Personal growth Initiative as a protective factor between the relation of practical stress and life satisfaction

Abstract

Objective: Stress stemming from practical or financial obstacles is among the top sources of stress for college students. The current study examined if one new positive psychological strength factor, personal growth initiative, functioned as a buffer to protect young adults’ life satisfaction, anxiety, and depression from practical stress. Participants: Undergraduate students (N = 353, age range 18–23, 73.9% female) at a public university. Method: Participants were recruited through classes and on campus via flyers and completed self-report surveys online. Results: Personal growth initiative significantly moderated the relation between practical stressors and life satisfaction. Specifically, the negative effect of practical stressors on life satisfaction decreased as personal growth initiative levels increased. Practical stress significantly predicted anxiety and depression, though no significant interactions were identified in this model. Conclusion: Overall, results highlighted the protective function of personal growth initiative for life satisfaction in the context of practical stressors faced by young adults in college. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.

Keywords:

• Financial stress
• life satisfaction
• mental health
• personal growth initiative
• practical stress

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of the University of Memphis.

Notes

1 Gender difference in life satisfaction is not as clear as that is in anxiety and depression based on the literature, and thus was not included in the model with life satisfaction as the outcome. However, to rule out the possible effect of gender, it was controlled as a covariate in supplemental analysis. Gender was not significant in predicting life satisfaction, and the interaction between practical stressors and PGI remained significant.