Investigating Subjective Vitality as a Resilience Factor for Stress
Open Access DepositedAbstract of Dissertation Investigating Subjective Vitality as a Resilience Factor for Stress Subjective Vitality (SV) is the experience of having focused, actionable energy that can be harnessed to meet demands or challenges. SV represents a psychological resource that actively shapes one’s well-being. SV is associated with a wide array of positive outcomes across domains such as health, academics, work performance, and personal relationships. One reason that SV predicts numerous positive outcomes may be that, in addition to serving as a source of well-being, SV also functions as a resilience factor, altering how individuals process and respond to stress. Stress is experienced when an individual perceives that the demands of a circumstance exceed their ability to successfully cope and is relevant across a variety of contexts (e.g., health, work, personal relationships). Resilience factors are traits, skills, or personal and social resources that alter how one interprets (i.e., appraises) and perceives stress, and facilitate the overcoming of the associated adversity. As a psychological resource that reflects actionable energy that can be used to meet demands and challenges, SV may serve as a resilience factor. The objective of this dissertation is to integrate SV into existing models of stress by testing whether SV functions as a resilience factor. As a resilience factor SV should have an indirect effect on perceived stress by altering individuals’ primary and secondary stress appraisals. A preliminary study established convergent and divergent validity between SV and established resilience factors, suggesting that SV is unique from other established resilience factors. The study tested the hypothesis that SV has a moderating effect on the relationship between perceived stress and components of primary and secondary appraisals. This hypothesis was tested in the academic setting using a correlational, longitudinal study. Undergraduate students enrolled in psychology courses were recruited at the start of the semester and completed a baseline survey that assessed trait SV, self-efficacy, emotional reappraisal, and social support. The follow-up assessment occurred during the midterm exam period and assessed self-reported perceived stress. Participants were also asked to make appraisals of their midterm exams. Results supported the hypothesized moderating effect of SV on the relationship between primary appraisals and perceived stress, whereby SV strengthened the relationship between challenge appraisals and perceived stress. The hypothesized moderating effect of SV on the relationship between secondary appraisals and perceived stress was not supported.
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KrackeBock_gwu_0075A_17189.pdf | 2025-07-20 | Open Access |
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