Abstract

CLAUDINO, Adelaide D.; MOREIRA, João M.  and  COELHO, Vera. Hardiness, social support and physical symptoms in the stress process. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2009, vol.10, n.1, pp.115-125. ISSN 1645-0086.

This study examined the role of hardiness and perceived social support in the relationship between physical symptoms and perceived stress, measuring these variables with the help of self-report questionnaires in a sample of 102 college students. We found that the number of symptoms was significantly related to perceived stress. Health-related hardiness, in its aspect of Commitment/Challenge and, to an even greater extent, absence of Alienation, showed a protective effect against the impact of physical symptoms and illnesses upon perceived stress. These results support not only the validity of the scale employed to measure health-related hardiness, but also the importance of the concept for health psychology.

Keywords : Hardiness; physical symptoms; social support; stress.

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