol use

BackgroundEpidemiological studies reveal a high prevalence of alcohol use and comorbidity rates with emotional disorders. This study aims to explore the possible mediational effect of stress-coping strategies on the relationship between symptoms of emotional disorders and problematic alcohol use. MethodsThe sample included 1014 participants (33.82% male, 66.17% female) aged 18 to 75 years (M = 33.0, SD = 15.15). Three mediation analyzes were carried out, for depressive, anxious and somatization symptomatology measured with the LSB-50 in which they acted as an independent variable, the coping strategies of the CSQ as a mediating variable and the problematic alcohol use, measured with AUDIT, as a dependent variable. Additionally, sex, age, educational level, and socioeconomic status were entered as covariates. ResultsIn all the models, problematic alcohol use was mediated by Problem-Solving Focus and Open Emotional Expression. However, while in depressive symptoms was a fully mediation, in anxious and somatization symptomatology was partially mediated. ConclusionsThe similarities found may be due to shared variance between emotional disorders. Interventions focused on Problem-Solving Focus could improve the emotional symptoms and the problematic alcohol use.

Beyond Cognitive Empathy: Suggestions for Strengthening Medical Students’ Empathy

A physician’s empathy plays a crucial role in patient-centered care, and in modern medicine, patients, their caregivers, and society demand a high level of empathy from healthcare providers. The conceptualization of clinical empathy, which has emphasized cognitive empathy since the mid-20th century, has been widely accepted in medical schools and the healthcare industry without much critical reflection. This study provides an overview of the ongoing debates on empathy versus sympathy and cognitive empathy versus affective empathy to clarify the concept of empathy. Based on recent research findings, clinical empathy is proposed to encompass three components: cognitive empathy, affective empathy, and empathic motivation. It is suggested that fully demonstrating these components requires empathic communication skills. Additionally, the cognitive characteristics of medical students and the features of the academic environment demonstrate the need for education to strengthen their empathy skills. Considering this, proposed intervention methods that medical schools can consider include utilizing tutoring programs and debriefing processes for team activities, which can facilitate problem-solving as a coping strategy for stress. Learning communities can create an environment where students can receive social support and recover from stress. Medical schools can contribute to the development of students' professional identities as practicing clinicians who embody empathy and respect by cultivating professors as positive role models. Additionally, utilizing scales to assess the empathic nature of doctor-patient communication or incorporating patients and caregivers as evaluators can actively improve empathic communication skills.

Suočavanje sa stresom i mentalno zdravlje zatvorenika

Prison is a high stress environment where an individual's mental health can be seriously affected (Mansoor et al., 2015). The way prisoners cope with stress is an important factor in examining the impact of the prison environment on their mental health (Gullone et al., 2000). The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between prisoners' coping strategies and their mental health within the framework of the health theory of coping (Stallman, 2020). The study was conducted on a sample of N=125 male prisoners who were in the Diagnostic Department of the Diagnostic Centre in Zagreb (M=40.08; SD=11.97). The Multidimensional Coping Scale (Duhachek, 2005) and DASS-21 (Lovibond &amp; Lovibond, 1995) were used. Participants were also asked to rate the intensity of emotions they had experienced in the past week. The results show that only unhealthy coping strategies make a significant contribution to explaining prisoners' anxiety, while both healthy and unhealthy coping strategies contribute to explaining prisoners' depression. The results do not confirm the premise of the theory that the frequency of using stress coping strategies is negatively associated with the intensity of experiencing unpleasant emotions. The results are discussed in relation to the theoretical framework and their practical applicability.

Zasoby psychologiczne w radzeniu sobie ze stresem doświadczanym przez żołnierzy biorących udział w misjach

Introduction and objectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the level of the sense of coherence and stress coping strategies among the homecoming participants of foreign military missions. Due to the nature of peacekeeping and stabilising missions and the tasks performed by their participants, the ability to cope with a stressful situation in the face of danger is crucial, not only for the sake of their health, but most of all due to its significant impact on collective security.Material and methodsConverted values of the scores obtained in the Polish adaptation of Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations by Szczepanik, Strelau and Wrześniewski were used as indicators for stress coping styles (a dependent variable). The results received in Antonovsky’s Orientation to Life Questionnaire (Sense of Coherence Scale, SOC-29) were employed as indicators for the sense of coherence (an independent variable).ResultsThe stronger the sense of coherence, the more likely the respondent to choose the task-oriented coping style. Owing to cognitive transformations, a difficult situation is interpreted as a challenge that can be coped with by a given person, who then makes efforts to solve the problem.ConclusionsThe research clearly shows that: (1) a strong sense of coherence significantly reduces the level of perceived stress and has a decisive impact on the choice of the preferred coping style; (2) the sense of coherence determines the choice of the preferred stress coping style; (3) individuals with a strong sense of coherence perceive stressors as challenges rather than threats; (4) individuals with a low sense of coherence tend to focus their energy on negative emotions and engage in activities of a definitely unhealthy nature (smoking, alcohol consumption).

Assessing Stress Levels and Coping Strategies in the New Normal among Students of Magsaysay College

The primary objective of this study was to assess stress levels and analyze coping strategies among Magsaysay College students. Utilizing a descriptive correlational research design, the study explored the relationship between students' demographic profiles, including age, gender, marital status, year level, family income, and reported stress levels. It also examined the correlation between stress levels and the use of coping strategies. The research concluded that demographic factors do not have a significant impact on stress levels among students and that stress is a ubiquitous challenge for students across different backgrounds. Interestingly, there is a slight negative correlation between family income and stress levels among students; this relationship is not statistically significant. This suggests that students show resilience and do not let the challenges of lower family income escalate their stress levels appreciably. A positive correlation was identified between stress levels and the employment of coping strategies, indicating that students tend to rely more on coping mechanisms as stress levels increase. It was recommended that Magsaysay College’s Guidance Center enhance its mental health support services by providing more resources, educational programs, and online counseling on effective coping strategies. Local Government Unit (LGU) of Magsaysay and other stakeholders are advised to collaborate on community-based support programs and invest in mental health initiatives to bolster the well-being of the students. Such collaborative efforts could significantly contribute to a more supportive learning environment, fostering students' academic success and personal growth.

The Effectiveness of Adaptive Coping Strategies for Work Stress: A Meta-Analysis

Work stress is a significant global health problem, negatively impacting employee physical and mental health as well as company productivity. Adaptive coping strategies can be an important intervention in reducing the negative effects of work stress. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of adaptive coping strategies in reducing work stress and improving employee well-being through meta-analysis. A systematic literature search was conducted on electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science) to identify randomized controlled studies (RCTs) published between 2018 and 2024. Studies that met the inclusion criteria (working adult participants, adaptive coping strategy interventions, outcomes work stress and/or well-being) data were extracted and analyzed using a random effects model. Twenty-five RCTs involving 4,852 participants met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that adaptive coping strategies significantly reduce work stress (pooled effect size = -0.45, 95% CI [-0.58, -0.32], p &lt; 0.001) and improve well-being (pooled effect size = 0.38, 95% CI [0.25, 0.51], p &lt; 0.001) compared with the control group. Subgroup analyzes revealed that adaptive coping strategies focused on problem-solving, social support, and relaxation had the greatest effectiveness. Adaptive coping strategies are effective in reducing work stress and improving employee well-being. These findings support the implementation of adaptive coping strategies as an occupational health intervention to reduce the negative impact of work stress.

OVERVIEW OF STRESS COPING STRATEGIES FOR ELDERLY CAREGIVERS IN SOCIAL SERVICE CENTERS

Background: Coping strategies are changes in thinking and behavior that occur in a person in facing pressure from the environment in the form of stressors. Yogyakarta Special Region is the province with the highest percentage of elderly at 15.52%. Many families choose to entrust the elderly to live in an orphanage. The high level of daily activity carried out by the elderly can increase the physical burden of their caregivers. In this regard, the stressors that arise as a result of caring for the elderly require caregivers to have different coping strategies from each other.Purpose: This research aims to determine the description of stress coping strategies among elderly caregivers at service centersMethods: This research design uses non-experimental descriptive quantitative research methods. The sampling technique used total sampling with a total sample of 34 caregivers. The measuring tool uses The Ways of Coping questionnaireResults: The results show that the majority of caregivers, 55.9%, use Problem Focused Coping (PFC). In coping strategies based on respondent characteristics, the results showed that gender, age, marital status and length of work all used PFC. Then, based on education level, the results showed that high school graduates used Emotional Focused Coping (EFC) and D3/Bachelor graduates used PFC. Furthermore, in terms of characteristics based on religion, the results showed that Muslim caregivers used PFC and Catholic caregivers used both.Conclusions: The majority of categories of stress coping strategies used by elderly caregivers are Problem Focused Coping Keywords: stress coping strategies, elderly caregivers

Living Well: Protocol for a web-based program to improve quality of life in rural and urban ovarian cancer survivors

BackgroundOvarian cancer (OC) survivors commonly experience chronic symptoms including anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, fatigue, physical symptoms, poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and a generally poor prognosis. Additionally, factors such as social isolation, stress, and depression are associated with key biological processes promoting tumor progression and poorer survival. Accessible psychosocial interventions to improve HRQOL and clinical outcomes are needed. This need is particularly true in rural settings where survivors may have less access to clinic-based support systems. MethodsThe Living Well Study, a cluster-randomized Phase II multi-site clinical trial, is designed to evaluate the efficacy of a group-based, web-delivered psychosocial intervention (Mindful Living) verses a Health Promotion active control (Healthy Lifestyles) in increasing HRQOL and decreasing perceived stress (primary outcomes), depressive mood, anxiety, and fatigue (secondary outcomes) for 256 OC survivors who are <5 years post-primary therapy. Mindful Living targets key concerns of OC survivors and teaches stress reduction skills and coping strategies utilizing cognitive behavioral, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapies. Healthy Lifestyles provides lifestyle information including exercise, nutrition, sleep, and other survivorship topics. Interventions consist of 11 consecutive weekly group sessions lasting 1.5–2 h led by trained facilitators and two booster sessions. Participants complete psychosocial questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, at 6-months, and at 12-months. A subset completes bloodspots for analysis of inflammatory biology. ConclusionEasily accessible psychosocial interventions addressing key concerns of OC survivors are an unmet need. The Mindful Living intervention has the potential to substantially enhance HRQOL and decrease distress in OC survivors.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT04533763

Stress coping strategies and their relationship to family adjustment for mothers of hearing-impaired children

Stress coping strategies and their relationship to family adjustment for mothers of hearing-impaired children

Stress Coping Strategies Among Nurses at Hasanuddin University Hospital Indonesia

Introduction: Nurses have a major contribution in determining the quality of hospital services, but the heavy workload carried by nurses makes them vulnerable to work stress. Work stress that is if not handled properly can result in a decrease in the quality of services provided to the effect on hospital productivity, therefore it is necessary to do a coping strategy so that nurses can deal with and neutralize or overcomereduce the work stress experienced. Objective: This study aims to describe stress coping strategies for nurses in the Inpatient Installation of the Hasanuddin University Hospital Makassar. Method: This research was using quantitative approach. It was conducted at the Hasanuddin University Hospital in July 2022. The population in this study were all nurses who served in the Inpatient Room of Hasanuddin University Hospital with a total sample of 54 nurses. Collecting research data using The Brief COPE Questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using univariate analysis test. Result: The results describe nurses' stress coping strategies based on problem focused coping, that all indicators included in the high category, there are active coping (6.42), followed by planning (6.29) and use of instrumental support (6.02). Then the Nnurse's stress coping strategy based on emotional focused coping, there are 3 indicators that are included in the high category, there are religion (7.39), positive reframing (6.31), and acceptance (6.07), use of emotional support (4 .83) is an indicator that included in the medium category and denial (3.14) is an indicator that included in the low category. While Nnurses' stress coping strategies based on dysfunctional coping, self-distraction (6,16) is the only indicators that included in the high category, then there are 4 indicators that were included in the moderate category, there were namely venting (4,87), humor (4,50), self blame (4.50), and behavioral disengagement (3.24), as well as substance use (2.66) are indicators that are included in the low category. Conclusion: Majority of nurses at Hasanuddin University Hospital applied high problem focused coping and emotional focused coping. Therefore, the management of the Hasanuddin University Hospital may consider opening or holding a communication forum between nurses in each treatment room to discuss problems at work and provide psychological guidance and support in order to overcome the work stress that nurses experienced.

Comparative study of perceived invalidating environment and stress coping strategies between patients with drug resistant epilepsy and functional dissociative seizures

Background and objectivesWe investigated perceived invalidating environment during childhood and stress-coping strategies in patients with; functional dissociative seizures (FDS, n=26), drug-resistant epilepsy patients with no psychiatric comorbidity (DREnc, n=23), and drug-resistant epilepsy patients with psychiatric comorbidity (DREpc, n=34). Design/MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study. Patients underwent Video Electroencephalography to confirm the diagnosis and completed a psychiatric assessment supported by clinical instruments. Invalidating environment and stress coping were studied through the ICES and CAE questionaries, respectively. A series of multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed with the explored variables. ResultsThe maternal negative response model predicted a higher probability of FDS condition. A chaotic family type increased the likelihood of DREpc instead of FDS. DREpc and FDS patients displayed many different behaviors to cope with stress other than trying to solve the problem, the most used strategy in the DREnc group. Parental invalidation was higher in DREpc than in FDS. ConclusionsOur results deepen the data provided by previous studies indicating that multiple variables of biosocial origin have significant effects on these groups of patients. The presence of an invalidating environment may predict FDS but also the presence of psychiatric disorders among DRE. Psychotherapeutic strategies to enhance these variables might be necessary for this population.

Social Media: Stress Factors or Coping Strategies? A Pilot Study in a Sample of Italian Teachers

Social Media: Stress Factors or Coping Strategies? A Pilot Study in a Sample of Italian Teachers

Emotion dysregulation and family functioning moderate family caregiving burden during the pandemic.

Since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, additional risk factors affecting family caregivers' mental health have arisen. Therefore, personal stress coping strategies and family dynamics became important factors in reducing the impact of the pandemic on family caregivers' mental health. The present research aimed to estimate the association between COVID-19 stressors and family caregiving burden. Moreover, moderating effects of emotion dysregulation and family functioning on this association were investigated. This study analyzed data collected in April 2021 from 154 family caregivers (Mage=38.79, SDage=9.36, range=22-64) recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). The impact of COVID-19 stressors on family caregiving burden was tested, and moderating impacts of emotion dysregulation and family functioning were also investigated. Both COVID-19 stress exposure and stress appraisal were positively associated with family caregiving burden. Emotion dysregulation and problematic family functioning were also positively associated with family caregiving burden. A significant moderating effect of emotion dysregulation was found, such that family caregivers with higher emotion dysregulation were likely to feel more caregiving burden when they experienced more COVID-19 stressors. The current research highlighted the role of emotion regulation in reducing the negative impact of COVID-19 stressors on family caregiving burden. The research also emphasizes the need for intervention programs to improve emotion regulation strategies to decrease family caregiving burden during the pandemic.

The Relationship Between Conspiracy Mentality, Personality Traits, Stress Coping Strategies and Psychological Well-Being

Conspiracy theories and people’s tendency to believe them have recently attracted a great deal of scientific attention because of the widespread nature of conspiracy beliefs, their potential to influence people’s behaviour and endanger public safety. To understand what leads people to believe in conspiracies, it is important to consider both intrinsic personal factors as well as external, learned factors that are related to the person’s environment. This study aims to explore which psychological factors contribute directly and indirectly to the propensity to believe conspiracy theories. The study involved 173 participants (80.3% women). The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 70 years (M = 33.34; SD = 14.62). The Conspiracy mentality scale was used to measure the subjects’ general tendency to believe in conspiracy theories. The participants’ Big Five personality traits, psychological well-being, and stress coping strategies were also assessed. The results of linear regression and path analysis show that the propensity to believe in conspiracy theories is directly predicted by social well-being, religion and avoidance coping which are used to reduce stress. In addition, conspiracy mentality has been found to be indirectly predicted by personality traits of extraversion and neuroticism, through social well-being and avoidance coping; in addition, path analysis revealed direct associations between the tendency to believe in conspiracy and extraversion. Skepticism (one of conspiracy mentality subscales) is directly predicted by avoidance coping strategy. Extraversion predicts propensity to believe conspiracy theories directly and – together with neuroticism – indirectly through social well-being and avoidance coping.