Personality Traits and Coping with Stress as Predictors of Psychosomatic Symptoms in Students

Cilj rada bio je ispitati mogućnost predikcije učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma putem doprinosa dimenzija velepetorog modela ličnosti (engl. Big-Five model) i stilova suočavanja sa stresom uz kontrolu doprinosa varijabli spola i dobi. Istraživanjem je obuhvaćeno 356 studenata različitih studija Hrvatskog katoličkog sveučilišta. Korištena je skala Upitnika psihosomatskih simptoma za djecu i adolescente (PSS), Upitnik suočavanja sa stresnim situacijama Endlera i Parkera te hrvatska verzija International Personality Item Pool (IPIP 50). Analiza učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma pokazala je najčešću pojavnost manjka energije, glavobolje i boli u leđima. Najčešći u različitim skupinama simptoma bili su: »knedla« u grlu, doživljaj ubrzanog lupanja srca, prehlada, mišićna napetost, nadutost, akne ili bubuljice te manjak energije ili umor. Rezultati hijerarhijske regresijske analize pokazali su da niža razina emocionalne stabilnosti, viša razina intelekta i viša razina suočavanja usmjerenog na emocije predviđaju veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Također, dobiven je značajan prediktivni doprinos kontrolirane varijable spola, pri čemu ženski spol predviđa veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Dobiveni rezultati mogu pomoći u izradi edukativnih programa o suodnosu tjelesnog i mentalnog zdravlja te u savjetodavnom radu s osobama s izraženim psihosomatskim simptomima.The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of predicting the occurrence of psychosomatic symptoms through the contribution of personality dimensions of the Big-Five factor structure and coping with stress, with gender and age as controlled variables. The research included 356 students from various studies at the Croatian Catholic University. The scale of the Psychosomatic Symptoms Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents – PSS, the Endler and Parker Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations and the Croatian version of the International Personality Item Pool - IPIP 50 were used. The frequency of psychosomatic symptoms showed the most common occurrence of lack of energy, headaches and back pain. The most common symptoms in different groups of symptoms were »lumps« in the throat, the experience of rapid heartbeat, colds, muscle tension, bloated stomach, acne or pimples, and lack of energy or fatigue. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis showed that lower level of Emotional Stability, higher level of Intellect and higher level of Emotional-oriented coping were significant predictors for the higher incidence of psychosomatic symptoms, as well as a significant predictive contribution of controlled gender variable. The obtained results can be helpful in the development of educational programs on the relationship between physical and mental health and in counselling work with people with express psychosomatic symptoms

Personality traits and coping with stress as predictors of psychosomatic symptoms

Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati mogućnost predikcije učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma putem doprinosa dimenzija Velepetorog modela ličnosti (Ekstraverzije, Ugodnosti, Savjesnosti, Emocionalne stabilnosti i Intelekta) i stilova suočavanja sa stresom (Suočavanja usmjerenog na problem, Suočavanja usmjerenog na emocije i Suočavanja izbjegavanjem) kada se kontrolira doprinos varijabli spola i dobi. Istraživanjem je sveukupno obuhvaćeno 402 studenta (285 studentica i 71 student) preddiplomskih i diplomskih studija jednog zagrebačkog sveučilišta. Za mjerenje učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma korištena je skala učestalosti Upitnika psihosomatskih simptoma za djecu i adolescente - PSS (Vulić-Prtorić, 2005), suočavanje sa stresom mjereno je Upitnikom suočavanja sa stresnim situacijama Endlera i Parkera – CISS (Sorić i Proroković, 2002), a dimenzije Velepetorog modela ličnosti mjerene su hrvatskom verzijom International Personality Item Pool - IPIP 50 (Mlačić i Goldberg, 2007). Analiza frekvencija psihosomatskih simptoma općenito pokazala je najveću učestalost manjka energije, glavobolje i boli u leđima. Iznenadni gubitak sluha, iznenadni gubitak vida i nesvjestica pokazali su se kao najrjeđi psihosomatski simptomi na ispitanom uzorku. Gledajući po kategorijama psihosomatskih simptoma, simptom „knedla“ u grlu pokazao se kao najučestaliji psihosomatski simptom u kategoriji pseudoneuroloških psihosomatskih simptoma, doživljaj ubrzanog lupanja srca u kategoriji kardiovaskularnih simptoma, prehlada u kategoriji respiratornih simptoma, mišićna napetost u kategoriji muskulatornih simptoma, nadutost u kategoriji gastrointestinalnih simptoma, akne ili bubuljice u kategoriji dermatoloških psihosomatskih simptoma te manjak energije ili umor u kategoriji bol i osjećaj slabosti. Rezultati hijerarhijske regresijske analize u tri koraka pokazali su da niža razina Emocionalne stabilnosti, viša razina Intelekta i viša razina Suočavanja usmjerenog na emocije predviđaju veću učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma. Također, dobiveni rezultati pokazuju značajan prediktivni doprinos kontrolirane varijable spola, pri čemu ženski spol predviđa veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Dobiveni rezultati mogu pomoći u izradi edukativnih programa o suodnosu tjelesnog i mentalnog zdravlja te u savjetodavnom radu s osobama s izraženim psihosomatskim simptomima.The main aim of this study was to examine the contribution of markers of the Big-Five factor structure (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional stability and Intellect) and coping with stress (Task-oriented coping, Emotion-oriented coping and Avoidance-oriented coping), with gender and age as controlled variables, to the prediction of psychosomatic symptoms’ frequency. In this study, 402 students (285 female and 71 male students) participated. As a measurement tool for psychosomatic symptoms' frequency, the scale of the Psychosomatic Symptoms Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents – PSS (Vulić-Prtorić, 2005) was used. Coping was measured via Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations by Endler and Parker – CISS (Sorić & Proroković, 2002), and the Big-Five factor structure markers were measured via the Croatian version of the International Personality Item Pool – IPIP (Mlačić & Goldberg, 2007). Frequency analysis of the level of psychosomatic symptoms in general shows that lack of energy, headaches and back pain are the most common psychosomatic symptoms. Sudden loss of sight, sudden loss of voice and fainting are the rarest psychosomatic symptoms. The most common psychosomatic symptoms were: lump in the throat in pseudo-neurological psychosomatic symptoms category, too fast heart beating in cardiovascular category, cold in the respiratory category, muscle tension in muscular category, bloated stomach in gastrointestinal category, acnes and pimples in the category of dermatological psychosomatic symptom, and lack of energy in the category of pain or weakness. The results of three-step hierarchical regression analysis show that lower level of Emotional stability, higher level of Intellect and Emotion-oriented coping are significant predictors for the higher level of psychosomatic symptoms. Also, the results show significant contribution of controlled variable gender in the prediction of psychosomatic symptoms’ frequency. The results obtained can provide help in the development of educational programs on the relationship between mental and physical health, and in counseling work with people with expressed psychosomatic symptoms

Personality traits and coping with stress as predictors of psychosomatic symptoms

Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati mogućnost predikcije učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma putem doprinosa dimenzija Velepetorog modela ličnosti (Ekstraverzije, Ugodnosti, Savjesnosti, Emocionalne stabilnosti i Intelekta) i stilova suočavanja sa stresom (Suočavanja usmjerenog na problem, Suočavanja usmjerenog na emocije i Suočavanja izbjegavanjem) kada se kontrolira doprinos varijabli spola i dobi. Istraživanjem je sveukupno obuhvaćeno 402 studenta (285 studentica i 71 student) preddiplomskih i diplomskih studija jednog zagrebačkog sveučilišta. Za mjerenje učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma korištena je skala učestalosti Upitnika psihosomatskih simptoma za djecu i adolescente - PSS (Vulić-Prtorić, 2005), suočavanje sa stresom mjereno je Upitnikom suočavanja sa stresnim situacijama Endlera i Parkera – CISS (Sorić i Proroković, 2002), a dimenzije Velepetorog modela ličnosti mjerene su hrvatskom verzijom International Personality Item Pool - IPIP 50 (Mlačić i Goldberg, 2007). Analiza frekvencija psihosomatskih simptoma općenito pokazala je najveću učestalost manjka energije, glavobolje i boli u leđima. Iznenadni gubitak sluha, iznenadni gubitak vida i nesvjestica pokazali su se kao najrjeđi psihosomatski simptomi na ispitanom uzorku. Gledajući po kategorijama psihosomatskih simptoma, simptom „knedla“ u grlu pokazao se kao najučestaliji psihosomatski simptom u kategoriji pseudoneuroloških psihosomatskih simptoma, doživljaj ubrzanog lupanja srca u kategoriji kardiovaskularnih simptoma, prehlada u kategoriji respiratornih simptoma, mišićna napetost u kategoriji muskulatornih simptoma, nadutost u kategoriji gastrointestinalnih simptoma, akne ili bubuljice u kategoriji dermatoloških psihosomatskih simptoma te manjak energije ili umor u kategoriji bol i osjećaj slabosti. Rezultati hijerarhijske regresijske analize u tri koraka pokazali su da niža razina Emocionalne stabilnosti, viša razina Intelekta i viša razina Suočavanja usmjerenog na emocije predviđaju veću učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma. Također, dobiveni rezultati pokazuju značajan prediktivni doprinos kontrolirane varijable spola, pri čemu ženski spol predviđa veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Dobiveni rezultati mogu pomoći u izradi edukativnih programa o suodnosu tjelesnog i mentalnog zdravlja te u savjetodavnom radu s osobama s izraženim psihosomatskim simptomima.The main aim of this study was to examine the contribution of markers of the Big-Five factor structure (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional stability and Intellect) and coping with stress (Task-oriented coping, Emotion-oriented coping and Avoidance-oriented coping), with gender and age as controlled variables, to the prediction of psychosomatic symptoms’ frequency. In this study, 402 students (285 female and 71 male students) participated. As a measurement tool for psychosomatic symptoms' frequency, the scale of the Psychosomatic Symptoms Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents – PSS (Vulić-Prtorić, 2005) was used. Coping was measured via Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations by Endler and Parker – CISS (Sorić & Proroković, 2002), and the Big-Five factor structure markers were measured via the Croatian version of the International Personality Item Pool – IPIP (Mlačić & Goldberg, 2007). Frequency analysis of the level of psychosomatic symptoms in general shows that lack of energy, headaches and back pain are the most common psychosomatic symptoms. Sudden loss of sight, sudden loss of voice and fainting are the rarest psychosomatic symptoms. The most common psychosomatic symptoms were: lump in the throat in pseudo-neurological psychosomatic symptoms category, too fast heart beating in cardiovascular category, cold in the respiratory category, muscle tension in muscular category, bloated stomach in gastrointestinal category, acnes and pimples in the category of dermatological psychosomatic symptom, and lack of energy in the category of pain or weakness. The results of three-step hierarchical regression analysis show that lower level of Emotional stability, higher level of Intellect and Emotion-oriented coping are significant predictors for the higher level of psychosomatic symptoms. Also, the results show significant contribution of controlled variable gender in the prediction of psychosomatic symptoms’ frequency. The results obtained can provide help in the development of educational programs on the relationship between mental and physical health, and in counseling work with people with expressed psychosomatic symptoms