Mediating effects of coping efficacy on freshmen's psychological stress and adjustment: the evidence from longitude study

Objective To explore the intermediary effect of freshmen's coping efficacy between psychological stress and adjustment.Methods Using China College Student Psychological Stress Scale,China College Student Adjustment Scale and Coping Efficacy Questionnaire to evaluate 277 freshmen's psychological stress,adjustment and coping efficacy.Besides,using subjects longitudinal research design to track and measure 1 semester (18 weeks),every 8 weeks measured 1 time,three times measured totally,structural equation model was used to evaluate the data.Results During the tracking period,the time effectiveness of college freshmen's psychological stress and adjustment was significant(F=4.80,3.13,P<0.01),but the time effectiveness of coping efficacy was not significant(F=0.09,P>0.05);the levels of college freshmen's psychological stress was rising,at the middle of the semester,it reached the peak and continues until the end of the semester(t=-4.28,-3.51,P<0.01);Freshmen's adjustment was presented the "V" trend,there were significant differences between the first,middle and posterior(t =4.88,2.86,-2.51,P<0.05);There was no significant difference in coping efficacy of freshmen(t=-0.41,0.13,0.56,P>0.05),but it was significantly lower than that of Chinese college students' norms(t=-11.86,-11.90,-12.26,P<0.01).During the tracking period,psychological stress and adjustment showed significant negative correlation(r=-0.32,-0.31,-0.32,P<0.05);Coping efficacy and adjustment showed significant positive correlation(r=0.46,0.41,0.45,P<0.01);Psychological stress and coping efficacy showed significant negative correlation(r=-0.33,-0.31,-0.33,P<0.05).Coping efficacy played a partial mediating effect between psychological stress and adjustment,the confidence and cognition of freshmen played an important role in the mediation model.Conclusion Coping efficacy plays a moderating role between psychological stress and adjustment,it can effectively alleviate or counteract the adverse effects of psychological stress on the adjustment.