Health practices and hardiness as mediators in the stress-illness relationship.

Abstract

Two stress and illness models that include the joint mediating effects of health practices and hardiness were tested prospectively over a 2-month period. At the beginning of one academic quarter, 60 female and 26 male undergraduate students completed five subscales indexing hardiness. Stress, health practices, and illness for the prior month were assessed at this time as well as 1 and 2 months later. Stress was measured by the number of negatively rated stressors reported on the Life Experiences Survey. Health practices were measured by the Self Care Inventory. In the first model, illness was measured by the severity of physical symptoms reported on the Seriousness of Illness Rating Scale; in the second model, it was measured by the number of symptoms reported. Correlations between all measures of stress and illness were typical for life events research (r = .22 to .29). In both models, path analyses revealed that stress acted directly to affect illness as well as indirectly by changing health practices. Hardiness also had a direct effect on illness as well as in indirect effect through health practices. Hardiness did not appear to have a stress-buffering effect on illness; rather, its effects on illness appeared to be independent of its effects on stress. Implications for life events research are discussed.

An examination of hardiness throughout the sport injury process

“…In relation to the third mechanism, the giving and receiving of social support (e.g., Florian et al, 1995;Ganellen & Blaney, 1984;King et al, 1998;Kobasa & Puccetti, 1983;Maddi & Khoshaba, 2005;Williams et al, 1992), King et al found that hardiness was positively related with the receipt of social support, whereas Williams et al (1992) found hardiness to be positively related to seeking social support. The fourth and final mechanism is engaging in positive (e.g., adequate nutrition, exercise and relaxation) whilst avoiding negative health practices such as alcohol and drug use (e.g., Maddi, Wadhwa, & Haier, 1996;Nagy & Nix, 1989;Wiebe & McCallum, 1986). For example, Maddi et al (1996) examined alcohol and drug use among high school graduates about to enter college.…”

“…Researchers have also identified the mechanisms by which hardiness may lead to maintained and/or enhanced health and performance under stressful circumstances. Such mechanisms include adaptive appraisal, problem-and emotionfocused coping strategies, the giving and receiving of social support, and engaging in positive (e.g., adequate nutrition, exercise, and relaxation) while avoiding negative health practices such as alcohol and drug use (e.g., Florian, Mikulincer, & Taubman, 1995;Maddi & Hightower, 1999;Maddi, Wadhwa, & Haire, 1996;Rhodewalt & Agustsdottir, 1984;Rhodewalt & Zone, 1989;Wiebe & McCallum, 1986;Williams, Wiebe, & Smith, 1992).…”

Managing women presenting with urinary incontinence: is hardiness significant?

“…For example, high levels of hardiness have been shown to be positively correlated with better outcomes for patients with chronic illnesses [12], with lower levels of depression and fatigue in caregivers [13] and with recovery from traumatic events [14]. Similarly, hardiness has also been shown to be a factor in preventive health, with individuals high in hardiness being more likely to pursue positive health practices and to pursue effective health strategies [15]. A synthesis of the available evidence of the relationship between hardiness and chronic illness suggests that hardiness provides the individual with the capacity to adapt constructively and to shore up coping processes [12].…”

The Color-Coded Timeline Trauma Genogram

“…Individual histories such as ethnic cultural background, family of origin, previous trauma, and socioeconomic status all influence the impact of traumatic events. Research has shown that stress buffers are variables (e.g., sense of humor, optimism, selfesteem, self-complexity) that serve as a protective mechanism in situations of severe stress, such as trauma (Linville, 1987;Martin & Lefcourt, 1983;Roth & Holmes, 1985;Wiebe & McCallum, 1986). Resiliency (an individual's ability to cope, bounce back, and keep on growing both emotionally and psychologically in situations of challenging and often traumatic situations [Walsh, 1998]) (McFarlane, 1988;Ursano, 1981;van der Kolk & Fisler, 1994) serves as a protective mechanism against the negative impact of trauma, whereas predisposing factors are believed to negatively influence the degree to which a person is impacted by traumatic events.…”