Assessing the relationship between spirituality, life stressors, and social resources: Buffers of stress in graduate students

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between stress, spirituality and social support in a sample of graduate students in a counselor education program. Fifty-Six graduate students ranging in age from 25 to 51 years, with a mean age of 33.9 years, participated in the study. Each participant completed the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWB) and the Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory (LISRES-A). Results showed that, for most variables, stress was negatively correlated with social support and spiritual well-being. However, specific domains of stress, social support, and spirituality showed no relationship and some complimentary domains were positively correlated. The results are discussed in terms of their applicability to understanding graduate student related stress, and how the global constructs of stress, social support, and spirituality need to be addressed by examining specific domains/subscales and how they participate in moderating the effects of stress-related illness. Graduate students involved in a rigorous program of academic and clinical instruction frequently experience stress related to increased workload and demands (Toews, Lockyer, Dobson, & Brownwell, 1993). Students have less time to dedicate to stress reduction activities in social and personal venues due to academic and intellectual challenges. Prior studies have shown that the increased stress of academia can have a negative impact on student's academic performance (Sloboda, 1990) and can lead to anxiety, depression, and lower well being (Frazier & Schauben, 1994). Students in a graduate course of study are at a greater risk of developing physical and psychological health problems as a result of the increased stress. Students who use effective coping strategies and have social support available report lower stress levels and experience greater success in graduate school (Nelson, Dell'Oliver, Koch, & Buckler, 2001). The purpose of this study was to examine how stress is related to spirituality and social support in a sample of graduate students in a counselor education program. Stress and Health Over time considerable research has supported the idea that a positive correlation exists between stress and psychological/physical illness (Miller & Thoresen, 2003; Rabkin & Strueing, 1976), yet illness is only one of several possible reactions to stress (Mantila & Salokangas, 1981). Adaptation to change has been associated with health related concerns and is usually experienced as an inability to adequately meet demands or challenges. The majority of these demands can best be described as social stressors, which require life change (Holmes & Rahe, 1967). Social stressors, although seldom life threatening, produce life threatening consequences via stress related illness. In a seminal study Rahe (1972) studied the relationship between social stress and illness by asking American Naval personnel to report a history of life change units (LCU's) and illness over the a 10 year period. Rahe's findings revealed a linear relationship between LCU's and illness; subjects who reported low LCU's during the previous year typically exhibited good health in the following year, most subjects who reported moderate LCU's also reported some type of illness, while 70% of those scoring high on LCU's reported illness. Other researchers reported significant relationships between life change and illness (Bramwel, Masuda, Wagner, & Holmes, 1975; Rahe & Lind, 1971). Using a longitudinal model, Billings and Moos (1982) attempted to assess the impact of negative life events while controlling for the propensity of experiencing stressful events and current symptoms. The results showed that an increase of stressful events during the follow-up period was positively related to an increase in stress related symptoms. Other early research has also demonstrated that life stress is related to an increase in psychological problems such as depression, tension, and anxiety (Monroe, Imhoff, Wise, & Harris, 1983; Johnson & Sarason, 1978). …