Does hardiness contribute to mental health during a stressful real-life situation? The roles of appraisal and coping.

Abstract

Israeli recruits (N = 276) completed questionnaires on hardiness, mental health, cognitive appraisal, and ways of coping at the beginning and end of a demanding, 4-month combat training period. Path analysis revealed that 2 components of hardiness--commitment and control measured at the beginning of the training--predicted mental health at the end of the training through the mediation of appraisal and coping variables. Commitment improved mental health by reducing the appraisal of threat and the use of emotion-focused strategies and by increasing secondary appraisal. Control improved mental health by reducing the appraisal of threat and by increasing secondary appraisal and the use of problem-solving and support-seeking strategies.

The Relationship of Psychological Hardiness with Work Holism

“…This research showed that hardiness has a negative correlation with drug and alcohol addiction whether in the past or present. In addition, this research results are consistent with the results from Brooks (2003) and Florian et al (1995) study about the positive relationship between hardiness and physical or mental health. Shaparandand Kashani (1999); Rash et al (1995) and Majidian (2004) about the negative relationship between hardiness and stress; King et al (1998) believes that people with hardiness evaluate the unsatisfying situations in a challenging manner not threateningly and they have more commitment about themselves and their work, also they experience more sense of control in their lives.…”

“…Learning hardiness increase commitment, control and challenge rates, the effects of each separately or in combination can decrease the rate of recognized stress (Nasiri, 2010). Kobasa (1979) believes that it can enforce person ability to control situation ,to commit duties and to encounter events .Various studies have shown that hardiness has a positive relationship with people mental health (Maddi and khoshaba, 1994) ,it decrease stress (Shapperand ;Kashani 1999) and that hardiness has a positive relationship with people physical and mental health (Florian et al 1995).…”

Prediction of stress appraisals from mastery, extraversion, neuroticism, and general appraisal tendencies

“…A measure assessing such tendencies could be used to identify individuals with potentially harmful appraisal styles, allowing for interventions such as cognitive therapy, designed to reduce health risks. Such a measure may also be useful in exploring the complex relationships between life events, personality and health (Florian et al, 1995).…”

“…Those dimensions include hardiness (Florian, Mikulincer, & Taubman, 1995;Kobasa, 1979;Rhodewalt and Agustdottir, 1984;Rhodewalt & Zone, 1989;Wiebe & Williams, 1992); Type A personality (Smith & Rhodewalt, 1986); locus of control (Anderson, 1977;Fame, Sebellico, Gnugnoli, & Coralio, 1992;Jorgensen & Johnson, 1990;Parkes, 1984;Vitaliano, Russo, & Maiuro, 1987); general self-efficacy, helplessness (Jerusalem, 1992;Morgan, Owen, Miller, & Watts, 1986); traits less relevant for control such as sensation seeking (Horvath & Zuckerman, 1992); trait negative/positive affectivity (Elliot, Chartrand & Harkins, 1994); insecurity (Martin & Lee, 1992); depression-prone personality types (Mongrain & Zuroff, 1989); and extraversion and neuroticism (Gallagher, 1990). We conceptualize a dispositional appraisal dimension related to, but not synonymous with, these dimensions.…”

PTSD, Neuroimaging and Psychotherapy: A Fruitful Encounter

“…Whether an event is traumatic or not will depend on an individual's perceptual neuralcircuitry processing and underlying resilience -significantly influenced by subjectivity (Creamer et al, 2005) -which is the ability to cope effectively and adapt in the face of loss, hardship or adversity (Bonanno et al, 2004.;Block et al., 1996). Resilient individuals reported fewer posttraumatic symptoms after combat and showed greater ability to optimize emotional functioning through the use of alternative cognitive strategies (Bonanno et al, 2004;Florian et al, 1995). Neuroscientists have yet to comprehensively research this field (Peres et al, 2011).…”