Abstract
Proposed and tested a model of the determinants of adolescents' chronic life stressors, consisting of sociodemographic, personal, and contextual stress and coping factors, using baseline and 1-year follow-up data from 259 adolescents who varied in their psychological and physical health. Concurrent regression analyses at Time 1 and at Time 2, and longitudinal regressions that controlled for the levels of chronic stressors 1 year earlier, showed that sociodemographic, personal, and contextual factors each made a significant contribution to predicting adolescents' ongoing stressors with their mother, father, siblings friends and classmates and teachers at school. Personal factors of an emotional temperament and low perceived self-worth, and contextual factors of more negative life events and fewer social resources, were related to more chronic stressors. Suggestions for further development of the model are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aldwin, C. M., Levenson, M. R., Spiro, A., & Bosse, R. (1989). Does emotionality predict stress? Findings from the normative aging study.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 618–624.
Avison, W. R., & Turner, R. J. (1988). Stressful life events and depressive symptoms: Disaggregating the effects of acute stressors and chronic strains.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 29, 253–264.
Bandura, A. (1989). Self-regulation of motivation and action through internal standards and goal systems. In L. A. Pervin (Ed.),Goal concepts in personality and social psychology (pp. 19–85). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Buss, A. H., & Plomin, R. (1984).Temperament: Early developing personality traits. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Compas, B. E. (1987). Stress and life events during childhood and adolescence.Clinical Psychology Review, 7, 275–302.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Larson, R. (1984).Being adolescent: Conflict and growth in the teenage years. New York: Basic Books.
Daniels, D., & Moos, R. H. (1990). Assessing life stressors and social resources among adolescents: Applications to depressed youth.Journal of Adolescent Research, 5, 268–289.
Dornbusch, S. M. (1989). The sociology of adolescence.Annual Review of Sociology, 15, 233–259.
Ebata, A. T., & Moos, R. H. (1991). Coping and adjustment in distressed and healthy adolescents.Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 12, 33–54.
Ebata, A. T., & Moos, R. H. (in press). Personal, situational, and contextual correlates of coping in adolescence.Journal of Research on Adolescence.
Elliott, G. R., & Eisdorfer, C. (Eds.). (1982).Stress and human health: Analysis and implications of research. New York: Springer.
Garmezy, N. (1985). Stress resistant children: The search for protective factors. In J. Stevenson (Ed.),Research in developmental psychopathology (pp. 213–233). Oxford: Pergamon.
Harter, S. (1982). The Perceived Competence Scale for Children.Child Development, 53, 87–97.
Harter, S. (1986).Self-perception profile for adolescents. Denver, CO: University of Denver Department of Psychology.
Hartup, W. W. (1989). Social relationships and their developmental significance.American Psychologist, 44, 120–126.
Hauser, S. T., & Bowlds, M. K. (1990). Stress, coping, and adaptation. In S. S. Feldman & G. R. Elliott (Eds.),At the threshold: The developing adolescent (pp. 388–413). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Heady, B., & Wearing, A. (1989). Personality, life events, and subjective well-being: Toward a dynamic equilibrium model.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 731–739.
Houts, A. C., Shutty, M. S., & Emery, R. E. (1985). The impact of children on adults. In B. B. Lahey & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.),Advances in clinical child psychology (pp. 267–307). New York: Plenum Press.
Kovacs, M. (1989). Affective disorders in children and adolescents.American Psychologist, 14, 209–215.
Lazarus R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984).Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.
Lewis, C. E., Siegel, J. M., & Lewis, M. A. (1984). Feeling bad: Exploring sources of distress among pre-adolescent children.American Journal of Public Health, 74, 117–122.
McGonagle, K., & Kessler, R. C. (1990). Chronic stress, acute stress, and depressive symptoms.American Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 681–706.
Meyers, A. W., & Craighead, W. D. (Eds.). (1984).Cognitive behavior therapy with children. New York: Plenum Press.
Montemayor, R. (1983). Parents and adolescents in conflict: All families some of the time and some families most of the time.Journal of Early Adolescence, 3, 83–103.
Moos, R. H. (1993).Coping Responses Inventory-Youth Form professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Moos, R. H., & Moos, B. S. (1992).Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory-Youth Form: Manual. Palo Alto, CA: Center for Health Care Evaluation, Veterans Affairs and Stanford University Medical Centers.
Moos, R. H., & Schaefer, J. A. (1993). Coping resources and processes: Current concepts and measures. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.),Handbook of stress (2nd ed., pp. 234–257). New York: MacMillan.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (1992). Children coping with uncontrollable stressors.Applied and Preventive Psychology, 1, 183–189.
Ormel, J., & Wohlfarth, T. (1991). How neuroticism, long-term difficulties, and life situation change influence psychological distress: A longitudinal model.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 744–755.
Pearlin, L. I. (1989). The sociological study of stress.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 30, 241–256.
Petersen, A. C., & Spiga, R. (1982). Adolescence and stress. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.),Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 515–528). New York: Free Press.
Rice, F. P. (1981).The adolescent: Development, relationships, and culture. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Rutter, M. (1987). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 316–331.
Siddique, C. M., & D'Arcy, C. (1984). Adolescence, stress, and psychological well-being.Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 13, 459–473.
Spielberger, C. D. (1973).Children's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Timko, C., Stovel, K. W., Baumgartner, M., & Moos, R. H. (1993).Acute and chronic stressors, social resources, and functioning among adolescents with juvenile rheumatic disease. Palo Alto, CA: Center for Health Care Evaluation, Palo Alto VAMC and Stanford University Medical Centers.
Vitaliano, P. P., Maiuro, R. D., Russo, J., & Becker, J. (1987). Raw versus relative scores in the assessment of coping strategies,Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 10, 1–8.
Wagner, B. M., & Compas, B. E. (1990). Gender, instrumentality, and expressivity: Moderators of the relation between stress and psychological symptoms during adolescence.American Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 383–406.
Watson, D., & Pennebaker, J. W. (1989). Health complaints, stress, and distress: Exploring the central role of negative affectivity.Psychological Review, 96, 234–254.
Windle, M. (1990). A longitudinal study of antisocial behaviors in early adolescence as predictors of late adolescent substance use: Gender and ethnic group differences.Journal of Abnormal Psychology;99, 86–91.
Youniss, J., & Smollar, J. (1985).Adolescent relations with mothers, fathers, and friends. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by the William T. Grant Foundation, NIAAA Grants AA02863 and AA06699, and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Health Services Research and Development Services research funds. We thank Bernice Moos for setting up the data files.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Timko, C., Moos, R.H. & Michelson, D.J. The contexts of adolescents' chronic life stressors. Am J Commun Psychol 21, 397–420 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00942150
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00942150