Testing the main differences and mediating effects of the coping scales

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine to what extent personality traits and individual variables are related to the use of proactive and preventive coping. The research sample consisted of 442 full-time university students in helping professions. The results showed that older students tended to be more proactive while men used slightly more preventive coping strategies than women. Moreover, controlling for respondents’ well-being had a significant effect on the strength of the relationship between these two variables. In addition, proactive coping, social support and depression explained 47% of the variance in well-being, with the strongest unique contribution being depression.