Health and Well-Being

Transcription

1 Health and Well-Being Emerging Trends Edited by Dr. Sandhya Ojha Dr. Urmila Rani Srivastava Dr. Shobhna Joshi Publish by Global Vision Publishing House RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY, COPING STRATEGIES AND MOOD VARIATION AMONG ADOLESCENTS Monika Gupta & Lok Nath Singh The attempts to answer the question of whether the ways of coping in stressful situations are primarily determined by personality traits, type of stressful situations or their interaction; two dominant approaches have gained significance. First, within the framework of a structural approach, coping is conceptualised in terms of relatively stable individual differences where variations in stressful situation are of little importance. Second, the coping process determined by individual differences and intraindividual stability whiles the influence of the nature and course of the stressful situation is unimportant. Within this approach, there are two assumptions on how individual difference could influence coping. It is assumed that preferred coping styles can directly be derived from personality traits such as extraversion and neuroticism (McCrae & Costa, 1986). There is some empirical evidence on the cross - situational and temporal consistency and the stability of coping efforts that is under the influence of personality traits (Bolger & Schilling, 1991; McCrae & Costa, 1986; Scheier & Carver, 1985). McCrae and Costa (1986) reported that neuroticism is related significantly to the use of hostile reaction, escapist, fantasy, self-blame, sedation, withdrawal, wishful thinking, passivity and indecision coping styles which these authors termed immature or neurotic coping. On the other hand, extraversion is significantly linked to coping style which include rational action, positive thinking, substitution and restraint, in other words, with those coping styles which could be called problem - focused coping. Parkes (1986) also stated that extraversion has a significant positive effect on active, problem - focused coping, while neuroticism is linked to less effective coping styles. Kardum and Hudek-Knezevic (1996) found a significant positive link of extraversion with emotion - focused coping and neuroticism with avoidance coping while psychoticism is negatively linked to emotion and problem - focused coping and positively to avoidance coping. Monika Gupta, Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, Mahatama Gandhi Kashi Vidhyapeeth Varanasi (U.P.) Lok Nath Singh, Professor & Head, Department of Psychology, Mahatama Gandhi Kashi Vidhyapeeth, Varanasi (U.P.)

2 238 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends The second assumption relating to the influence of personality characteristics on coping that exists within the structural approach is that there are stable styles, dispositions or preferences for coping people employ when in stressful situations. The proponents of this assumption (Carver, Scheter & Weintruaub, 1989) do not deny the potential importance of personality traits. Stable coping preferences can be derived from personality traits, and also because of some other reasons, during the process of socialisation. Although the results of some authors (Carver et al., 1989; Hudeck-Knezevic & Kardum, 1996) demonstrated that various coping styles are related in a theoretically meaningful manner to numerous personality dimensions such as optimism - pessimism, self - esteem, internality and anxiety; the correlations obtained were considered not so substantial as to permit the conclusion that coping styles are determined only by personality traits. Within the framework of a transactional approach to stress and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), coping is conceptualised in terms of the person - environment relationship dynamic, interactive nature of the stressful transaction is emphasised. Individual differences and environmental factors are mainly considered under the global construct of cognitive appraisal, although it is emphasised that personality traits such as hardiness, self-efficacy and sense of coherence represent important protective factors from stressful experience (Lazarus, 1990). Thus, although there is a divergence of opinion about the role of personality traits in the development of relatively stable coping styles, both structural and transactional approaches agree with the fact that personality traits are important factors which are operational in the process of stress and coping. However, the above mentioned research was carried out on adult subjects, whereas there are few studies dealing with this problem on adolescent samples. Adolescence is a time of special stress and a number of physical, psychological and sociological influences are brought to bear on the individual at this stage of development. As a result, it is especially important to examine the determinants of coping styles in that developmental period. In some research, the self - concept of adolescents is linked to coping styles. Seiffge -Krenke (1990) found a link between three types coping styles (active copers, internal copers and problem avoiders) and self concept. Each of the coping style was linked to a different self description; active copers had high self - esteem and reported excellent relationships with their parents whereas the problem avoider gave depressed self - descriptions and lacked confidence in their own abilities. The reciprocity was found in the relationships, so that self-esteem determined the choice of the coping strategies in some respects and the use of strategies in turn helped to shape self - esteem and the self-concept. It has been proposed that high self-esteem is in itself a positive coping mechanism. Schwarzer (1989) in German and Turkish adolescents observed that emotion - focused coping is mainly influenced by anxiety while positive self - concept turned out to be beneficial for problem - focused coping in the German sub-sample. Gomez (1997) found that external locus of control correlates negatively with approach coping and positively with avoidance coping on an adolescent sample in an age range of years. Rehulkova, Blatny and Osecka (1995) found that the coping strategies of expressed - emotions, wishful thinking and self - criticism were marker of neuroticism. The coping strategy markers for extraversion were problem - solving, cognitive restructuring, social support and social withdrawal.

3 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation In comparison to extraversion and neuroticism, the role of psychoticism in the process of coping with stress is considerably less examined. Zuckerman (1989) stated that the dimension of psychoticism is a super-trait which contains closely linked traits such as impulsivity, sensation seeking, lack of socialisation and irresponsibility, autonomy and aggression. The results of previous research on adult subjects demonstrate that psychoticism is negatively linked to problem and emotion focused coping and positively to avoidance coping (Kardum and Hudek Knezevic, 1996). An overview and simplification of literature provides a conceptualisation of adolescent s emotion - related components of depression, anxiety and other behavioural problems that occur in adolescents age. This theoretical foundation was incorporated in the present study to highlight the relationship between personality, coping strategies and mood variation among adolescents with three fold objectives. First, to elucidate the psychometric adequacy of the behavioural measures of (a) Eysenck s Personality Profiler (EPP; Eysenck et. al., 2000), (b) Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS; Endler & Parker, 1999), and (c) Mood Variation (Kellner, 1987). Second, to elucidate the relationship between the various facets of personality : the chosen subtraits of extraversion (sociability, activity and assertiveness), neuroticism (inferiority, unhappiness and anxiety), and psychoticism (risk taking, impulsiveness and irresponsibility), coping strategies (task - oriented, emotion oriented and avoidance oriented and its distraction and social diversion subscales), and mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility) with the objective to elucidate the factor structure(s) that would be accounted for the personality and coping strategy correlates of mood variation. And in the final count, to elucidate the predictability of the subscale measures of mood variation as criterion (dependent variable), each component at a time, by the personality and coping strategies as predictors (independent variables) separately. It was expected that the behavioural measures of personality, coping strategies and mood variation would find replicability in the project population, the factor structure(s) of the behavioural measures would provide more meaningful and interpretable factors to highlight the personality and coping strategies correlates of mood variation, and that personality and coping strategies would substantially predict the various facets of mood variation. Methods and Procedure Sample 400 adolescents (200 boys and 200 girls) from English Medium Schools situated around Shivapura ward of Varanasi were randomly sampled to serve as subjects for the present study. A number of variables like educational qualification, employment status (single and dual earning) and family structure (joint and nuclear) of the parents of adolescents as well as the age, birth order, quality of schooling and the High School performance of the adolescents were recorded with the objective to equate / match the samples (boys and girls). Preliminary analyses revealed that all most all the extraneous variables were relatively homogeneously distributed across the gender (boys and girls) variable; ensuring the representativeness of the samples for studies.

4 240 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends Design of the Study The study aimed to incorporate separate group design (boys and girls) to elucidate the psychometric adequacy of the behavioural measures: for boys (N = 200) for girls (N = 200) separately and for the whole sample (N 1 + N 2 = 400) in view of the small sample sise (and in an effort to evolve consistency in results). That the psychometric adequacy of the behavioural measures is reported for the whole sample to avoid duplication of results (and the referrals for boys and for girls are made at relevant places as per the needs of the study). Further analyses were aimed on the whole sample (boys plus girls) with the objectives to (i) elucidate relationship between the various subscale / subfactor measures of the behavioural components, (ii) to extract the factor structure(s) of the behavioural components that would be accounted for the personality and coping strategies correlates of mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility), and (iii) to check the predictability of the various facets of mood variation as criterion (dependent variable), each at a time, by the personality and coping strategies separately as predictors (independent variables). Behavioural Measures The study incorporated the behavioural measures of (a) Eysenck s Personality Profiler (EPP; Eysenck, et. al., 2000), (b) Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS; Endler & Parker, 1999), and Symptom Questionnaire (SQ; Kellner, 1987) a measure of mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility) - to meet the objectives of the study. (a) Eysenck s Personality Profiler: Short version (EPP; Eysenck et. al., 2000) In the original Eysenck s Personality Profiler (EPP), 21 traits are measured (7 each for extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism) with 30 items in each. The short version of the EPP (Eysenck et al., 2000) was incorporated in the present study. From the short version of EPP, three subtraits from each of the extraversion: sociability (E1), activity (E2) and assertiveness (E3); neuroticism: inferiority (N1), unhappiness (N2) and anxiety (N3); and psychoticism: risk taking (P1), impulsiveness (P2) and irresponsibility (P3) plus the Lie scale (Li) with a total pool of 200 items (20 items in each) were selectively included to meet the objectives of the study. Each item in the EPP is answered yes, no or can t decide as per the manual (Eysenck et al., 2000). (b) Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS; Endler & Parker, 1999) The adolescent version of CISS is a self - report measure of coping, consisting of 48 - items. Sixteen items assess Task Oriented Coping (TO), sixteen items assess Emotion Oriented Coping (EO), and sixteen items assess Avoidance Oriented Coping (AO) and its two subscales of Distraction and Social Diversion (with eight items in each). The subjects task is to rate each item on a 5 - point scale ranging from (1) not at all to (5) Very much (Endler & Parker, 1999).

5 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation (c) Symptom Questionnaire (SQ; Kellner, 1987) The SQ consists of 92 items. There are four subscales: anxiety, depressive, somatic concern and anger - hostility symptoms (17 items for each). Each dimension has well-being scale: relaxed, contended, well-being and friendly respectively for the anxiety, depressive, somatic concern and anger - hostility symptoms (six items for each). The subject is given a rating of 1 (one) for each symptom that is checked yes or true and 0 (zero) for no or false. Similarly, each statement of well-being that is checked either no or false (Kellner, 1987). The maximum possible score for each subscale is 17 (seventeen) and for each well-being subscale is 6 (six). The symptom questionnaire has been successfully replicated in patients suffering from coronary heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and well equated / matched control, and that the test scales differentiated the groups (Singh & Choudhury, 1999). The SQ (Kellner, 1985) is attempted in normative sample of adolescents to find further empirical bases regarding the replicability and predictive validity of the test scores. Results and Discussion Subject wise scores on specific items of the behavioural measures were separately prepared for boys and for girls and scrutinised. Observations revealed the specific items were endorsed within the optimal limits (not less than 5 % or more than 95 %), therefore, included for further psychometric analyses. The psychometric adequacy of the behavioural measures is highlighted one by one. Eysenck s Personality Profiler (EPP; Eysenck, et. al., 2000) Item total coefficient of correlation of sociability, activity and assertiveness (subtraits of extraversion), inferiority, unhappiness and anxiety (subtraits of neuroticism), risk taking, impulsiveness and irresponsibility (subtraits of psychoticism) as well as the lie scales revealed (Table 1) substantial. Table 1 Item Total Coefficient of Correlation, Mean and SD Values for Boys, Girls and Whole Sample on Measures of EPP E1 Items Boys Girls B+G E2 Items Boys Girls B+G E3 Items Boys Girls B+G (B) (G) (B) (G) (B) (G) S A A O C S C T S Contd. table 1...

6 242 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends Contd. table 1... E1 Items Boys Girls B+G E2 Items Boys Girls B+G E3 Items Boys Girls B+G (B) (G) (B) (G) (B) (G) I I E A V R B I T I T I L Y V I E T N Y E S S Mean Mean Mean S D S D S D I U N N F H E A A R P N I P X O I I R N E I E T T S Y Y S Contd. table 1...

7 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation Contd. table 1... E1 Items Boys Girls B+G E2 Items Boys Girls B+G E3 Items Boys Girls B+G (B) (G) (B) (G) (B) (G) Mean Mean Mean S D S D S D I I R R M R I P E S U S K L P S O T I N A V S K E I I N B N E I G S L S I T Y Mean Mean Mean S D S D S D Lie Items Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G L I E Contd...

8 244 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends Contd S C A L E Mean SD Item - total coefficient of correlation over the levels of analyses (for boys, for girls and for the whole sample). These observations emerged as expected by theory (Eysenck, et. al., 2000), however, on an average the item total coefficients emerged to be of little lower orders and that a few items did not show the desired level of relationships either in the sample of boys or girls, but in the analyses of the whole sample, all item - total coefficient of correlations emerged to be substantial (one tailed hypothesis). These observations suggestsed the trustworthiness of the chosen subtraits of personality. Following the observations (Table -1), relationship between the subtraits of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism were computerised for boys, for girls and for the whole sample (Tables - 2). TABLE 2 Relationship between the Various Subtraits of Extraversion (E1, E2 and E3), Neuroticism (N1, N2 and N3) and Psychotism (P1, P2 and P3) with their Total Scores Over the Levels of Analyses (for boys, girls and the Whole Sample). E1 1 E Boys (B) E ETT Contd. table 2...

9 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation Contd. table 2... E1 1 E Girls (G) E ETT E1 1 E B+G E ETT N1 1 N Boys (B) N NTT N1 1 N Girls (G) N NTT N1 1 N B+G N NTT P1 1 Boys (B) P P PTT P1 1 P Girls (G) P PTT P1 1 P B+G P PTT

10 246 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends The activity, sociability and assertiveness subtraits of extraversion emerged to be highly significantly and positively correlated in all probable combinations and that each component manifested highly significantly positive relationships with that of their total scores (extraversion). This uniform pattern emerged at each level of analysis. The inferiority, unhappiness and anxiety subtraits of neuroticism provided similar patterns of observations. That is, each subtrait of neuroticism significantly positively correlated with each another in all probable combinations and that all the subtraits manifested significant positive relationship with that of their total scores (neuroticism). Similarly, the risk taking, impulsiveness and irresponsibility subtraits of psychoticism revealed highly significant and positive coefficient of correlation with each another (and in all probable combinations) and all these subtraits manifested highly significant and positive coefficient of correlation with that of their total scores (psychoticism). These observed major trends of results emerged at each level of analysis, and the findings derive confirmatory bases from literature (Eysenck et al., 2000). One - Way ANOVA (for K = 2 with N1 = N2 = 200) manifested significant gender effects on (i) sociability (F = , df = 1 / 398; p = <.001) and assertiveness (F = , df = 1 / 398; p = <.001) subtraits, and the overall extraversion (F = , df = 1 / 398; p = <.001) scores. Mean comparisons (Table 1) indicated greater scores on sociability in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), assertiveness in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), and greater extraversion scores in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), (ii) inferiority (F = , df = 1 / 398; p = <0.001) and anxiety (F = 9.457, df = 1 / 398; p = <0.001) subtraits as well as on the overall neuroticism (F = , df = 1 / 398; p = <0.001) scores. Mean comparisons indicated greater inferiority scores in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), anxiety scores in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ) and greater neuroticism (total scores) in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), (iii) risk taking (F = 4.999; df = 1 / 398; p = <.05) and irresponsibility (F = 6.445, df = 1 / 398; p = <.05), and the overall psychoticism (F = 5.623, df = 1 / 398; p = <.05) scores. Mean comparisons revealed greater risk taking scores in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), greater irresponsibility scores in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), and greater psychoticism scores in boys (M = ) than in girls (M = ), and (iv) lie scale (F = , df = 1 / 398; p <.001). Girls (M = ) indicated greater scores as compare to boys (M = ). In essence, boys on the whole indicated greater scores as compared to girls on almost all the subtraits measures of personality (except for the reverse trend in girls than in boys on the lie scale). Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS; Endler and Parker, 1999) Item total coefficient of correlation, reliability indices, mean and SD values for the task oriented, emotion oriented and avoidance oriented and its distraction and social diversion subscales over the levels of analyses are put together in Table - 3. Results (Table - 3) revealed substantial item total coefficient of correlation and reliability indices; suggestsing the trustworthiness of CISS.

11 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation TABLE 3 Item Total Coefficient of Correlation, Reliability Indices, Mean and SD Values for boys, for girls and the Whole Samples on Measures of CISS. Items Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G Items Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G Coping E M O T T A I S O K N O O R R I I E E N N T T E E D D Mean Mean S D S D SH SH A D V I O S I T D R A A N C C T E I Mean O S D O N SH R I D E I Contd. table 3...

12 248 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends Contd. table 3... Items Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G Items Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G N V T E E Mean R D S D S SH I Mean O SD N SH TABLE - 4 Relationship between the CISS Scales Over the Levels of Analyses (for boys, girls and the whole sample) Task-oriented 1 Emotion-oriented Avoidance-oriented Distraction Boys (B) Social-diversion Task-oriented 1 Emotion-oriented Avoidance-oriented Distraction Girls (G) Social-diversion Task-oriented 1 Emotion-oriented Avoidance-oriented Distraction B+G Social-diversion The relative interdependence of CISS subscales over the levels of analyses (vide Tables - 4) revealed significant positive coefficient of correlations between task oriented, emotion oriented and avoidance oriented (alongwith distraction and social diversion scales) coping strategies in all probable combinations. This uniform pattern emerged at each level of analysis (for boys, for girls and for the whole sample). Endler and Parker (1999) observed very similar patterns of intercorrelations between the CISS subscales across the samples (for adults, under graduates, and adolescents samples by gender), except for the psychiatric patients. Nonsignificant, or significant but low correlation was found when comparing the task, emotion and avoidance scales (intercorrelations ranged from 0.00 to 0.40). The correlations between the two avoidance subscales tended slightly higher across the normative groups (intercorrelations ranging from 0.22 to 0.46).

13 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation The findings of the present study broadly confirmed to the theoretical expectations of the multidimensionality of CISS, however, the patterns of the intercorrelations between task, emotion and avoidance tended to be moderate and significant, and that the correlation between the two avoidance subscales tended higher (0.39 to 0.46) as compare to Endler and Parker (1999). One Way ANOVA (K = 2 with N1 = N2 = 200) manifested significant between group effect on task oriented coping (F = 4.713, df = 1 / 398; p = <.05). Girls manifested greater scores (M = ) than in boys (M = ). On other measures, that is, emotion oriented, avoidance oriented (and its distraction and social diversion subscales) of coping strategies; boys and girls emerged to be more or less equal. Endler and Parker (1999) observed (i) significantly higher task oriented, emotion oriented, avoidance and social diversion coping styles in girls than in boys; whereas boys and girls emerged to be more or less equal on distraction (early adolescence), (ii) higher emotion oriented, avoidance, distraction and social diversion coping strategies in girls than in boys, and more or less equal task oriented coping in boys than in girls (late adolescence), (iii) higher emotion oriented, avoidance, distraction and social diversion in men than in women (adults), (iv) higher emotion, avoidance, distraction and social diversion in undergraduate females than in their counter males; whereas under graduate males demonstrated higher task coping as compared to their counter females, and (v) psychiatric male patients indicated higher task oriented coping than in females, whereas females demonstrated higher emotion coping strategy than in females. Be it as it is, the findings of Endler and Parke (1999), especially the gender effect among adolescents (and late adolescence) could not be upheld in the present study. Stanton, Kirk, Cameron and Danoff Burg (2000) while working on coping through emotional approach observed that women reported coping more through emotional approach, emotional processing, seeking social support and distress contaminated coping. Windle and Windle (1996) observed higher levels of use of both the emotion oriented and avoidance oriented coping strategies. An often cited distinction in the coping literature is of that problem and emotion focused coping (Endler and Parker, 1999; Lazarus and Folkman, 1985). Both aimed at managing situations perceived as taxing the individual s resources. Problem focused coping involves attempts to alter the source of the stressful encounters, whereas emotion focused coping consists of efforts to palliate negative emotions surrounding the situation. Emotion focused coping, and specifically coping through emotional expression often are found to be associated with distress and dysfunction (Santon, Danoff Burg, Cameron and Ellis, 1994). Such findings mirror traditional conceptualisation in the general literature on emotion that emphasises its disorganising and maladaptive qualities (Averill, 1990; Thompson, 1991). Furthermore, emotionalist views of emotion have received empirical support: emotional competence (Saarni, 19990), personality constructs (Saloveg, Bedell, Detweiler and Mayer, 1999) and process experiential therapy (Greenberg and Safran, 1987). These theorists agree that the ability to approach one s own and other s emotion is crucial to healthy intra and inter personal functioning.

14 250 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends Symptom Questionnaire (SQ; Kellner, 1987) Item total coefficient of correlation, reliability indices, mean and SD values for the four subscales of SQ (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility) over the levels of analyses are given together in Table - 5. TABLE 5 Item Total Coefficients of Correlation, Reliability Indices, Mean and SD Values for Boys, Girls and the Whole Samples on SQ Scales Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G SQ D E P A R N E X S I S E I T O Y N Mean Mean S D S D SH SQ scales Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G SQ scales Boys (B) Girls (G) B+G S A O N M G A E T R Contd. table 5...

15 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation Contd. table 5... I C H O C S O T N A C L E I R T N Y Mean Mean SD SD SH SH Results manifested substantial item total coefficient of correlation and reliability indices. The SQ subscales emerged to be highly significantly positively correlated with each another (Table - 6). TABLE 6 Relationship Between the SQ Scales (and the Total Scores) Over the Levels Analyses Anxiety Depression Somatic Anger SQTT Anxiety 1 Depression Somatic Boys (B) Anger SQTT Anxiety 1 Depression Somatic Girls (G) Anger SQTT Anxiety 1 Depression Somatic B + G Anger SQTT

16 252 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends This uniform pattern emerged at each level of analysis, therefore, the relationship of the SQ subscales (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility) with that of their total scores were also computerised. Each subscale of SQ manifested highly significantly positive relationship with that of the total SQ scores (Table 6). This means, each subscale of SQ (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility) separately and the total scores may well reasonably be treated for distinction purposes of the subjects. Following these observations, the reliability index of the whole SQ was computerised. The reliability indices for the whole test emerged to be robust over the levels of analyses: for boys (SH = 0.845), for girls (SH = 0.884) and for the whole sample (SH = 0.866). The findings of the study with regards to the psychometric adequacy of SQ derive corroborative evidence from literature (Kellner, 1987; Singh & Choudhury, 1999; Zeffert et. al., 1996). One Way ANOVA (K = 2 with N1 = N2 = 200) manifested significant gender effect on (i) anxiety (F = 4.114, df = 1 / 398; p = <.05) scale of SQ. Boys (M = 6.385) indicated greater scores than in girls (M = 5.69). The relationships between (a) personality and coping strategies, (b) personality and mood variation, and (c) coping strategies and mood variation were computerised to meet one of the primary objectives of the study. The results may summarily be concluded as follows. The relationships between (i) extraversion and task oriented coping, (ii) extraversion and emotion oriented coping, (iii) extraversion and avoidance oriented coping (and its distraction and social diversion subscales) emerged to be negligible. The relationships between (i) neuroticism and task oriented coping emerged to be very low and significantly negative in boys (r = ), and positive in girls (r = 0.226) and in the whole sample (r = 0.270), (ii) neuroticism and emotion oriented coping emerged to be significantly positive in boys (r = 0.190), in girls (r = 0.286) and in the whole sample (r = 0.242), (iii) neuroticism and avoidance oriented coping (and its distraction and social diversion subscales) emerged to be negligible. Furthermore, the relationships between psychoticism and task oriented coping, psychoticism and emotion oriented coping, psychoticism and avoidance oriented coping (and its distraction and social diversion subscales) emerged to be negligible over the levels of analyses. McCrae and Costa (1986) explored the differential patterns of correlations between the various dimensions of coping strategies and personality, especially extraversion and neuroticism. As expected, the emotion focused coping was highly related to neuroticism in both males (r = 0.66) and females (r = 0.62) whereas, CISS task scale was generally unrelated to both neuroticism and extraversion. In converse, avoidance coping and its social diversion subscale was moderately related to extraversion in females. Schmitz (1990) observed a similar pattern of correlations using German language versions of the CISS and the Eysenck s Personality Questionnaire (EPO; Eysenck and Eysenck, 1975). Neuroticism negatively correlated with task (r = -0.27) and positively correlated with emotion oriented (r = 0.53) coping. Low and non-significant correlations were found between the CISS and extraversion. In addition, the psychoticism scales from the EPQ correlated negatively (r = -0.21) with the distraction subscale of avoidance oriented coping.

17 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation The relationships between (i) extraversion and the four scales of mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility) emerged to be very low and negligible, (ii) neuroticism and anxiety subscale of mood variation in boys (r = 0.452), in girls (r = 0.509) and in the whole sample (r = 0.488), neuroticism and depression in boys (r = 0.464), in girls (r = 0.579) and in the whole sample (r = 0.528), neuroticism and somatic concern in boys (r = 0.422), in girls (r = 0.514) and in the whole sample (r = 0.474) as well as neuroticism and anger hostility in boys (r = 0.365), in girls (r = 0.469) and in the whole sample (r = 0.426) emerged to be significantly moderately correlated over the levels of analyses, and (iii) psychoticism and the four scales of mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility) revealed negligible relationships; suggestsing the measures to be independent. The relationships between (i) task oriented coping and the four scales of mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concerns and anger hostility), and avoidance oriented coping strategy and the four scales of mood variation revealed a very low and consistent trends of negative relationships, however negligible over the levels of analyses, and (ii) emotion oriented coping and the four scales of mood variation revealed very low and positive relationships, but negligible. These observations of the study, on the whole, derive explanatory bases from researches presented earlier regarding the relationships between coping strategies and psychopathological symptoms and psychological distress among adolescents. For both boys and girls, the task oriented coping was unrelated to various measures of psychopathology symptoms and psychological distress; while emotion oriented coping was, however, moderately correlated with the various measures of psychopathological symptoms. For boys and girls, both task and avoidance coping were unrelated to the various psychological distress from symptoms questionnaire, the correlations were low or non-significant. Avoidance and emotion related behaviours have been found to be related to anxiety (Endler and Parker, 1990), while those who engage in problem or task oriented behaviour are reported to be less anxious (Endler and Parker, 1990). The CISS emotion scale was positively related to the various state and trait anxiety scales. However, correlations between the task scale and the anxiety scale were non significant or negatively related. For males, there were low or nonsignificant correlations between the anxiety scales and the CISS avoidance coping and its subscales (distraction and social diversion). The finding of the present study provided more or less similar patterns of observations as noted by Endler and Parker (1990). To achieve the second objective, the investigated behavioural measures were factor analysed. Principal component analysis with the loadings more than 0.30, Eigen values equal to 1.00 and by applying Varimax Kaiser Normalisation method revealed four independent factors (Table - 7 below). The first factor consisted of all the four dimensions of mood variation (depression, somatic concern, anxiety and anger hostility) and all the three subtraits of neuroticism (anxiety, inferiority, and unhappiness), explaining % of variance. The second factor consisted of avoidance oriented, task oriented and emotion oriented coping strategies, explaining % of variance. The third factor constituted of irresponsibility, impulsiveness and risk taking dimensions of

18 254 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends psychoticism, explaining % of variance. On the third factor, the anxiety, inferiority, and unhappiness subtraits of neuroticism also manifested significant loadings; however, in view of high loading of these components on the first factor, these were included in the first factor. The fourth factor consisted of the three extraversion subtraits of personality (assertiveness, activity and sociability), explaining % of variance. This part of analysis manifested a very consistent pattern of observations, that is, all the loadings were significantly positive on their specific factors, the four factors almost emerged to be independent, and explain a total of % of variance. TABLE 7 Rotated Component Matrix (factor structure of the behavioural measures) Rotated Component Matrix Items Components Depression Somatic Concern Anxiety Anger - Hostility Anxiety Unhappiness Inferiority Avoidance Task oriented Emotion oriented Irresponsibility Impulsiveness Risk-Taking Assertiveness Sociability Activity Following the psychometric adequacy and the factor structures of the various facets of behavioural gamut (as investigates in the present study), step wise (backward) regression analysis was performed to check the predictability of the various facets of mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concern and anger hostility) as criterion (dependent variable), each at a time, by the subtraits of personality (extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism and lie scales of EPP) and coping strategies (task oriented, emotion oriented and avoidance oriented coping strategies) as predictors (independent variables) separately.

19 Relationship Between Personality, Coping Strategies and Mood Variation The results of step wise (backward) regression analysis aimed to check the predictability of the various components of mood variation by personality (extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism) revealed that (i) % variance of anxiety component of mood variation could be predicted by all traits of personality. The neuroticism trait of personality alone predicted % of variance of anxiety component of mood variation, (ii) all traits of personality emerged to predict % of variance of depression dimension of mood variation, and that neuroticism trait of personality alone emerged to predict % of variance of depression component of mood variation, (iii) all the traits of personality emerged to predict % of variance of somatic concern component of mood variation. The neuroticism trait alone manifested % of variance of somatic concern domain of mood variation, (iv) all traits of personality predicted % of variance of anger hostility domain of mood variation. The neuroticism and psychoticism traits of personality emerged to predict % of variance of anger hostility dimension of mood variation, and finally (v) all the components of personality emerged to predict % of variance of overall scores of mood variation. The neuroticism trait of personality alone emerged to predict % of variance of the overall mood variation (the total sum of anxiety, depression, somatic concerns, and anger hostility dimensions of SQ). In sum, neuroticism trait of personality emerged to be the dominant predictor of various facets of mood variation (anxiety, depression, somatic concern and anger hostility as well as the total scores). The results of step wise (backward) regression analysis aimed to check predictability of the various facets of mood variation, each component at a time, as criterion (dependent variable) by the components of coping strategies (task oriented, emotion oriented and avoidance) as predictors (independent variables) revealed that (i) all the components of coping strategies (task oriented, emotion oriented and avoidance coping strategies) predicted 9.48 % of variance, and the emotion oriented and task - oriented coping strategies together predicted 9.21% of variance of anxiety component of mood variation, (ii) all the components of coping strategies predicted % of variance of depression component of mood variation, and the emotion oriented and task - oriented coping strategies together predicted % of variance of depression component of mood variation, (iii) all the components of coping strategies predicted % of variance of somatic concern component of mood variation, (iv) all the components of coping strategies emerged to predict 8.60 % of variance, and the emotion oriented and task - oriented coping strategies together predicted 8.16 % of variance of anger hostility domain of mood variation, and (v) all the components of coping strategies predicted % of variance of overall scores of mood variation (total scores). In conclusion, emotion oriented followed by task oriented coping strategy emerged to predict the anxiety, depression, somatic concern, anger hostility (and the total scores) of SQ.

20 256 Health and Well-Being: Emerging Trends Studies evince that in early adolescence, extraversion is positively linked to more active and effective coping styles, problem and emotion focused coping styles (Hooker, Frazier and Monahan, 1994; Kardum and Hudek Knezevic, 1996; McCrae and Costa, 1986; Parkes, 1986; Watson and Hubbard, 1996; Kardum and Krapic, 2001). Since extraversion is substantially related to individual differences in positive affect, that is, extraverts report substantially higher levels of joy, energy, interest and enthusiasm. Watson and Hubbard (1996) emphasised that in the face of such euthymia one would predict that extraverts should employ more active and effective coping mechanisms such as problem focused coping. Studies demonstrate that extraverts are highly motivated to interact with others and actually spend more time in socialising than do introverts (Watson and Clark, 1992). Kardum and Krapic (2001) observed direct positive effects of extraversion on emotion focused coping in accord to those reported by Watson and Clark (1992). Neuroticism have significant direct effects only on avoidance coping. Linking neuroticism with passive and ineffective forms of coping has, several times, been replicated on samples of adult subjects (Carver et. al., 1989; Endler and Parker, 1990; Kardum and Hudek Knezevic, 1996; McCrae and Costa, 1986; Parkes, 1986; Waston and Hubbard, 1996). Bolger and Schilling (1991) found that neuroticism led to greater exposure and reactivity to daily stressors. Kardum and Krapic, 2001) observed that neuroticism is positively linked to subjective stress and that subjective stress partially mediates the effects of neuroticism, especially on avoidance coping, neuroticism is moderately positively correlated with avoidance coping. Recent studies reveal a negative relation between interpersonal sensitivity and self-esteem (Fan & Fu, 2001; Jackson and Cochran, 1991; Kim, 2003), identifying interpersonal sensitivity in women as a risk factor for depression and other psychiatric disorders (Giardinelli, Paionni, Zucchi, Viviani, and Cabras, 1999). Malouff, Thorsteinsson, and Schutte (2005) carried out a meta-analysis of 33 studies and examined the relations between the Big Five model and symptoms of clinical disorders. The pattern found associated high neuroticism, low conscientiousness, low agreeableness, and low extraversion with clinical disorders. Comparisons of diagnostic and norm groups showed higher levels of neuroticism and lower levels of extraversion than did studies of correlations between measures of the level of a disorder and measures of the Big Five. Studies of observer ratings of the Big Five showed lower levels of neuroticism and openness than did studies using self-report ratings. The results of this meta-analysis underscore the effect of the methodology and the techniques used on the relations that are found between personality factors and psychopathological symptoms. Recent researches signify the protecting factors and relevant developmental variables of psychopathological symptoms, and efforts to establish preventive programmes to apply for psychopathological problems of childhood and adolescence. A number of studies have analysed the relationship between psychopathological symptoms, social behaviours and personality traits, underscores the existence of positive correlation between mental health and self concept; indicating that people with psychopathological symptoms have low self-concept / self esteem (Fan & Fu, 2001; Watson, 1998). Moreover, the importance of social integration for mental health has also been suggestsed (Wilmoth & Chen, 2003), pointing to the difficulties in social relations as