Dispositional and Situational Coping and Mental Health Status of University Students

Abstract

The results of stress coping studies do not clearly demonstrate whether dispositional and situational coping can predict health status or whether dispositional coping can predict situational coping. The present study used structural equation modeling to test proposed directional relationships. 292 Japanese university students completed questionnaires concerning dispositional and situational coping and mental health status. Analysis showed that dispositional coping predicted situational coping for some coping strategies. In women, an increase in dispositional Problem-solving predicted a reduction in mental distress via situational Problem-solving. The results suggest that, only for Problem-solving by women, dispositional coping is related to mental health status, but only through situational coping.