The relation between sense of coherence and daily hassles among university students

Abstract

Based on Antonovsky’s salutogenic model, it was hypothesized that persons with a high sense of coherence (SOC), compared to persons with a low SOC, (1) experience fewer hassles and (2) experience hassles as less stressful. In addition to each of the two main hypotheses, gender differences and interaction between SOC and gender were also explored. Two hundred and fifty-eight female students (Mage = 23.77 years) and 136 male students (Mage = 24.02 years) participated in a survey where they responded to a questionnaire that was designed to measure some demographic variables, SOC and daily hassles. The data were analysed by two 3 (SOC-groups) × 2 (Gender) ANOVAs for independent measures, with frequency and intensity as dependent variables, followed up with Tukey’s HSD post-hoc tests. The results confirmed both main hypotheses. In addition, the results showed no interaction between SOC and gender, no differences between female and male students with regard to the number of experienced hassles but that female students experienced the hassles more intensively. These findings further corroborated the two fundamental parts of Antonovsky’s salutogenic model concerned with avoidance and appraisal of stressors.

Keywords

• Salutogenic model
• sense of coherence
• daily hassles
• university students
• gender differences