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Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 5 (2010) 99–103

WCPCG-2010

The relationship between daily hassles and social support on mental

health of university students
Parisa Tajallia *, Afsaneh sobhib , Afsaneh Ganbaripanahab
a.
Islami Azad University , Tehran Central Branch,Tehran, Iran.
b
Islamic Azad University, zanjan Branch,Tehran,, Iran.
Received January 1, 2010; revised February 12, 2010; accepted March 14, 2010

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was identifying relationship between daily hassles, social supports and mental health. In this regard, among the
Islamic Azad University (IAU) students, 262 students have been selected randomly as sample group. Sarafino and Ewing Daily hassles Test
(1999), Fleming social support Test (1982) and Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (1972) have been administered them. In analysis data,
Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regressions has been used. Results showed that between daily hassles and mental health of university
students was significant relation, also between social supports and mental health. Generally, between daily hassles, social supports and mental
health of university students was significant relation.
© 2010 Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Keywords: University students, Mental health, Daily hassles, Social support.

1. Introduction

The transition from high school to university is a major life change for many adolescents. Attending university
presents students with learning experiences and opportunities for psychosocial development (Tao, Dong, Pratt,
Hunsberger, & Pancer, 2000). However, entering university may be a source of strain and an acute stressor (Gall,
Evans, & Bellerose, 2000). Academic demands increase and new social relations are established (Tao et al, 2000).
For students who move away from home, the transition to university reduces contact and, likely support, from
family as well as friends. Difficulties handing these stressors associated with the transition may lead to decreased
academic performance and increased psychological distress (Friedlander, 2007).
Benton et al (2003) found college students frequently have more complex problems today than they did over a
decade ago, including both the typical or expected college student problems- difficulties in relationships and
developmental issues- as well as the more severe problems, such as depression, sexual assault and thoughts of
suicide.

*Parisa Tajalli. Tel: +981-21- 77883653.

E-mail address: [email protected].

1877-0428 © 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.058
100 Parisa Tajalli et al. / Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 5 (2010) 99–103

Social support is one of the important resources for adolescents undergoing the transition to university. Also,
Tao et al (2000) indicated that social support is one of the most important protective factors for undergraduates.
Social supports refer to the perceived comfort, caring, esteem or help a person receives from other people or groups.
This support can come from many different sources –the person's spouse or lover, family, friends, coworkers,
physician, or community organizations. According to researcher Sidney Cobb (1976), people with social support
believe they are loved and cared for, esteemed and valued, and part of a social network, such as a family services,
and mutual defense in times of need or danger (Sarafino, 2002).
Social support had been defined as a social network's provision of psychological and material resources
intended to benefit an individual's ability to cope with stress (Cohen, 2004; Arti, sharma, 2006). Hamdan-Mansour
(2007) studies this issue among university students in Jordan and found they have moderate perception of social
support and stress. Also,the perceived social support from family was better predictor of perceived life event as
stressful situations than perceived social support from friends.
The relationship between social support and health, functioning, and quality of life is well established in the
literature (Cohen et al, 1985, Holahan et al, 1997: Schwazer & Leppin, 1989,Taylor,2003).
Irrespective of how one differentiated social support and how a researcher went about measuring and
quantifying it, typically research had maintained that a positive correlation existed between social support and
mental health (Barnett & Gotlib, 1988). Mental health can be conceptualized as a state of well- being in which the
individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution individual's to his or her community (Who, 2007).
To explain how social support may influence health and well-being. Researchers have proposed two theories.
The "buffering" and the" direct effects" hypotheses. Studies have found evidence consistent with both theories
(Cohen& wills, 1985; sarafino, 2002).In general population, social support buffers against stressful life events
(McCorkle et al, 2008).
We all experience stress in our everyday lives, probably more than we would like. It occurs in a wide variety of
situations and settings –in the family, in school, and on the job, for example. Sometimes the stress tense, and
sometimes it is mild. It varies across time. Sometimes it is in-varies between individuals. An experience that is
stressful for one person- such as taking a difficult examination –may not be stressful for another, and may even be
exciting or challenging for still another person (sarafino, 2002). Although people commonly use the term stress in
their daily lives (e.g. "I'm feeling very stressed about my upcoming exams").It is difficult to measure precisely how
much stress a person is experiencing (Sanderson, 2004).
Initially, researchers focused on stressful events themselves, called stressors. Such events include noise,
crowding, a bad relationship, a round of job interviews, or the commute to work. Each stressful experience may be
stressful to some people but not to others. Whereas one person might find the loss of a job highly stressful, another
might see it as an opportunity to try a new field, and as a challenge rather than a threat. How a potential stressor is
perceived substantially determines whether it will be experienced as stressful (Taylor, 2003).
Some researchers have argued that many stressors come not from major life events but instead from daily
hassles, such as losing one's keys, having difficulty paying bills, and having too many things to do (Lazarus, kanner,
& folk man, 1980; Sarafino, 2002) A more recent approach to assessing the impact of stress on physical and mental
health, stemming in part from dissatisfaction with the life events approach, involves the investigation of relatively
minor stresses that characterize everyday life to "hassles" (e. g., financial concerns, loneliness, family and work
problems, too many responsibilities). In addition to evaluating stressors that people face on a regular basis; this
approach includes an assessment of the subjective significance of events. That is, it focuses not only on
environmental factors but on the interaction of personal and environmental factors, based on the view that how a
person appraises and copes with a situation will determine whether or not it is experienced as stressful (Lazarus &
Folk man, 1984; Segal & Vandervoort, 1993).
People report concerns about weight, health of a family member rising prices, Home maintenance, having too
many things to do, money, crime, and physical appearance as the most frequent hassles they experience. Hassles are
a strong predictor of both psychological and physical well- being (Kanner, Coyne, Schaefer, & Lazarus, 1981;
Zarski, 1984). Experiencing more hassles also leads to more symptoms foe those who are already suffering from an
illness (Levy, Cain, Jarrett, & Heitkemper, 1997). Interestingly hassles are more highly correlated with
psychological and physical symptoms than are major life events (Taylor, 2003).
 Parisa Tajalli et al. / Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 5 (2010) 99–103 101

As with life events, hassles have been associated with poor psychological and physiological health (lazarus,
1984). Type of somatic illnesses associated with hassles range from minor problems (e. g. Headaches, flu) to
chronic conditions (e. g. hypertension, asthma), while depression and anxiety are among the psychological problems
related to hassles (DeLongis, Coyne, Dakof, Folkman, & Lazarus, 1982; Delongis, folkman, & Lazarus, 1988;
Gruen, Folkman, & Lazarus, 1988; kanner, Coyne, Schaefer, & Lazarus, 1981). Although both life events and
hassles have veen associated with poor psychological and somatic health outcomes, research comparing the two
indicates that hassles are more strongly related to poor health than life events (Burks & martin, 1985; Delongis et al,.
1982; Kanner et al., 1981; Monroe, 1983; Thoits, 1983; Wagner, Compas, & Howell, 1988; Zarski, 1984; Segal &
vandervoort, 1993).
Thus, our overall question of interest was how changes in social supports and daily hassles are related to mental
health of university students. The present study examined the joint contribution of social support and daily hassles as
predictors of mental health. In this regard, three hypotheses have been proposed as follow:
1) There is a relationship between daily hassles and university students' mental health.
2) There is relationship between social support and university students' mental health.
3) There is relationship between daily hassles, social support and university students' mental health.

2. Research Methodology

The research statistical sample included 262 (120 female and 142 male) undergraduate students of the Islamic
Azad University, Tehran central branch who were selected through random sampling. The research instruments
were as follow:
The Hassles Assessment Scale for Student in College (Sarafino & Ewing, 1999), with 60 items. Each one has
three parts: frequency, unpleasantness and time dwelled. Frequency was defined as how often in the past month or
so the event occurred. Unpleasantness was termed as how boring or displeasing the event was when it actually
happened. Finally, dwelled was the extent to which one is usually bothered by each event when it was not actually
present, before or after it occurred? All three aspects were rated on likert-type scale ranging from 0-4, with 0
representing never and 4 representing always. Since the scores were rated 0-4, higher scores meant more stress. The
reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) for this scale(Hass/Col) in this survey was 0.94.
The General Health Questionnaire (Goldbreg, 1972) Consisting 28 questions were used regarding mental
health. The total score was used as a mental healthy score. The reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) for this
scale (GHQ) in this survey was 0.94.
Regarding to social support, Perceived Social Support Test (Feleming et al, 1982) consisting of 25 questions
was used. This scale has 5 subscales (friends, family, social, neighbors, global).
The process of answering the questionnaires was done individually. At first, university students were informed
about the nature of research and then they were asked to answer all questionnaires.

3. Results

After data analysis the following results about each research hypothesis have been found:

1. There is a relationship between daily hassles and mental health of university students.

For examine this hypothesis, at first Pearson coefficient correlation and then coefficient correlation significance
test were conducted. As the coefficient correlation was significant (r=0.292, p<0.001). This hypothesis approved and
it can be concluded that there was significant relationship between daily hassles and mental health of university
students. Since, this relationship is positive; it means the higher the mental health score was, the higher the daily
hassled score was. Due to, high score of mental health means low level of mental health, then the high level of daily
hassles caused the low level of mental health (i.e., the higher level of mental health score).Coefficient of
determination shows that totally %8.53 of university students mental health can be explained by daily hassle.
102 Parisa Tajalli et al. / Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 5 (2010) 99–103

2. There is relationship between social support and mental health of university students.

For examine this hypothesis, at first Pearson coefficient correlation and then coefficient correlation significance
test were conducted. As the coefficient correlation was significant (r=-0.184, p<0.001), this hypothesis approved and
it can be concluded that there was significant relationship between social support and mental health of university
students. Due to this relationship is negative, the lower the "mental health" score was i.e., the more favorable the
mental health status the higher the social support score was and vice versa. Coefficient of determination shows that
totally %3.38 of university student's mental health can be explained by their social supports.

3. There is a relationship between daily hassles, social support and mental health of university students.

For examine this hypothesis, multiple regression was conducted. Since, R2 is the shared variance of daily
hassles and social support in prediction of university students mental health and the level of significance is
significant (F=17.67, P<0.001), then linear regression will be significant. It means daily hassles and social support
are predictors of university students mental health. So, this hypothesis approved and due to beta, contribution of
daily hassles (0.294), in prediction of mental health is more than contribution of social support (-0.187).

4. Discussion and Conclusion

The results of the present study indicate that there is a significant relationship between daily hassles and
university students' mental health. It means higher level of daily hassles were associated with lower level of mental
health. Other researches, such as Windle(1987), Coleman et al(1998), Macdonald et al(2000),Garrett(2001), Fujita&
Kanaok (2002), Durden et al (2007),Tse(2008) reveal same results among different populations.
The significant relationship between social supports and mental health indicates the buffering role that social
support play in protecting individuals against the adverse impact of hassles on health are warranted .Also, the
present study like Dalgard et al (1995) confirms the '' buffer hypothesis'' that social supports protect against the
development of mental disorder when the individual is exposed to daily hassles.
Findings of multiple regressions indicate that daily hassles have more contribution in prediction of university
students' mental health rather than social support. This matter revealed the importance and necessity of developing
prevention programs about daily hassles, especially for university and students.
This study has some limitations which should be noted, among them, it examines only the total scores of social
support and mental health in data analysis. In this regard, propose all subscales of social support and mental health
consider in further research. Examine the role of some important factors like gender, age, marital status and culture
would be useful.
Due to research results, researchers suggest that universities especially counseling center to develop
instructional pamphlets, set up educational lectures, workshops and other special programs for enhancing university
student's knowledge about social supports, mental health and daily hassles, and teaching effective strategies and
skills for coping with stress.

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