Human Ecology Research

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
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Effect of Social Comparison Orientation and Stress Coping Styles on Job-Seeking Stress of University Students Preparing for Employment

취업 준비 대학생의 사회비교경향성과 스트레스 대처방식이 취업 스트레스에 미치는 영향

  • Baek, Sun Joo (Department of Child & Family Studies, Yonsei University) ;
  • Park, Ju Hee (Department of Child & Family Studies, Yonsei University)
  • 백선주 (연세대학교 아동.가족학과) ;
  • 박주희 (연세대학교 아동.가족학과)
  • Received : 2018.09.27
  • Accepted : 2019.04.23
  • Published : 2019.05.30
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Abstract

This study examined the effects of social comparison orientation and stress coping styles on job-seeking stress experienced by university students. The participants of this study were 324 junior and senior students (151 males and 173 females) from six universities located in Seoul who were preparing for employment. They were asked to respond to a written questionnaire to measure research variables for the Job-Seeking Stress Scale, the Social Comparison Orientation Scale, and the Ways of Coping Checklist. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and a hierarchical multiple regression. The major findings of this study were as follows. First, social comparison orientation had a positive effect on job-seeking stress of university students, revealing that students with a high level of social comparison orientation were more likely to experience job-seeking stress. Second, both emotion-alleviation coping style and wishful thinking coping style increased level of job-seeking stress. In addition, problem-focused coping style had a negative influence on job-seeking stress, whereas social support seeking coping style had no significant effect on it. The results suggested that it would be possible to reduce job-seeking stress of university students by changing either social comparison or stress coping style.

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References

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