The role of social-problem solving and social support and their relation to well-being in young Saudi women

This study investigates the role of social-problem solving and social support as mediators and moderators of the relationship between stressful life events and adjustment, experienced by young students in Saudi Arabia. The study sample involved 630 college students and 390 high school students. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used. Semi-structured interviews (Chapter 4) conducted with twelve university students showed that the chief problems that the students experienced were mainly interpersonal and personal. Students reported that they used a rational problem solving style and avoidance; rather than other styles. Translation and modification of original western cultural measures, testing psychometric properties and finding new factors of the translated scales was undertaken (Chapter 5 and 6). Reliability and validity for all the scales were acceptable. The Life Satisfaction of Young Saudi Women scale was specifically developed for the current study, and proved a reliable and valid means of assessing the populations. The empirical investigation contained two related studies (Chapter 7 and 8), using self-completion questionnaires administered to both populations. They showed that dysfunctional social-problem solving dimensions partially mediated the stress-distress relationship in both samples. Social support was found to partially mediate stress-life satisfaction only in university students. However it was found to partially mediate stress-distress relationships in the school sample. In terms of moderating effects, path analysis results showed that the path representing dysfunctional socialproblem solving dimensions significantly interacted with stress to predict a high level of distress. Results also indicated that social support moderated the relation between stress and distress in both samples. In Chapter Nine, several avenues for implication and future research are suggested in the areas of theory, measurement and applied research<br/><br/>

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Southampton

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Arab, Arwa

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Hadwin, Julie A.
• Stopa, Lusia