Longitudinal changes in Stress Responses, Stressors, and Social Supports among adolescent students: A latent growth curve modeling approach.

AIM: To examine longitudinal changes in stress responses (SR), stressors (ST), and social supports (SS) among high school students using latent growth curve modeling.

BACKGROUND

This study investigated patterns of stress responses (SR), stressors (ST), and social supports (SS) among high school students over a three-year period, using data from a web-based stress check system.

METHODS

After ethical review approval, informed consent was obtained from both students and their parents. A longitudinal analysis was conducted using data collected from high school students (n = 605) over three consecutive years, from their first year (10th grade) to their third year (12th grade). High school students were assessed using the Public Health Research Foundation-Type Stress Inventory via the web each year for three years. This inventory consists of items assessing SR, ST, and SS. Data were analyzed using latent growth curve modeling (LGCM).

RESULTS

In the LGCM, both the intercept (first-year level) and slope of ST significantly predicted higher SR in the third year (β = 0.591 and 0.916, respectively; p < 0.001). By contrast, the intercept of SS (first-year level) significantly predicted lower SR in the third year (β = -0.279, p < 0.001). Within the SS subscales, the intercept of support from friends significantly predicted reductions in all three SR subscales in the third year: depression/anxiety (β = -0.248, p < 0.05), irritability/anger (β = -0.254, p < 0.01), and helplessness (β = -0.223, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest the utility of a web-based stress check administered in the first year of high school to assess SR, ST, and SS.