The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?

The COVID-19 crisis caused extensive mental health strains. Sense of coherence (SOC) is considered a protective factor for mental health in crisis that might also be decisive during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the mechanisms are not yet well understood. Using longitudinal survey data of 117 Austrian...

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Main Authors: Vanessa Kulcar, Alexander Kreh, Barbara Juen, Heidi Siller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2023-03-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231160123
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author Vanessa Kulcar
Alexander Kreh
Barbara Juen
Heidi Siller
author_facet Vanessa Kulcar
Alexander Kreh
Barbara Juen
Heidi Siller
author_sort Vanessa Kulcar
collection DOAJ
description The COVID-19 crisis caused extensive mental health strains. Sense of coherence (SOC) is considered a protective factor for mental health in crisis that might also be decisive during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the mechanisms are not yet well understood. Using longitudinal survey data of 117 Austrian university students collected in 2020, we tested both moderating and mediating effects of SOC for the association of different stressors with later wellbeing. SOC did not buffer but mediated the effects of stressors on wellbeing. Students especially suffered from reduced feelings of manageability when confronted with financial strains, dissatisfying study situations, or disrupted plans. Supporting them in managing the difficulties of the crisis should therefore be considered a crucial part of psychosocial support.
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spelling doaj.art-d7d91a952b3545ef8b7d7cb686b7c70f2023-03-15T12:03:37ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402023-03-011310.1177/21582440231160123The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?Vanessa Kulcar0Alexander Kreh1Barbara Juen2Heidi Siller3University of Innsbruck, AustriaUniversity of Innsbruck, AustriaUniversity of Innsbruck, AustriaMedical University of Innsbruck, AustriaThe COVID-19 crisis caused extensive mental health strains. Sense of coherence (SOC) is considered a protective factor for mental health in crisis that might also be decisive during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the mechanisms are not yet well understood. Using longitudinal survey data of 117 Austrian university students collected in 2020, we tested both moderating and mediating effects of SOC for the association of different stressors with later wellbeing. SOC did not buffer but mediated the effects of stressors on wellbeing. Students especially suffered from reduced feelings of manageability when confronted with financial strains, dissatisfying study situations, or disrupted plans. Supporting them in managing the difficulties of the crisis should therefore be considered a crucial part of psychosocial support.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231160123
spellingShingle Vanessa Kulcar
Alexander Kreh
Barbara Juen
Heidi Siller
The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?
SAGE Open
title The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?
title_full The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?
title_fullStr The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?
title_short The Role of Sense of Coherence During the COVID-19 Crisis: Does it Exercise a Moderating or a Mediating Effect on University Students’ Wellbeing?
title_sort role of sense of coherence during the covid 19 crisis does it exercise a moderating or a mediating effect on university students wellbeing
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231160123
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