HEALTHY LIVING ENVIRONMENT IN THE PREDICTION OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION ...

151 Pages·2014·2.53 MB·English

HEALTHY LIVING ENVIRONMENT IN THE PREDICTION OF STRESS
AND DEPRESSION LEVELS OF UNDERGRADUATE
COLLEGE STUDENTS

by
MOLLY J. VAUGHN
NATHANIEL BRAY, COMMITTEE CHAIR
DAVID E. HARDY
MARGARET KING
JOHN DANTZLER
LARRY W. BATES

A DISSERTATION

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of
Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology
Studies in the Graduate School of
The University of Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA

2014
Copyright Molly J. Vaughn 2014
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to investigate if various independent variables could be used in
the prediction of stress and depression levels of undergraduate college students. Ninety-eight
percent of college students state they have experienced stress within the past year, with 53%
reporting tremendous amounts of stress. The stressors faced by these students result in decreased
academic performance, family problems, relationship problems, and job difficulties, to name a
few (NCHA, 2011). Therefore, the timeliness of the topic seems most appropriate. The
prediction variables used in the two multiple linear regression models were healthy living
resident, student athlete, gender, ethnicity, and classification. The researcher sought to
understand both the stress and depression levels of undergraduate college students through a
survey administered to all undergraduate students attending a 4-year regional university in the
fall of 2009 (N = 492). Three groups were identified from the sample, healthy living residents,
student athletes, and the general student population. The responses from the survey plus the
demographic data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of
the quantitative data analyzed from the survey yielded statistically significant models for both
stress and depression. However, not all of the predictor variables independently contributed to
the model. The stress model only had two independent variables which significantly contributed
to the model; student athletes and gender, while the depression model only had one significant
predictor in student athletes. The findings were unexpected in that the researcher’s initial
hypothesis had healthy living residents providing the greatest contribution to both models.
However, the findings of this study will assist student affairs personnel and administrators in the
ii
development of new programs. The researcher concludes that there may be a law of diminishing
return as students become too involved in programs and extracurricular activities outside of their
academic endeavors (Astin, 1975). Developers of holistic programs should be aware of this
finding in their establishment of such programs. Future research should focus on distinguishing
at what point students’ affective skills, mainly stress and depression, become weakened with
their level of involvement.

iii
DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to everyone who helped me and guided me through the
trials and tribulations of creating this manuscript, in particular, my husband and daughter,
parents, co-workers, and dissertation committee.

iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS

B Unstandardized regression coefficients
β Beta, standardized regression coefficients
D Law of diminishing returns
df Degrees of freedom: number of values free to vary after certain restrictions have been
placed on the data

∑ Sigma, Summation
2
f Effect size
F F-distribution varaible
Ho Null hypothesis
H1 Alternative hypothesis
k Number of groups within the independent variable
m Number of independent variables
M Mean: the sum of a set of measurements divided by the number of measurements in the
set

n sample size
N population size
p The attained level of significance
r Pearson product-moment correlation
2
r Coefficient of determination
R Sample correlation coefficient
v
2
R Multiple correlation coefficient
2
Adj. R Serves the same purpose as the R-square but applies a statistical penalty for each added
independent variable

SD Sample standard deviation
SE Standard errors of the regression coefficients
2
sr Semi-partial correlation
t Tests the hypothesis that a population regression coefficient β is zero
VIF Variance inflation factor
2
x Chi-square distribution
z z-score, standard normal variable
α Level of significance
> Greater than
< Less than
= Equal to
* Significant at the .05 level
** Significant at the .01 level
*** Significant at the .001 level

vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many hours went into the making of this manuscript and I would like to personally thank
those that helped me throughout this process. To my husband, Eric, the level of love and support
you have shown me through this process cannot adequately be acknowledged. The sacrifices
made these past seven years have been immense and you never once questioned my attempt to
accomplish this goal, and I am forever thankful for your encouragement and love. To my
delightful daughter, Sydney, you will not remember the weekends spent away from me
throughout this process, but I will remember my time spent away from you. It has truly been
difficult completing this while you grow so beautifully, but I know in the end it will be worth it
for you to see what strong women can accomplish. You can be anything you want, never doubt
that, because I never will. To my parents, David and Regina, you have given me nothing but love
and support for the last 34 years. I’m so thankful for you both. There are not many people in this
world, who actually live the life they try to instill into their children but you both have and it has
not gone unnoticed. Thank you for always believing in me and seeing how much I could
accomplish even when I could not. To my mentor, Dr. Larry Bates, you are the reason I was able
to get to this stage of my educational journey. Your constant support and encouragement
throughout my undergraduate years to the present is so appreciated, there are no words to
adequately express how much your guidance and friendship mean to me. To my dissertation
chair, Dr. Nathanial Bray, your assistance throughout this process has been remarkable. I’m so
thankful for your leadership and knowledge. To my co-workers, Andrew, Nathan, Bliss, Melissa,
Kathy, Amanda, and Kathy Lee, working with each of you is not like working at all. I hate
vii
referring to you as my co-workers because you are some of my closest friends and I enjoy your
friendship more than words. Thank you in particular to Dr. Andrew Luna for his understanding,
advice, and support throughout this process. I’m so incredibly thankful to have you as my boss. I
truly would not be where I am in my career without your guidance and encouragement. Last but
not least, Nathan, thank you for your support in taking on more office work and for your
listening ear during this process. I know I would not be as successful as I am in my current
position without you. I’m just so thankful to have you as my co-worker and friend.

viii
CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................ ii
DEDICATION ........................................................................................... iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS ........................................v
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................ vii
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................... xiii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................. xiv
1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................1
a. Statement of Problem .............................................................................11
b. Purpose and Significance of the Study ..................................................12
c. Organization of the Dissertation ............................................................15
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................16
a. Development of the University Counseling Center ...............................18
b. The Modern University ..........................................................................20
c. Astin’s Theory of Student Involvement .................................................21
d. Defining Stress .......................................................................................27
i. Eustress vs. distress.................................................................................28
ii. Fight or flight .........................................................................................29
e. Stress as it Relates to College Students..................................................30
f. Defining Depression ...............................................................................31
g. Perfectionism, Stress and Depression of College Students ...................34
ix