Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

LIVE: Thursday 2nd May 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

Quality sleep is essential for health. But what happens to our brains when sleep patterns are disturbed? Join our experts to explore the interplay between sleep disruption and neurological diseases, and the questions that you need to be asking your patients to help you prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Sense of coherence and associated factors among university students in China: cross-sectional evidence

Authors: Janet Junqing Chu, Mobarak Hossain Khan, Heiko J. Jahn, Alexander Kraemer

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Sense of Coherence (SOC) is considered as a health-promoting resource; it is mainly developed before the age of 30. The multiple demands university students face, such as study-related stress and financial difficulty, could challenge their SOC development. This study aimed to: 1) investigate the association between SOC, socio-demographic and lifestyle-related characteristics; 2) assess the effect of perceived stress on SOC controlling for other variables among the Chinese university students. Analyses were done to derive a better view on possible strategies to strengthen students’ SOC and with that to promote their health.

Methods

The data used were from a Chinese university student health survey (N = 1,853). Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the effects of varied socio-demographic, lifestyle-related variables on students’ level of SOC, as well as the association between perceived stress and SOC controlling for other variables in the analysis.

Results

Both social support (OR = 2.56 [1.87–3.50]) and better performance compared with peers (OR = 1.64 [1.15–2.34]) were associated with a stronger SOC. Not feeling isolated at university (OR = 1.60 [1.04–2.47]) and satisfaction with the political situation (OR = 2.05 [1.57–2.67]) were also associated with a stronger SOC. This counts also for high health awareness (OR = 1.40 [1.05–1.87]) and nutrition importance (OR = 1.67 [1.04–2.69]). Perceived stress (OR = 0.81 [0.79–0.83]) was negatively associated with a strong SOC when controlling for socio-demographic and lifestyle-related variables.

Conclusion

We suggest integrating stress coping, emotion management training programmes as well as measures promoting social integration for students and teachers at campus, promoting healthy behaviours, and creating a supportive learning environment as strategies for enhancing the SOC level of university students in China.
Literature
1.
Antonovsky A. Health, Stress, and Coping: New Perspectives on Mental and Physical Well-Being. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1979.
2.
Bengel J, Strittmatter R, Willmann H. What keeps people healthy? The current state of discussion and the relevance of Antonovsky’s salutogenic model of health. Research and practice of health promotion 1999. 4th ed. Cologne: Federal Centre for Health Education; 1999.
3.
4.
Bonacci A, Miccinesi G, Galli SI, Chiesi FR, Martire M, Guazzini M, Toccafondi A, Fazzi LO, Balbo V, Vanni DU, Rosselli M. The dimensionality of Antonovsky’s sense of coherence scales. An investigation with Italian samples. Testing, Psychometrics. Methodology Applied Psychology. 2012;19:115–34.
5.
Hakanen JJ, Feldt T, Leskinen E. Change and stability of sense of coherence in adulthood: Longitudinal evidence from the Healthy Child study. J Res Personality. 2007;41(3):602–17.CrossRef
6.
Morrison I, Clift SM. Mental health promotion through supported further education: The value of Antonovsky’s salutogenic model of health. Health Educ. 2006;106(5):365–80.CrossRef
7.
Nilsson B, Holmgren L, Westman G. Sense of coherence in different stages of health and disease in northern Sweden: gender and psychosocial differences. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2000;18(1):14–20.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Eriksson M, Lindström B, Lilja J. A sense of coherence and health. Salutogenesis in a societal context: Åland, a special case? J Epidemiol Community Health. 2007;61(8):684–8.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
9.
Lindström B, Eriksson M. The salutogenic approach to the making of HiAP/healthy public policy: illustrated by a case study. Glob Health Promot. 2009;16(1):17–28.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Sancassiani F, Pintus E, Holte A, Paulus P, Moro MF, Cossu G, Angermeyer MC, Carta MG, Lindert J. Enhancing the emotional and social skills of the youth to promote their wellbeing and positive development: a systematic review of universal school-based randomized controlled trials. Clin Pract Epidemiol Mental Health. 2015;11(1 M2):21.CrossRef
11.
Volanen SM, Suominen S, Lahelma E, Koskenvuo M, Silventoinen K. Sense of coherence and its determinants: A comparative study of the Finnish-speaking majority and the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. Scand J Public Health. 2006;34(5):515–25.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Togari T, Yamazaki Y, Takayama TS, Yamaki CK, Nakayama K. Follow-up study on the effects of sense of coherence on well-being after two years in Japanese university undergraduate students. Pers Individ Dif. 2008;44(6):1335–47.CrossRef
13.
Carmel S, Bernstein J. Trait anxiety, sense of coherence and medical school stressors: Observations at three stages. Anxiety Res. 1990;3(1):51–60.CrossRef
14.
Lindström B, Eriksson M. From health education to healthy learning: implementing salutogenesis in educational science. Scand J Public Health. 2011;39 Suppl 6:85–92.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Suominen S, Vahtera J. Sense of Coherence and the Strive for Life Control. Health, Wellness Social Policy. 2010;10:145–55.
16.
Suominen S, Blomberc H, Helenius H, Koskenvuo M. Sense of coherence and health–does the association depend on resistance resources? A study of 3115 adults in Finland. Psychol Health. 1999;14(5):937–48.CrossRef
17.
Antonovsky A. Unraveling the mystery of health: How people manage stress and stay well. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1987.
18.
19.
Rivera F, García-Moya I, Moreno C, Ramos P. Developmental contexts and sense of coherence in adolescence: A systematic review. J Health Psychol. 2013;18(6):800–12.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Antonovsky A. The sense of coherence: An historical and future perspective. Isr J Med Sci. 1996;32(3-4):170–8.
21.
Schumacher J, Brähler E. Sense of Coherence Scale–Leipziger Kurzform (SOC-L9). Bern: Huber; 2000.
22.
Gao ZH, Yang SQ, Margraf J. Reliability and Validity Test for Leipzig Short Scale for Recording Sense of Coherence (SOC-L9) in Chinese. China J Health Psychology. 2013;9:025.
23.
Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983;385–96.
24.
Lee EH. Review of the psychometric evidence of the perceived stress scale. Asian Nurs Res. 2012;6(4):121–7.CrossRef
25.
Tomarken AJ, Waller NG. Structural equation modeling: Strengths, limitations, and misconceptions. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2005;1:31–65.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Moosbrugger H, Schermelleh-Engel K, Klein A. Methodological problems of estimating latent interaction effects. Methods Psychological Research Online. 1997;2(2):95–111.
27.
Nachtigall C, Kroehne U, Funke F, Steyer R. Pros and Cons of Structural Equation Modeling. Methods Psychological Research Online. 2003;8(2):1–22.
28.
Peker K, Bermek G, Uysal O. Factors related to sense of coherence among dental students at Istanbul University. J Dent Educ. 2012;76(6):774–82.PubMed
29.
Stankūnas M, Kalediene R, Starkuviene S. Sense of coherence and its associations with psychosocial health: results of survey of the unemployed in Kaunas. Medicina (Kaunas). 2009;45(10):807–13.
30.
Natvig GK, Hanestad BR, Samdal O. The role of the student: Salutogenic or pathogenic? Int J Nurs Pract. 2006;12(5):280–7.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Torsheim T, Aaroe LE, Wold B. Sense of coherence and school-related stress as predictors of subjective health complaints in early adolescence: interactive, indirect or direct relationships? Soc Sci Med. 2001;53(5):603–14.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Dorri M, Sheiham A, Hardy R, Watt R. The relationship between Sense of Coherence and toothbrushing behaviours in Iranian adolescents in Mashhad. J Clin Periodontol. 2010;37(1):46–52.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Kristensson P, Öhlund LS. Swedish upper secondary school pupils’ sense of coherence, coping resources and aggressiveness in relation to educational track and performance. Scand J Caring Sci. 2005;19(1):77–84.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Kuuppelomäki M, Utriainen P. A 3 year follow-up study of health care students’ sense of coherence and related smoking, drinking and physical exercise factors. Int J Nurs Stud. 2003;40(4):383–8.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Nilsson B, Holmgren L, Stegmayr B, Westman G. Sense of coherence - Stability over time and relation to health, disease, and psychosocial changes in a general population: a longitudinal study. Scand J Public Health. 2003;31:297–304.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Lundberg B, Hansson L, Wentz E, Björkman T. Are stigma experiences among persons with mental illness, related to perceptions of self‐esteem, empowerment and sense of coherence? J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2009;16(6):516–22.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Volanen SM, Suominen S, Lahelma E, Koskenvuo M, Silventoinen K. Negative life events and stability of sense of coherence: A five‐year follow‐up study of Finnish women and men. Scand J Psychol. 2007;48(5):433–41.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Takayama T, Asano Y, Yamazaki Y, Yoshii K, Nagasaka Y, Fukada J, et al. Sense of coherence, stressful life events and psychological health [Nihon kōshū eisei zasshi]. Japanese J Public health. 1999;46(11):965.
39.
Hassmen P, Koivula N, Uutela A. Physical exercise and psychological well-being: a population study in Finland. Prev Med. 2000;30(1):17–25.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Kim KI, Won H, Liu X, Liu P, Kitanishi K. Students’ stress in China, Japan and Korea: A transcultural study. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 1997;43(2):87–94.CrossRefPubMed
41.
Phelps L. Academic achievement of children in China: The 2002 Fulbright experience. Psychol Sch. 2005;42(3):233–9.CrossRef
42.
Li H, Lin CD, Bray MA, Kehle TJ. The measurement of stressful events in Chinese college students. Psychol Sch. 2005;42(3):315–23.CrossRef
43.
Amirkhan JH, Greaves H. Sense of coherence and stress: The mechanics of a healthy disposition. Psychol Health. 2003;18(1):31–62.CrossRef
44.
Lazarus RS, Folkman S. Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. New York: Springer; 1984.
45.
Jordan PJ, Ashkanasy NM, Härtel CE, Hooper GS. Workgroup emotional intelligence: Scale development and relationship to team process effectiveness and goal focus. Human Resource Management Review. 2002;12(2):195–214.CrossRef
46.
Fletcher I, Leadbetter P, Curran A, O’Sullivan H. A pilot study assessing emotional intelligence training and communication skills with 3rd year medical students. Patient Education Counselling. 2009;76(3):376–9.CrossRef
47.
Groves KS, Pat McEnrue M, Shen W. Developing and measuring the emotional intelligence of leaders. J Management Development. 2008;27(2):225–50.CrossRef
48.
49.
Brackett MA, Katulak NA. Emotional intelligence in the classroom: Skill-based training for teachers and students. Applying emotional intelligence: A practitioner’s guide. 2006;1–27.
50.
Evans WP, Marsh SC, Weigel DJ. Promoting adolescent sense of coherence: Testing models of risk, protection, and resiliency. J Community Appl Soc Psychol. 2010;20(1):30–43.CrossRef
51.
Bowen GL, Richman JM, Brewster A, Bowen N. Sense of school coherence, perceptions of danger at school, and teacher support among youth at risk of school failure. Child Adolesc Social Work J. 1998;15(4):273–86.CrossRef
52.
Feldt T, Kinnunen U, Mauno S. A mediational model of sense of coherence in the work context: a one‐year follow‐up study. J Organ Behav. 2000;21(4):461–76.CrossRef
53.
Antonovsky A. Complexity, conflict, chaos, coherence, coercion and civility. Soc Sci Med. 1993;37(8):969–74.CrossRefPubMed
54.
Jennings PA, Greenberg MT. The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Rev Educ Res. 2009;79(1):491–525.CrossRef
55.
Chan J, To HP, Chan E. Reconsidering social cohesion: Developing a definition and analytical framework for empirical research. Social Indicators Res. 2006;75(2):273–302.CrossRef
56.
Jenson J, Réseaux canadiens de recherche en politiques publiques. Réseau de la famille. Réseau de la famille. Mapping social cohesion: The state of Canadian research. Ottawa: Family Network, CPRN; 1998.
57.
Gottlieb BH. Selecting and planning support interventions. Soc Support Measurement Intervention. 2000;25:195–220.CrossRef
58.
Feldt T, Leskinen E, Kinnunen U, Ruoppila I. The stability of sense of coherence: Comparing two age groups in a 5-year follow-up study. Personality Individual Differences. 2003;35(5):1151–65.CrossRef
59.
Smith PM, Breslin FC, Beaton DE. Questioning the stability of sense of coherence. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2003;38(9):475–84.CrossRefPubMed
60.
61.
Mohrman K. The emerging global model with Chinese characteristics. Higher Education Policy. 2008;21(1):29–48.CrossRef
62.
Ngok K, Guo W. The quest for world class universities in China: Critical reflections. Policy Futures in Education. 2008;6(5):545–57.CrossRef
63.
Mencius. Gaozi. Part II. Mengzi (translated by David Hinton). San Francisco: Counterpoint; 1998.
64.
Schwartz JM. From domestic to global solidarity: The dialectic of the particular and universal in the building of social solidarity. J Soc Philos. 2007;38(1):131–47.CrossRef
65.
Chu JJ, Khan MH, Jahn HJ, Kraemer A. Only-Child Status in Relation to Perceived Stress and Studying-Related Life Satisfaction among University Students in China: A Comparison with International Students. PLoS One. 2015;10(12):e0144947.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
Metadata
Title
Sense of coherence and associated factors among university students in China: cross-sectional evidence
Authors
Janet Junqing Chu
Mobarak Hossain Khan
Heiko J. Jahn
Alexander Kraemer
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3003-3

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

BMC Public Health 1/2016 Go to the issue

Research article

Electronic cigarette use among adolescents: a cross-sectional study in Hong Kong

Study protocol

A transdisciplinary model to inform randomized clinical trial methods for electronic cigarette evaluation

Research article

Relationships between County Health Rankings and child overweight and obesity prevalence: a serial cross-sectional analysis

Research article

Cervical cancer screening uptake and challenges in Malawi from 2011 to 2015: retrospective cohort study

Research article

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with high prevalence of diabetes in Kuwaiti adults: results from a national survey

Research article

Serial survey shows community intervention may contribute to increase in knowledge of Tuberculosis in 30 districts of India