EFFECTS OF VIGOR ON PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-

BEING

Ekaterina Solovieva York University Toronto, Canada

CO-AUTHORS

I would like to gratefully acknowledge my co-authors:

Esther Greenglass Lynda Cheng Noelia Vasquez

Thanks to Lisa Fiksenbaum for statistical assistance.

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INTRODUCTION

Well-established relationship between social support and psychological well-being outcomes

Positively related to life satisfaction

Negatively related to loneliness, anxiety and depression

(e.g., Tao, Dong, Pratt, Hunsberger, & Pancer, 2000)3

Conceptually separated in the past

Importance of drawing on others’ resources for coping

Relational skills as coping strengths

COPING & SOCIAL SUPPORT

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planning and preventive strategies

identification and utilization of social resources

utilization of proactive emotional coping(Greenglass, Schwarzer, & Taubert, 1999)

PROACTIVE COPING

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Outcomes:PositiveVigor

Life Satisfaction

Outcomes:Negative

DepressionBurnoutAnger

Resources: Internal Self-Efficacy Optimism

Resources: External

Social Support

ProactiveCoping

THEORETICAL MODEL: RESOURCES, PROACTIVE COPING & OUTCOMES

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CURRENT RESEARCH

Transition to university – great research opportunity

Function of proactive coping and vigor in psychological well-being, especially negative outcomes (such as depression)?

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PURPOSE OF CURRENT STUDY

To investigate the effects of social support, coping and vigor on psychological well-being in university students as reflected in the depression levels

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SOCIAL SUPPORT

Focused on informational support

Measured using a 6-item questionnaire (Caplan et al., 1975)

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SOCIAL SUPPORT (CONT’D)

Sample item: “How much can people be relied on to provide you with assistance with your academic work when you need it most?”

4-point scale from (1) Not at all to (4) Very much

Alpha in this study = .9110

PROACTIVE COPING

Strategies to build up general resources that facilitate the achievement of challenging goals

(Greenglass et al., 1999) 14 items

Sample item:“When I experience a problem, I take

the initiative in resolving it”11

PROACTIVE COPING (CONT’D)

4-point scale from (1) Not at all true to (4) Completely true

Alpha in this study = .82

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VIGOR

… characterized by high levels of energy, mental resilience, stamina, and persistence when problems arise.

A person with high degree of vigor is lively, active, energetic, cheerful and alert.

(Greenglass, 2006)13

VIGOR (CONT’D)

Measured using 6-item vigor-activity subscale of The Profile of Mood States (POMS; McNair, Lorr, & Droppleman, 1971).

Sample item:“How much have you been feeling energetic during the past week, including today?”

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VIGOR (CONT’D)

5-point scale from (1) Not at all to (5) Extremely

Alpha in this study = .88

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DEPRESSION

Measured using Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL; Derogatis et al, 1974)

11 items

Sample item:“Crying easily”

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DEPRESSION

4-point scale from (1) Never to (4) Extremely often

Alpha in this study =.81

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PROCEDURE

First-year psychology students filled out an online questionnaire twice for URPP credit:In the beginning of the semester (Sept-

Oct)Just prior to exam time (Nov-Dec)

The participants were anonymous. A self-generated number was used to match responses from time 1 and time 2.

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PARTICIPANTS

N=68, 81% female

Average age: 18.65 years, SD=2.41

All are first year students

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CORRELATION MATRIX OF VARIABLESMeans, Standard Deviations, and Intercorrelation Matrix of Variables Variable 1 2 3 4 5 1. Social support 2. Proactive coping 3. Vigor 4. Positive affect 5. Depression (time 2) M SD α

- .341** .335** .395** -.168 2.65 .75 .91

- .419*** .640*** -.152 41.85 5.74 .82

- .610*** -.322** 2.92 .83 .88

- -.283* 32.25 7.38 .87

- 19.78 5.07 .81

* p < .05. ** p < .01. *** p < .001. 20

THEORETICAL MODEL

Relationship between social support, proactive coping and vigor at time 1 and depression at time 2.

Social Support

Proactive Coping

Vigor

Depression(time 2)

Time 1

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EMPIRICAL MODEL

Relationship between social support, proactive coping and vigor at time 1 and depression at time 2.

Social Support

Proactive Coping

Vigor

Depression(time 2)

.34** .42***

-.32**

Time 1

2 (3) = 3.792 p=.285GFI = .973AGFI = .911CFI = .970RMSEA = .063

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Empirical Model Relating Proactive Coping, Social Support, Vigor and 2MW in Joint Arthroplasty Patients

Time 1 Time 2

Proactive Coping

Social Support Vigor 2MW

.20*

2(3)= 3.350 p=0.341GFI= 0.989AGFI= 0.965CFI= 0.989RMSEA=0.027

.34***.25**

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CONCLUSIONS

Proactive coping mediated the effects of social support on vigor

Vigor mediated the effects of proactive coping on depression

High levels of vigor were associated with lower levels of depression

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All self report measures in this study

Behavioral measures of depression?

Behavioral measures of vigor?

LIMITATIONS

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POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS

How can we assist first-year students as they transition to university?

Higher vigor is associated with lower depression

Can vigor be manipulated?

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Cultivate social networks

Develop programs to teach proactive coping that emphasizes taking control before disaster strikes

POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS (CONT’D)

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THANK YOU!