Background: Trauma, stress, and adversity are well-known for having lasting negative effects on health. Yet, not all individuals go on to develop psychopathology or impaired health. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms which influence the development of stress-related resilience. Sense of coherence-revised (SOC-R) may play a role in this process, as it is formed through overcoming stress or adversity. It may also influence the steeling effect, which suggests that previous exposure to moderate adversity increases resilience to later adversities.Objectives: This study aimed to examine the mediating and moderating roles of SOC-R in the relationship between stress or adversity, and psychological health and well-being. It further aimed to investigate the role of SOC-R in steeling processes.Methods: The study used a longitudinal design, with data collection at baseline and one-year follow-up. Participants included (N = 238) Swiss older adults (Mage = 68.3 years). Standardized questionnaires assessed early-life adversity, recent chronic stress, SOC-R, and current health and well-being. Mediation and moderation analyses examined the mechanisms underpinning stress-related resilience and curvilinear associations assessed steeling.Results: Results showed that the Manageability subscale of SOC-R significantly moderated the relationship between chronic stress and general mental health (b = 0.04, 95% CI [0.007, 0.082], t = 2.32, p < 0.05). Furthermore, SOC-R significantly mediated the relationship for general mental health (GMH) and satisfaction with life (SWL) with childhood emotional neglect (GMH: b = −0.056, 95% BCa CI [−0.126, −0.002]; SWL: b = −0.043, 95% BCa CI [−0.088, −0.004]), childhood physical neglect (GMH: b = −0.100, 95% BCa CI [−0.232, −0.002]; SWL: b = −0.081, 95% BCa CI [−0.181, −0.002]), and chronic stress (GMH: b = −0.052, 95% BCa CI [−0.100, −0.001]; SWL: b = −0.055, 95% BCa CI [−0.097, −0.020]). No curvilinear associations were observed between stress or adversity and SOC-R.Conclusions: This study expands on the limited research on stress-related resilience by examining the role of SOC-R in the interactions between adversity, stress, and health. Future research should examine SOC-R in samples with a greater range and different types of adversity. Overall, findings suggest that SOC-R is an important mechanism underpinning the development of stress-related resilience.

Connectedness to nature (CN) influences motivation to have contact with outdoor natural environments. Spending leisure time in natural environments is beneficial for human health and well-being. Besides these positive effects, health risks of open-air activities are mainly related to unprotected sun light exposure-associated acute and chronic skin hazards. Thus, we conducted a cross-sectional, representative telephone survey among Austrian residents to study the association of perceived CN level with sun-exposure knowledge, tanning habits, and sun protective behaviour. In total, 1,500 study subjects (50.5% females) participated in this questionnaire survey. Although knowledge about tanning and motives to tan were similar among genders, females performed more photoprotective measures and were more connected to nature (all p < 0.001) compared to males. Older age and outdoor sport were significant gender-independent predictor variables influencing perceived CN level. Additionally, level of education was relevant in male CN, whereas non-smoking and higher knowledge were predictive of female CN. This survey provides so far unreported empirical data on the relationship between nature connectedness and skin health-relevant recreational habits of Austrian residents. The findings suggest to integrate hitherto neglected gender-specific Public (Skin) Health promotion when counselling on the manifold health advantages of outdoor activities.

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Abstract. Research has predominantly focused on the negative effects of adversity on health and well-being. However, the salutogenic perspective suggests that adversity may not always be detrimental ( Antonovsky, 1996 ). In fact, under certain circumstances, adversity may have the potential for positive outcomes, such as increased resilience and thriving ( Carver, 1998 ; Rutter, 1987 ). The “steeling effect” suggests that past experiences of adversity may increase resistance to later adversities. It proposes that moderate adversity may facilitate more adaptive functioning than no adversity or high levels of adversity ( Rutter, 2006 , 2012 ). The relationship between adversity and health may be optimally assessed using curvilinear models, yet the majority of previous studies have examined linear associations ( Masten & Cicchetti, 2016 ). It is therefore the aim of this review to determine whether moderate adversity is associated with more adaptive functioning when compared to no and high levels of adversity. Practical implications and future research are also discussed.

The study provides support for the psychometric properties and theoretical assumptions of SOC-R and suggests that SOC-R is a valid and reliable measure suitable for use with older adults. Future studies should employ longitudinal designs to examine the stability of SOC-R.