Degree Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

1988

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Child Development

First Advisor

Dahlia F. Stockdale

Abstract

The differences between male and female college student families on stress and coping resources were investigated in a sample of 133 male and 195 female college students and their spouses. The relationships among perceived stress, student stress, locus of control, marital satisfaction, social support, satisfaction with leisure time and housing satisfaction were also investigated. A questionnaire was developed by the researcher to measure student stress, social support, satisfaction with leisure time and housing satisfaction; standardized instruments were utilized to measure perceived stress, locus of control and marital satisfaction. Correlational analyses were used to explore the relationships among the variables. A 2 (group) x 2 (sex of student) repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze group and sex of student differences on perceived stress, locus of control, marital satisfaction, division of household duties, and satisfaction with leisure time. The results indicated that females perceived more stress and had higher beliefs in luck and personal efficacy; males had higher beliefs in personal competence. Students were less satisfied with their marriages than spouses. Families were under more stress when marital satisfaction and the frequency of spousal support were low. Higher stress individuals also had higher beliefs in fate, and were less satisfied with their marriages, their leisure time and their housing environment. For students, higher perceived stress was associated with higher student stress. Results suggest that females in college student families may experience more stress as a result of their multiple role demands, and the interaction of family and student role demands may account for the finding that college students were less satisfied with their marriages. Future research is needed to assess the impact of these relationships on parent-child interactions and child development.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-9347

Publisher

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University, http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/

Copyright Owner

Barbara Jo Chaney

Language

en

Proquest ID

AAI8825906

File Format

application/pdf

File Size

142 pages

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