The mediating role of cultural coping behaviours on the relationships between academic stress and positive psychosocial well‐being outcomes

Abstract

While culture's effect on the coping process has long been acknowledged in the stress-coping literature conceptually, empirical evidence and attempts to discern the specific relationship between culture and coping remain very scarce. Against this backdrop, the present study applied the Cultural Transactional Theory (Chun, Moos, & Cronkite, 2006) to examine the mediating role of cultural coping behaviours (Collective, Engagement and Avoidance Coping) on the relationship between academic stress (AS) and two positive psychosocial well-being outcome measures: Collective Self-esteem (CSE) and Subjective Well-being (SWB). Responses from a sample of undergraduate students in Canada (N = 328) were analysed to test a theory-driven, hypothesised model of coping using structural equation modelling (SEM). As hypothesised, the SEM results showed that: (a) the proposed cultural coping model fit the data well; (b) Engagement Coping and Collective Coping partially mediated the association between AS and the outcomes and (c) the path relationships among the constructs were in the hypothesised directions. A set of preliminary exploratory analyses indicated that Collective Coping was most strongly endorsed by the African/Black and the Middle Eastern cultural groups as compared to other ethnic groups. Implications of the study's findings for future research and practice concerning culture, stress, and coping are discussed.

Work-Life Balance for Sustainable Development in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions: Fad or Fact?

“…In particular, the notion of collectivistic coping or cultural coping represents relationally, communally, and collectively oriented coping behaviour which is supported by the prevailing cultural theories of stress coping (Chun, Moos and Cronkite 2006). While this coping strategy has been found among white Europeans (Kuo, Arnold and Rodriguez-Rubio 2014), its prevalence is noted more among Asian Americans and Asian Canadians (Kuo et al 2018). This study extends the existing literature by validating that collectivistic coping is also prevalent among Malaysian academics.…”

“…Workplace support came in second. The findings could be attributable to cultural characteristics and dimensions which are said to drive and shape the preference, pattern and process of coping among individuals (Chun, Moos and Cronkite 2006;Kuo et al 2018). To elaborate, the interdependence of Asian culture which values sharing and collaboration will give rise to "collectivistic coping" (Kuo, Arnold and Rodriguez-Rubio 2014;Yeh, Arora and Wu 2006) or "cultural coping" (Kuo et al 2018).…”

“…The findings could be attributable to cultural characteristics and dimensions which are said to drive and shape the preference, pattern and process of coping among individuals (Chun, Moos and Cronkite 2006;Kuo et al 2018). To elaborate, the interdependence of Asian culture which values sharing and collaboration will give rise to "collectivistic coping" (Kuo, Arnold and Rodriguez-Rubio 2014;Yeh, Arora and Wu 2006) or "cultural coping" (Kuo et al 2018). In particular, the notion of collectivistic coping or cultural coping represents relationally, communally, and collectively oriented coping behaviour which is supported by the prevailing cultural theories of stress coping (Chun, Moos and Cronkite 2006).…”

“…Examining other antecedents influencing the selection of coping strategies such as marital status and personal characteristics may also be another future research opportunity. It will also be interesting for future research to address the role and effects of cultural coping in response to academic work intensification and work stress specifically (Kuo et al 2018).…”

“…A review of the WLB literature unearthed only a handful of research focusing on academics and students. For example, Bexley, Arkoudis and James (2013) looked at the work intensification and WLB of Australian academics; Lewis (2016) examined the WLB of Swiss lecturers, while Kinman and Jones (2008) investigated the WLB and well-being of UK academic staff; Kuo et al (2018) explored the role of cultural coping behaviours on the relationships between academic stress and psychosocial well-being outcomes of students, while Achour and Boerhannoeddin (2011) studied religiosity as a coping strategy among Malaysian women academics. It appears that not much emphasis has been given to the role of gender in understanding academics' WLB.…”