Stress-Related Growth Model in Japanese Junior High School Students Facing an Entrance Examination

Abstract

Background:This study examines a stress-related growth model in Japanese 3rd year junior high school students facing an entrance examination, based on the conceptual model of Schaefer and Moos (1992). Methods:The participants were 191 students (96 male, 87 female, and 8 unspecified), who answered a socio-demographic questionnaire comprising the following: perceived social support (Hosoda et al., 2009); personality (Oshio et al., 2012); positive acceptance of adversity (Hatori et al., 2012); proactive coping (Iimura et al., in press); and stress-related growth (Iimura et al., 2012). We performed model process estimation through statistical analysis using structural equation modeling. Results:Structural equation modeling confirmed that perceived social support and personality correlated positively with stress-related growth (R2 = .67) via positive acceptance of adversity (R2 = .48) and proactive coping (R2 = .90). The fit indices of the model were CFI = .90, RMSEA = .06, and AIC = 1153.00. Discussion:These findings suggest that environmental and personal systems affect cognitive appraisal and coping response; therefore, examination stress stimulates students’ psychological growth.