title: Stress, social support, and sense of coherence.
abstract: In the Salutogenic Model, Aaron Antonovsky suggested that a sense of coherence (SOC) is the key determinant in the maintenance of health. He theorized that individuals with a strong SOC have the ability to (a) define life events as less stressful (comprehensibility), (b) mobilize resources to deal with encountered stressors (manageability), and (c) possess the motivation, desire, and commitment to cope (meaningfulness). To determine the effects of SOC on health outcomes, a greater understanding of the development and maintenance of SOC is necessary. Data from the 1994 Canadian National Population Health Survey were analyzed to investigate the effects of stress, social support, and recent traumatic life events on SOC. As predicted, stress and recent traumatic events were found to be inversely related to SOC, and social support was positively related. Traumatic events encountered in childhood were stronger predictors of SOC than traumatic life events experienced in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: University College of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack Campus.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ratner
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires