A Hierarchical Model of Coping in the College Student Population
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/jise.v7i2.1210Keywords:
coping, college students, mental healthAbstract
Research has indicated a fall in college student mental health over the past 16 years, with no corresponding increase in use of mental health care services. To investigate how college students choose to manage stressful issues, we assessed coping styles as measured by the dispositional COPE inventory in a multi-state sample of undergraduate students (N = 109).We tested a four-factor, hierarchical model of coping with a factor-based variant of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), an approach noted for its accuracy with small sample sizes. Results indicated the existence of a hierarchical effect that explained 67.4 percent of variance in coping subscale scores, and validated the four factors of Approach, Avoidance, Social-Contextual, and Individual-Contextual coping styles. All coping style pairs had significant positive relationships (p < .002) with one exception; Approach and Avoidance had a significant negative relationship (p < .001). Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
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References
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Becker, J. M., Klein, K., & Wetzels, M. (2012). Hierarchical latent variable models in PLS-SEM: guidelines for using reflective-formative type models. Long Range Planning, 45(5), 359-394.
Benton, S.A., Robertson, J.M., Tseng, W.C., Newton, F.B., & Benton, S.L. (2003). Changes in counseling center client problems across 13 years. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34(1), 66-72.
Blake, R. L., & Vandiver, T. A. (1988). The association of health with stressful life changes, social supports, and coping. Family Practice Research Journal, 7(4), 205-218.
Blanchard-Fields, F., Sulsky, L., & Robinson-Whelen, S. (1991). Moderating effects of age and context on the relationship between gender, sex role differences, and coping. Sex Roles, 25(11-12), 645-660.
Bollen, K. A., & Stine, R. (1990). Direct and indirect effects: Classical and bootstrap estimates of variability. Sociological Methodology, 20(2), 115–140.
Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Weintraub, J. K. (1989).Assessing coping strategies: a theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2), 267-283.
Collins, M. E., & Mowbray, C. T. (2005). Higher education and psychiatric disabilities: national survey of campus disability services. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75(2), 304-315.
Connor, R.C. & Connor, D.B. (2003). Predicting hopelessness and psychological distress: The role of perfectionism and coping. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 267-283.
Dijkstra, T. K., & Henseler, J. (2015). Consistent and asymptotically normal PLS estimators for linear structural equations. Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, 81, 10-23.
Dillon, W.R., & Goldstein, M. (1984). Multivariate analysis: Methods and Applications. New York, NY: Wiley.
Dumont, M., & Provost, M. A. (1999). Resilience in adolescents: Protective role of social support, coping strategies, self-esteem, and social activities on experience of stress and depression. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 28(3), 343-363.
Dyson, R., & Renk, K. (2006). Freshmen adaptation to university life: Depressive symptoms, stress, and coping. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(10), 1231-1244.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A.G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 1149-1160.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Dunkel-Schetter, C., DeLongis, A., & Gruen, R. J. (1986). Dynamics of a stressful encounter: cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50(5), 992-1003.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Gruen, R. J., & DeLongis, A. (1986). Appraisal, coping, health status, and psychological symptoms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50(3), 571-579.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981).Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1) 39-50.
Fortune, D.G., Richards, H.L., Griffiths, C.E.M., & Main, C.J. (2002). Psychological stress, distress and disability in patients with psoriasis: Consensus and variation in the contribution of illness perceptions, coping and alexithymia. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41, 157-174.
Gallagher, R. P. (2014). National survey of college counseling centers. International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.[online] Available at: http://www.iacsinc.org International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.
Gallagher, R.P., Gill, A.M., & Sysco, H.M. (2000). National survey of counseling center directors 2000. Alexandria, VA: International Association of Counseling Service.
Haenlein, M., & Kaplan, A. M. (2004). A beginner's guide to partial least squares analysis. Understanding statistics, 3(4), 283-297.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C.M., & Sarstedt, M.(2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152.
Hair Jr, J.F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M.(2013). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage Publications.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015).A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
Herman-Stabl, M. A., Stemmler, M., & Petersen, A. C. (1995). Approach and avoidant coping: Implications for adolescent mental health. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 24(6), 649-665.
Hilsman, R., & Garber, J. (1995). A test of the cognitive diathesis-stress model of depression in children: academic stressors, attributional style, perceived competence, and control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(2), 370-380.
Irion, J. C., & Blanchard-Fields, F. (1987). A cross-sectional comparison of adaptive coping in adulthood. Journal of Gerontology, 42(5), 502-504.
Iwasaki, Y., & Mannell, R. C. (2000). Hierarchical dimensions of leisure stress coping. Leisure Sciences, 22(3), 163-181.
Kallasmaa, T. & Pulver, A. (2000). The structure and properties of the Estonian COPE inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 881-894.
Kock, N. (2014). Stable P value calculation methods in PLS-SEM. Laredo, TX: ScriptWarp Systems.
Kock, N.(2015). WarpPLS 5.0 user manual. Laredo, TX: ScriptWarp Systems.
Kock, N. (2015b). A note on how to conduct a factor-based PLS-SEM analysis. International Journal of e-Collaboration, 11(3), 1-9.
Lazarus, R.S. (1983). The costs and benefits of denial. In S. Breznitz (Ed.), The denial of stress (pp. 1-30). New York: International Universities Press.
Lazarus, R.S. & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
Leplege, A., Gzil, F., Cammelli, M., Lefeve, C., Pachoud, B., & Ville, I. (2007). Person-centredness: conceptual and historical perspectives. Disability and Rehabilitation, 29(20-21), 1555-1565.
Litman, J. A. (2006). The COPE inventory: Dimensionality and relationships with approach-and avoidance-motives and positive and negative traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 41(2), 273-284.
Lyne, K. & Roger, D. (2000). A psychometric re-assessment of the COPE questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 321-335.
Mahmoud, J. S. R., Staten, R. T., Hall, L. A., & Lennie, T. A. (2012). The relationship among young adult college students’ depression, anxiety, stress, demographics, life satisfaction, and coping styles. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(3), 149-156.
Megivern, D., Pellerito, S., & Mowbray, C. (2003). Barriers to higher education for individuals with psychiatric disabilities. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 26(3), 217.
Monroe, S. M., & Simons, A. D. (1991). Diathesis-stress theories in the context of life stress research: implications for the depressive disorders. Psychological Bulletin, 110(3), 406- 425.
Moos, R.H. & Holahan, C.J. (2003). Dispositional and contextual perspectives on coping: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(12), 1387-1403.
Nielsen, J. & Shapiro, S. (2009). Coping with fear through suppression and avoidance of threatening information. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 15(3), 238-274.
Peng, D.X., & Lai, F.(2012). Using partial least squares in operations management research: A practical guideline and summary of past research. Journal of Operations Management, 30(6), 467-480.
Peterson, R.A., & Yeolib, K. (2013). On the relationship between coefficient alpha and composite reliability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 194-198.
Pritchard, M. E., & Wilson, G. S. (2003). Using emotional and social factors to predict student success. Journal of College Student Development, 44(1), 18-28.
Reinartz, W., Haenlein, M., & Henseler, J. (2009). An empirical comparison of the efficacy of covariance-based and variance-based SEM. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 26(4), 332-344.
Roberts, L. W., Warner, T. D., Lyketsos, C., Frank, E., Ganzini, L., Carter, D., & on Medical, T. C. R. G. (2001). Perceptions of academic vulnerability associated with personal illness: a study of 1,027 students at nine medical schools. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 42(1), 1-15.
Ross, S. E., Niebling, B. C., & Heckert, T. M. (1999). Sources of stress among college students. Social Psychology, 61(5), 841-846.
Roth, S. & Cohen, L.J. (1986). Approach, avoidance, and coping with stress. American Psychologist, 41(7). 813-819.
Sijtsma, K. (2009). On the use, the misuse, and the very limited usefulness of Cronbach’s alpha. Psychometrika, 74(1), 107-120.
Soderstrom, M., Dolbier, C., Leiferman, J., & Steinhardt, M. (2000). The relationship of hardiness, coping strategies, and perceived stress to symptoms of illness. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23(3), 311-328.
Stewart-Brown, S., Evans, J., Patterson, J., Petersen, S., Doll, H., Balding, J., & Regis, D. (2000). The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important and neglected public health problem?. Journal of Public Health, 22(4), 492-499.
Stowell, Kiecolt-Glaser, & Glaser (2001). Perceived stress and cellular immunity: When coping counts. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 24(4), 323-339.
Suldo, S. M., Shaunessy, E., & Hardesty, R. (2008). Relationships among stress, coping, and mental health in high‐achieving high school students. Psychology in the Schools, 45(4), 273-290.
Tobin, D. L., Holroyd, K. A., Reynolds, R. V., & Wigal, J. K. (1989). The hierarchical factor structure of the Coping Strategies Inventory. Cognitive therapy and research, 13(4), 343-361.
Vinzi, V. E., Trinchera, L., & Amato, S. (2010). PLS path modeling: from foundations to recent developments and open issues for model assessment and improvement. In Handbook of partial least squares (pp. 47-82). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Walker, E. F., & Diforio, D. (1997). Schizophrenia: A neural diathesis-stress model. Psychological Review, 104(4), 667-685.
Wilson, B., & Henseler, J. (2007). Modeling reflective higher-order constructs using three approaches with PLS path modeling: a Monte Carlo comparison. ANZMAC.
Wold, H. (1985). Partial least squares. Encyclopedia of statistical sciences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Wold, S., Sjöström, M., & Eriksson, L.(2001). PLS-regression: a basic tool of chemometrics. Chemometrics and intelligent laboratory systems, 58(2), 109-130.
Becker, J. M., Klein, K., & Wetzels, M. (2012). Hierarchical latent variable models in PLS-SEM: guidelines for using reflective-formative type models. Long Range Planning, 45(5), 359-394.
Benton, S.A., Robertson, J.M., Tseng, W.C., Newton, F.B., & Benton, S.L. (2003). Changes in counseling center client problems across 13 years. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34(1), 66-72.
Blake, R. L., & Vandiver, T. A. (1988). The association of health with stressful life changes, social supports, and coping. Family Practice Research Journal, 7(4), 205-218.
Blanchard-Fields, F., Sulsky, L., & Robinson-Whelen, S. (1991). Moderating effects of age and context on the relationship between gender, sex role differences, and coping. Sex Roles, 25(11-12), 645-660.
Bollen, K. A., & Stine, R. (1990). Direct and indirect effects: Classical and bootstrap estimates of variability. Sociological Methodology, 20(2), 115–140.
Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Weintraub, J. K. (1989).Assessing coping strategies: a theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2), 267-283.
Collins, M. E., & Mowbray, C. T. (2005). Higher education and psychiatric disabilities: national survey of campus disability services. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75(2), 304-315.
Connor, R.C. & Connor, D.B. (2003). Predicting hopelessness and psychological distress: The role of perfectionism and coping. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 267-283.
Dijkstra, T. K., & Henseler, J. (2015). Consistent and asymptotically normal PLS estimators for linear structural equations. Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, 81, 10-23.
Dillon, W.R., & Goldstein, M. (1984). Multivariate analysis: Methods and Applications. New York, NY: Wiley.
Dumont, M., & Provost, M. A. (1999). Resilience in adolescents: Protective role of social support, coping strategies, self-esteem, and social activities on experience of stress and depression. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 28(3), 343-363.
Dyson, R., & Renk, K. (2006). Freshmen adaptation to university life: Depressive symptoms, stress, and coping. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(10), 1231-1244.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A.G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 1149-1160.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Dunkel-Schetter, C., DeLongis, A., & Gruen, R. J. (1986). Dynamics of a stressful encounter: cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50(5), 992-1003.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Gruen, R. J., & DeLongis, A. (1986). Appraisal, coping, health status, and psychological symptoms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50(3), 571-579.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981).Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1) 39-50.
Fortune, D.G., Richards, H.L., Griffiths, C.E.M., & Main, C.J. (2002). Psychological stress, distress and disability in patients with psoriasis: Consensus and variation in the contribution of illness perceptions, coping and alexithymia. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41, 157-174.
Gallagher, R. P. (2014). National survey of college counseling centers. International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.[online] Available at: http://www.iacsinc.org International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.
Gallagher, R.P., Gill, A.M., & Sysco, H.M. (2000). National survey of counseling center directors 2000. Alexandria, VA: International Association of Counseling Service.
Haenlein, M., & Kaplan, A. M. (2004). A beginner's guide to partial least squares analysis. Understanding statistics, 3(4), 283-297.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C.M., & Sarstedt, M.(2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139-152.
Hair Jr, J.F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M.(2013). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage Publications.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015).A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
Herman-Stabl, M. A., Stemmler, M., & Petersen, A. C. (1995). Approach and avoidant coping: Implications for adolescent mental health. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 24(6), 649-665.
Hilsman, R., & Garber, J. (1995). A test of the cognitive diathesis-stress model of depression in children: academic stressors, attributional style, perceived competence, and control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(2), 370-380.
Irion, J. C., & Blanchard-Fields, F. (1987). A cross-sectional comparison of adaptive coping in adulthood. Journal of Gerontology, 42(5), 502-504.
Iwasaki, Y., & Mannell, R. C. (2000). Hierarchical dimensions of leisure stress coping. Leisure Sciences, 22(3), 163-181.
Kallasmaa, T. & Pulver, A. (2000). The structure and properties of the Estonian COPE inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 881-894.
Kock, N. (2014). Stable P value calculation methods in PLS-SEM. Laredo, TX: ScriptWarp Systems.
Kock, N.(2015). WarpPLS 5.0 user manual. Laredo, TX: ScriptWarp Systems.
Kock, N. (2015b). A note on how to conduct a factor-based PLS-SEM analysis. International Journal of e-Collaboration, 11(3), 1-9.
Lazarus, R.S. (1983). The costs and benefits of denial. In S. Breznitz (Ed.), The denial of stress (pp. 1-30). New York: International Universities Press.
Lazarus, R.S. & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
Leplege, A., Gzil, F., Cammelli, M., Lefeve, C., Pachoud, B., & Ville, I. (2007). Person-centredness: conceptual and historical perspectives. Disability and Rehabilitation, 29(20-21), 1555-1565.
Litman, J. A. (2006). The COPE inventory: Dimensionality and relationships with approach-and avoidance-motives and positive and negative traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 41(2), 273-284.
Lyne, K. & Roger, D. (2000). A psychometric re-assessment of the COPE questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 321-335.
Mahmoud, J. S. R., Staten, R. T., Hall, L. A., & Lennie, T. A. (2012). The relationship among young adult college students’ depression, anxiety, stress, demographics, life satisfaction, and coping styles. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(3), 149-156.
Megivern, D., Pellerito, S., & Mowbray, C. (2003). Barriers to higher education for individuals with psychiatric disabilities. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 26(3), 217.
Monroe, S. M., & Simons, A. D. (1991). Diathesis-stress theories in the context of life stress research: implications for the depressive disorders. Psychological Bulletin, 110(3), 406- 425.
Moos, R.H. & Holahan, C.J. (2003). Dispositional and contextual perspectives on coping: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(12), 1387-1403.
Nielsen, J. & Shapiro, S. (2009). Coping with fear through suppression and avoidance of threatening information. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 15(3), 238-274.
Peng, D.X., & Lai, F.(2012). Using partial least squares in operations management research: A practical guideline and summary of past research. Journal of Operations Management, 30(6), 467-480.
Peterson, R.A., & Yeolib, K. (2013). On the relationship between coefficient alpha and composite reliability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 194-198.
Pritchard, M. E., & Wilson, G. S. (2003). Using emotional and social factors to predict student success. Journal of College Student Development, 44(1), 18-28.
Reinartz, W., Haenlein, M., & Henseler, J. (2009). An empirical comparison of the efficacy of covariance-based and variance-based SEM. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 26(4), 332-344.
Roberts, L. W., Warner, T. D., Lyketsos, C., Frank, E., Ganzini, L., Carter, D., & on Medical, T. C. R. G. (2001). Perceptions of academic vulnerability associated with personal illness: a study of 1,027 students at nine medical schools. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 42(1), 1-15.
Ross, S. E., Niebling, B. C., & Heckert, T. M. (1999). Sources of stress among college students. Social Psychology, 61(5), 841-846.
Roth, S. & Cohen, L.J. (1986). Approach, avoidance, and coping with stress. American Psychologist, 41(7). 813-819.
Sijtsma, K. (2009). On the use, the misuse, and the very limited usefulness of Cronbach’s alpha. Psychometrika, 74(1), 107-120.
Soderstrom, M., Dolbier, C., Leiferman, J., & Steinhardt, M. (2000). The relationship of hardiness, coping strategies, and perceived stress to symptoms of illness. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23(3), 311-328.
Stewart-Brown, S., Evans, J., Patterson, J., Petersen, S., Doll, H., Balding, J., & Regis, D. (2000). The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important and neglected public health problem?. Journal of Public Health, 22(4), 492-499.
Stowell, Kiecolt-Glaser, & Glaser (2001). Perceived stress and cellular immunity: When coping counts. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 24(4), 323-339.
Suldo, S. M., Shaunessy, E., & Hardesty, R. (2008). Relationships among stress, coping, and mental health in high‐achieving high school students. Psychology in the Schools, 45(4), 273-290.
Tobin, D. L., Holroyd, K. A., Reynolds, R. V., & Wigal, J. K. (1989). The hierarchical factor structure of the Coping Strategies Inventory. Cognitive therapy and research, 13(4), 343-361.
Vinzi, V. E., Trinchera, L., & Amato, S. (2010). PLS path modeling: from foundations to recent developments and open issues for model assessment and improvement. In Handbook of partial least squares (pp. 47-82). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Walker, E. F., & Diforio, D. (1997). Schizophrenia: A neural diathesis-stress model. Psychological Review, 104(4), 667-685.
Wilson, B., & Henseler, J. (2007). Modeling reflective higher-order constructs using three approaches with PLS path modeling: a Monte Carlo comparison. ANZMAC.
Wold, H. (1985). Partial least squares. Encyclopedia of statistical sciences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Wold, S., Sjöström, M., & Eriksson, L.(2001). PLS-regression: a basic tool of chemometrics. Chemometrics and intelligent laboratory systems, 58(2), 109-130.
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2019-06-15
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How to Cite
A Hierarchical Model of Coping in the College Student Population. (2019). Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 7(2), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.32674/jise.v7i2.1210
