Citation

Moksnes UK, Espnes GA. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020; 17(9): e3003.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU Center for Health Promotion Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7030 Trondheim, Norway.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph17093003

PMID

32357461

Abstract

This study investigated the associations between sex, age, socio-economic status, stress, sense of coherence (SOC), and health (mental wellbeing, depressive symptoms, self-rated health, and subjective health complaints) in Norwegian adolescents aged 13-19 years. Furthermore, the study investigated the potential protective or compensatory role from SOC on the association between stress and health. Methods: The study was based on a cross-sectional sample of 1233 adolescents. Data were analyzed with descriptive, comparative, and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: Girls reported significantly higher scores on depressive symptoms and subjective health complaints than boys. Stress was significantly and positively associated with depressive symptoms. SOC associated significantly with all outcome variables; and especially with mental wellbeing and depressive symptoms. Significant interaction effects of sex in combination with stress and SOC were found in association with depression and mental wellbeing. Associations were strongest for girls. Conclusion: The findings provided support for the significant role of SOC as a coping resource, especially in relation to adolescents' mental health; weaker associations were found with subjective health complains and self-rated health. The findings also mainly supported a compensatory role of SOC on the association between stress and health during adolescence.

Language: en

Keywords

mental health; moderator; salutogenesis; self-rated health; sense of coherence; stress; subjective health complaints