Abstract
The objectives of this study are: (1) to describe virtues, character strengths and coping strategies of college students; (2) to analyze the relationship between virtues, character strengths and coping strategies; and (3) to evaluate the predictive relationship between virtues and coping strategies. Ninety-one college students (98 % females), aged between 19 and 42 years (M = 23.5; SD = 4.0), completed questionnaires VIA Inventory of Strengths, and Coping Responses Inventory-Adult. Strong positive correlations were found between the six virtues and three coping strategies. Specifically, Wisdom presented a positive correlation with behavioral and cognitive approach coping. Sixteen strengths presented positive correlations with behavioral approach coping strategies and four strengths presented positive correlations with cognitive approach coping. Wisdom described 23 % of the variance in cognitive-approach coping, and Transcendence together with Temperance described 33.5 % of the variance in behavioral approach coping. We conclude that the college setting offers a rich opportunity for further studies of these relationships.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teen through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480.
Avey, J. B., Luthans, F., Hannah, S. T., Sweetman, D., & Peterson, C. (2012). Impact of employees’ character strengths of wisdom on stress and creative performance. Human Resource Management Journal, 22(2), 165–181. doi:10.1111/j.1748-8583.2010.00157.x.
Baker, C. K. (2008). Under-represented college students and extracurricular involvement: The effects of various student organizations on academic performance. Social Psychology of Education, 11(3), 283–298. doi:10.1007/s11218-007-9050-y.
Beck, R., Taylor, C., & Robbins, M. (2003). Missing home: Sociotropy and autonomy and their relationship to psychological distress and homesickness in college freshmen. Anxiety, Stress and Coping, 16, 155–162.
Belmont Report. (1978). National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. The Belmont Report, Ethical Principle and Guidelines for the protection of human research subjects. www.bioeticayderecho.ub.es. Accessed 10 Nov 2012.
Biswas-Diener, R. (2006). From the equator to the north pole: A study of character strengths. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 293–310. doi:10.1007/s10909-005-3646-8.
Carr, S., Colthurst, K., Coyle, M., & Elliot, D. (2013). Attachment dimensions as predictors of mental health and psychosocial well-being in the transition to university. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 28(2), 157–172. doi:10.1007/s10212-012-0106-9.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper Collins.
Dahlsgaard, K., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005). Shared virtue: The convergence of valued human strengths across culture and history. Review of General Psychology, 9(3), 203–213. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.9.3.203.
Donahue, M., & Benson, P. (1995). Religion and the well-being of adolescents. Journal of Social Issues, 51(2), 145–160. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1995.tb01328.x.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R., Dunkel-Schetter, C., DeLongis, A., & Gruen, R. (1986). Dynamics of a stress full encounter: Cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 992–1003. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.50.5.992.
Folkman, S., & Moskowitz, J. T. (2000). Positive affect and the other side of coping. American Psychologist, 55(6), 647–654. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.6.647.
Fowers, B. J. (2005). Virtue and psychology: Pursuing excellence in ordinary practices. Washington, DC: APA Press. doi:10.1037/11219-000.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). Gratitude, like other positive emotions, broadens and builds. In R. A. Emmons & M. E. McCullough (Eds.), The psychology of gratitude (pp. 145–166). New York: Oxford University Press.
Gillham, J. E., Adams-Deutsch, Z., Werner, J., Reivich, K., Coulter-Heindl, V., Linkins, M., et al. (2011). Character strengths predict subjective well-being during adolescence. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(1), 31–44. doi:10.1080/17439760.2010.536773.
Gustems, J., & Calderon, C. (2013). Coping strategies and psychological well-being among education students. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 28(4), 1127–1140. doi:10.1007/s10212-012-0158-x.
Hamrick, F., Evans, N. J., & Schuh, J. H. (2002). Foundations of student affairs practice: How philosophy, theory, and research strengthen educational outcomes. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Hollingshead, A. B. (1975). Four factor index of social status. New Haven: Yale University.
Johnson, B., Larson, D., Li, S., & Jang, S. (2000). Escaping from the crime of the inner cities: Church attendance and religious salience among disadvantaged youth. Justice Quarterly, 17, 377–391. doi:10.1080/07418820000096371.
Kappe, R., & van der Flier, H. (2012). Predicting academic success in higher education: What’s more important than smart? European Journal of Psychology of Education, 27(4), 605–619. doi:10.1007/s10212-011-0099-9.
Kirchner, T., Forns, M., Muñoz, D., & Pereda, N. (2008). Psychometric properties and dimensional structure of the Spanish version of the Coping Responses Inventory-Adult Form. Psicothema, 20(4), 902–909.
Korthagen, F. A. J. (2004). In search of the essence of a good teacher: Towards a more holistic approach in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 77–97. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2003.10.002.
Krapp, A., & Lewalter, D. (2001). Development of interests and interest-based motivational orientations. A longitudinal study in vocational school and work settings. In S. Volet & S. Järvelä (Eds.), Motivation in learning contexts: Theoretical and methodological implications (pp. 209–232). London: Elsevier.
Lavy, H., & Littman-Ovadia, H. (2011). All you need is love? Strengths mediate the negative associations between attachment orientations and life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences, 50, 1050–1055. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2011.01.023.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer.
Linley, P. A., Maltby, J., Wood, A. M., Joseph, S., Harrington, S., Peterson, C., et al. (2007). Character strengths in the United Kingdom: The VIA Inventory of Strengths. Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 341–351. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2006.12.004.
Logan, D. E., Kilmer, J. R., & Marlatt, A. G. (2010). The virtuous drinker: Character virtues as correlates and moderators of college student drinking and consequences. Journal of America College Health, 58(4), 317–324. doi:10.1080/07448480903380326.
Lounsbury, J. W., Fisher, L. A., Levy, J. J., & Welsh, D. P. (2009). An investigation of character strengths in relation to the academic success of college students. Individual Differences Research, 7(1), 52–69.
Maton, K., & Wells, E. (1995). Religion as a community resource for well-being: Prevention, healing, and empowerment pathways. Journal of Social Issues, 51(2), 177–193.
McCullough, M. E., Kimeldorf, M. B., & Cohen, A. D. (2008). An adaptation for altruism? The social causes, social effects, and social evolution of gratitude. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17, 281–284. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1995.tb01330.x.
McGovern, T. V., & Miller, S. L. (2008). Integrating teacher behaviors with character strengths and virtues for faculty development. Teaching of Psychology, 35(4), 278–285. doi:10.1080/00986280802374609.
Moos, R. H. (1993). Coping responses inventory: Adult form: Professional manual. Odessa: PAR Inc.
Moos, R. H. (2002). The mystery of human context and coping. An unraveling of clues. American Journal of Comunnity Psychology, 20(1), 67–88. doi:10.1023/A:1014372101550.
Neighbors, H. W., Musick, M. A., & Williams, D. R. (1998). The African American ministers as a source of help for serious personal crisis: Bridge or barrier to mental health care? Health Education and Behavior, 25, 759–777. doi:10.1177/109019819802500606.
Pargament, K. I. (2007). Spiritually integrated psychotherapy: Understanding and addressing the sacred. New York: Guilford Press.
Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2006). Methodological issues in positive psychology and the assessment of character strengths. In A. D. Ong & M. van Dulmen (Eds.), Handbook of methods in positive psychology (pp. 292–305). New York: Oxford University Press.
Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2008). Positive psychology and character strengths: Application to strengths-based school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 85–92.
Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2009a). Character strengths: Research and practice. Journal of College and Character, 10(4), 1–10.
Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2009b). Strengths of character in schools. In R. Gilman, E. S. Huebner & M. J. Furlong (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology in schools (pp. 65–76). New York: Routledge.
Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 603–619.
Parker, J. D. A., & Endler, N. S. (1992). Coping with coping assessment. European Journal of Personality, 6, 321–344.
Patiño, C., & Kirchner, T. (2010). Stress and Psychopathology in Latin-American immigrants: The role of coping strategies. Psychopathology, 43, 1–68.
Peterson, C. (2006). A primer in positive psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Peterson, C., & Park, N. (2004). Classification and measurements of character strengths: Implications for practice. In P. A. Linley & S. Joseph (Eds.), Positive psychology in practice (pp. 433–446). Hoboken: Wiley.
Peterson, C., & Park, N. (2009). Classifying and measuring strengths of character. In S. J. Lopez & C. R. Snyder (Eds.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology (2nd ed., pp. 25–33). New York: Oxford University Press.
Peterson, C., Park, N., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Greater strengths of character and recovery from illness. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(1), 17–26.
Peterson, C., Park, N., Pole, N., D’Andrea, W., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2008a). Strengths of character and posttraumatic growth. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 21(2), 214–217. doi:10.1002/jts.20332.
Peterson, C., Park, N., & Sweeney, P. J. (2008b). Group well-being: Morale from a positive psychology perspective. Applied Psychology: An International review, 57, 19–36. doi:10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00352.x.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A classification and handbook. New York: Oxford University Press.
Renninger, K. A., & Shumar, W. (Eds.). (2002). Building virtual communities. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Schwartz, B., & Sharpe, K. E. (2006). Practical wisdom: Aristotle meets positive psychology. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 377–395. doi:10.1007/s10902-005-3651-y.
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (Eds.) (2000). Positive psychology [Special issue]. American Psychologist, 55(1). doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5.
Seligman, M. E. P., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293–311. doi:10.1080/03054980902934563.
Shimai, S., Otake, K., Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Convergence of character strengths in American and Japanese young adults. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 311–322. doi:10.1007/s10902-005-3647-7.
Shoshani, A., & Ilanit Aviv, I. (2012). The pillars of strength for first-grade adjustment—Parental and children’s character strengths and the transition to elementary school. Journal of Positive Psychology, 7(4), 315–326. doi:10.1080/17439760.2012.691981.
Shoshani, A., & Slone, M. (2013). Middle school transition from the strengths perspective: Young adolescents’ character strengths, subjective well-being, and school adjustment. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14, 1163–1181. doi:10.1007/s10902-012-9374-y.
Stenberg, R. J. (2001). Why schools should teach for wisdom: The balance theory of wisdom in educational settings. Educational Psychologist, 36(4), 227–245. doi:10.1207/S15326985EP3604_2.
Stevenson, H. (1997). Managing anger: Protective, proactive, or adaptive racial socialization identity profiles and African American manhood development. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 16, 35–61. doi:10.1300/J005v16n01_03.
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry, 15(1), 1–18. doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01.
Thompson, E. (2013). Decision adversity: A character strengths perspective on decision uncertainty and error. Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP), Capstone Projects, 42. http://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/42.
Tugade, M. M., Fredrickson, B. L., & Barrett, L. B. (2004). Psychological resilience and positive emotional granularity: Examining the benefits of positive emotions on coping and health. Journal of Personality, 72, 1161–1190. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2004.00294.x.
University of Barcelona. (2010). Code of good research of University of Barcelona. Barcelona: University of Barcelona.
Vaughn, A. A., & Roesch, S. C. (2003). Psychological and physical health correlates of coping in minority adolescents. Journal of Health Psychology, 8(6), 671–683. doi:10.1177/13591053030086002.
Weber, M., & Ruch, W. (2012). The role of a good character in 12-year-old school children: Do character strengths matter in the classroom? Child Indicators Research,. doi:10.1007/s12187-011-9128-0.
Werner, M. J., Walker, L. S., & Creene, J. W. (1995). Relationship of alcohol expectancies to problem drinking among college women. Journal of Adolescent Health, 16, 191–199. doi:10.1016/1054-139X(94)00065-M.
Wood, A. M., Joseph, S., & Linley, P. A. (2007). Coping style as a psychological resource of grateful people. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26(9), 1076–1093. doi:10.1521/jscp.2007.26.9.1076.
Wood, A. M., Linley, P. A., Maltby, J., Kashdan, T. B., & Hurling, R. (2011). Using personal and psychological strengths leads to increases in well-being over time: A longitudinal study and the development of the strengths use questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 20, 15–19. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2010.08.004.
Zajacova, A., Lynch, S. M., & Espenshade, T. J. (2005). Self-efficacy, stress, and academic success in college. Research in Higher Education, 46(6), 677–706. doi:10.1007/s11162-004-4139-z.
Zamboanga, B. L., Bean, J. L., Pietras, A. C., & Pabon, L. C. (2005). Subjective evaluations of alcohol expectancies and their relevance to drinking game involvement in female college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 37, 77–80. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.12.007.
Zika, S., & Chamberlain, K. (2011). On the relation between meaning in life and psychology well-being. British Journal of Psychology, 83(1), 133–145. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8295.1992.tb02429.x.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by grants from the Programa de Recerca en Docencia Universitaria (REDICE-10 and ARCE 2010), University of Barcelona, 2010–2012, awarded to the project “Ethical competencies in music and movement teaching on the Bachelor of Education degree offered by the University of Barcelona: Evaluation and proposals for the curriculum”.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
On behalf of all authors.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gustems-Carnicer, J., Calderón, C. Virtues and character strengths related to approach coping strategies of college students. Soc Psychol Educ 19, 77–95 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-015-9305-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-015-9305-y