Future health promotion programmes with college students must use interventions that maximize self-efficacy and ultimately reduce barriers to adopting a healthy lifestyle.

The ability of the psychological resistance factors Sense of Coherence (SOC) and dispositional Optimism (LOT-R) to predict physical symptom reporting (PILL), psychological wellbeing and perceived general health (SF-36Ò ), over and above demographic variables (age, race, gender) and the 'Big Five' personality dimensions (NEO-FFIÒ ) was explored in a sample of 202 undergraduate students. Hierarchical regression analyses identified race, Neuroticism, and Extraversion as significant predictors of physical symptom reporting. Neuroticism, Sense of Coherence and Optimism were identified as significant predictors of psychological wellbeing. Only Sense of Coherence was a significant predictor of perceived general health. Coping was tested as a mediator using structural equation modeling. Avoidance coping, but not approach coping, mediated the relationship between Sense of Coherence and psychological wellbeing and general health. Coping did not mediate the relationship between Neuroticism and/or race and physical symptom reporting. The hypothesis that Sense of Coherence contributes uniquely to perceived health was supported.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the impact of personality factors (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), cognitive factors (sense of coherence and self-efficacy), coping resources (family and friend social support) and demographic factors (gender and ethnicity) on cigarette smoking behaviors (initiation, frequency, and amount of cigarette smoking) among college students. A total of 161 U.S. college students, aged 18–26, who enrolled in an introductory psychology course completed self-report questionnaires. The majority of the students had tried smoking (55%); among those who had tried, 42% were current smokers. The majority (77%) who had smoked a whole cigarette did so at age 16 years or younger. Students who reported lower levels of conscientiousness and self-efficacy had a greater likelihood to had tried cigarette smoking. Also, students who had lower levels of self-efficacy reported smoking more frequently and greater quantities of cigarettes than students with higher levels of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was the most significant predictor of smoking behaviors. Health promotion programs focused on self-efficacy may be an effective tool for reducing the initiation, frequency, and amount of cigarette smoking among college students.

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the impact of personality factors (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), cognitive factors (sense of coherence and self-efficacy), coping resources (family and friend social support) and demographic factors (gender and ethnicity) on cigarette smoking behaviors (initiation, frequency, and amount of cigarette smoking) among college students. A total of 161 U.S. college students, aged 18–26, who enrolled in an introductory psychology course completed self-report questionnaires. The majority of the students had tried smoking (55%); among those who had tried, 42% were current smokers. The majority (77%) who had smoked a whole cigarette did so at age 16 years or younger. Students who reported lower levels of conscientiousness and self-efficacy had a greater likelihood to had tried cigarette smoking. Also, students who had lower levels of self-efficacy reported smoking more frequently and greater quantities of cigarettes than students with higher levels of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was the most significant predictor of smoking behaviors. Health promotion programs focused on self-efficacy may be an effective tool for reducing the initiation, frequency, and amount of cigarette smoking among college students.