The Relationship between Cognitive Appraisals and Social Problem Solving with Coping Styles with Stressful Factors in University Students

The aim of this research was determining the relationship between cognitive appraisals and social problem solving with coping styles with stressful factors in university students.

The present study was cross-sectional from type of correlation. The research population was all undergraduate students of Islamic Azad University of Saveh branch in 2019-2020 academic years. There were 418 of them the sample size was calculated according to Cochranchr('39')s formula 220 people who were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The research tools were the questionnaires of cognitive appraisals (Folkman & Lazarus, 1985), social problem solving (D’Zurilla & et al, 2002) and coping styles with stressful factors (Endler & Parker, 1990). Data were analyzed by structural equation modeling method with using path analysis in LISREL-8.8 software.

The findings showed that the primary appraisals had a significant negative effect on problem-oriented style and a significant positive effect on emotion-oriented and avoidance styles, secondary appraisals had a significant positive effect on problem-oriented style and a significant negative effect on emotion-oriented and avoidance styles, adaptive social problem solving had a significant positive effect on problem-oriented style and a significant negative effect on emotion-oriented and avoidance styles and maladaptive social problem solving had a significant negative effect on problem-oriented style and a significant positive effect on emotion-oriented style (P<0.05), but maladaptive social problem solving had no significant effect on avoidance style (P>0.05).

Based on the results, to improve coping styles with stressful factors (increase problem-oriented style and decrease emotion-oriented and avoidance styles) can be designed and implemented programs to increase secondary cognitive appraisals and adaptive social problem solving and decrease primary cognitive appraisals and maladaptive social problem solving.