Negative Life Events and Stress Among Adolescents: Does Subjective Well-being Matter?

Abstract

The main goal of the present study was to examine the protective function of subjective well-being against the negative effects of stressful life events among adolescents. The sample consisted of 317 Serbian adolescents (52% females, mean age = 17 years). The following scales were used: Life Events Checklist-Adolescent version, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the Stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Moderation effects of affective well-being and life satisfaction in the relations between negative life events and symptoms of stress were tested with multiple regression analysis. The results did not support the buffering hypothesis regarding the protective role of subjective well-being. Neither affective component nor cognitive component of subjective well-being moderated the negative life events-stress relationship. The findings of the presents study suggest that high subjective well-being does not protect adolescents from adverse effects of stressful events.