Stress, Perceived Social Support, Coping Capability and Depression: A Study of Local and Foreign Students in the Malaysian Context
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of
perceived social support and stress on the coping capability and level
of depression of foreign and local students in Malaysia. Using
convenience sampling, 200 students from three universities in
Selangor, Malaysia participated in the study. The results of this study
revealed that there was a significant relationship between perceived
social support and coping capability. It is also found that there is a
negative relationship between coping capability and depression.
Further, stress and depression are positively related whereas stress
and coping capability are negatively related. Lastly, there is no
significant difference for the stress level and coping capability
amongst local and foreign students.
[1] Mori, S. C. (2000). Addressing the mental health concerns of
international students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78,
137-144.
[2] Tomich, P.C., McWhirter, J.J., & Darcy, M.U.A.(2003). Personality and
International Students Adaptation experience. International Education,
33, 22-39.
[3] The Star, Issue: 0020, 16 March 2008.
[4] Yeh, C.J., &Inose.M. (2003). International students- reported English
fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as
predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 14,
15-28.
[5] Owie, I. (1982). Social Alienation Among Foreign Students. College
Student Journal, 16, 163-165.
[6] Poyrazli, S., & Lopez, M.D. (2007). An Exploratory Study of perceived
discrimination and homesickness: A comparison of international
students and American students. The Journal of Psychology, 141, 263-
280.
[7] Chen, C. P. (1999). Common stressors among international college
students: Research and Counselling Implications. Journal of College
Counselling, 2, 49-65.
[8] Hale, C.J., Hannum, J.W., Espelage, D.L. (2005). Social Support and
Physical Health: The Importance of Belonging. Journal of American
College Health, 53, 276-284.
[9] Eldeleklioglu, J. (2006). The Relationship between the Perceived Social
Support and the Level of Depression and Anxiety in University
Students. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 6, 742-752.
[10] Deniz, M.E. (2006). The Relationships Among Coping with Stress, Life
satisfaction, Decision-making styles and Decision Self-Esteem: An
Investigation with Turkish University Students. Journal of Social
Behavior and Personality, 34, 1161-1170.
[11] Ceyhan, E., Ceyhan, A.A., &Kurtyilmaz, Y. (2005). Depression among
Turkish Female and Male University Students. Journal of Social
Behavior and Personality, 33, 329-340. B. Smith, "An approach to
graphs of linear forms (Unpublished work style)," unpublished.
[12] Kessler, R.C., Chiu, W.T., Demler, O., Merikangas, K.R., & Walters, E.
(2005). Prevalence, severity and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV
disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archivesof
General Psychiatry, 62, 617-27.
[13] Lexis, M., Jansen. N., van Amelsvoort, L., van den Brandt, P., & Kant, I.
(2009).Depressive complaints as a predictor of sickness absence among
the working population. Journal of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine, 5, 887-95.
[14] Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the
buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 310-357.
[15] Friedlander, L.J., Reid, G.J., Shupak, N., &Cribbie, R. (2007). Social
Support, Self-Esteem, and Stress as Predictors of Adjustment to
University Among First-Year Undergraduates. Journal of College
Student Development, 48, 259-274.
[16] Seiffge-Krenke, I., &Klessinger, N. (2000). Long-term effects of
avoidant coping on adolescents- depressive symptoms. Journal of Youth
and Adolescence, 29, 617-628.
[17] Buck, R. (1999). The biological affects: A typological. Psychological
Review, 106, 301-336.
[18] Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Cognition and motivation in emotion. American
Psychologist, 46, 352-367.
[19] Ebbin, A. J., & Blankenship, E. S. (1986). A longitudinal health care
study: International versus domestic students. Journal of American
College Health, 34, 177-182.
[20] Misra, R., Crist, M., &Burant, C.J. (2003). Relationships among Life
Stress, Social Support, Academic Stressors, and Reactions to Stressors
of International Students in the United States. International Journal of
Stress Management, 10, 137-157.
[21] Wan, T., Chapman, D. W., & Biggs, D. A. (1992). Academic stress of
international students attending U.S. universities. Research in Higher
Education, 33, 607-623.
[22] Mackay, C., Cox, T., Burrows, G., &Lazzerini, T. (1978). An inventory
for the measurement of self-reported stress and arousal. British Journal
of Social and Clinical Psychology, 17, 283-284.
[23] Procidano, M.E. & Heller, K. (1983). Measures of perceived social
support from friends and from family: Three validation studies.American
Journal of Community Psychology, 11, 1-24.
[24] Patterson, J.M., &McCubbin, H.I. (1991). Family Assessment
Inventories for Research and Practice. Madison, WI: University of
Wisconsin.
[25] Zung, W.K. (1965). A Self-Rating Depression Scale. Archives of
General Psychiatry, 12, 63-70.
[26] Furnham, A. & S. Shiekh. (1991). Gender, generation and social support
correlates of mental health in Asian immigrants. International Journal of
Social Psychiatry, 39, 23-33.
[27] Coffman, D.L., & Gilligan, T.D. (2003). Social support, stress, and selfefficacy:
Effects on students- satisfaction. Journal of College Student
Retention, 4, 53-66.
[28] Meleis, A. I. (1982). Arab students in western universities: Social
properties and dilemmas. Journal of Higher Education, 53, 4, 439-447.
[29] Dyson, R., &Renk, K. (2006). Freshmen Adaptation to University Life:
Depressive symptoms, Stress and Coping. Journal of Clinical
Psychology, 62, 1231 - 1244.
[30] LeDoux, J. E. (1986). Sensory systems and emotion. Integrative
Psychiatry, 4, 237-248.
[31] Moroi, K. (1986). Loneliness induced by situational changes in lives of
freshmen. Japanese Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 25,
115-125.
[32] Klomegah., & Yao, R. (2006). Social factors relating to alienation
experienced by international students in the United States. College
Student Journal, 40, 303-315.
[1] Mori, S. C. (2000). Addressing the mental health concerns of
international students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78,
137-144.
[2] Tomich, P.C., McWhirter, J.J., & Darcy, M.U.A.(2003). Personality and
International Students Adaptation experience. International Education,
33, 22-39.
[3] The Star, Issue: 0020, 16 March 2008.
[4] Yeh, C.J., &Inose.M. (2003). International students- reported English
fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as
predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 14,
15-28.
[5] Owie, I. (1982). Social Alienation Among Foreign Students. College
Student Journal, 16, 163-165.
[6] Poyrazli, S., & Lopez, M.D. (2007). An Exploratory Study of perceived
discrimination and homesickness: A comparison of international
students and American students. The Journal of Psychology, 141, 263-
280.
[7] Chen, C. P. (1999). Common stressors among international college
students: Research and Counselling Implications. Journal of College
Counselling, 2, 49-65.
[8] Hale, C.J., Hannum, J.W., Espelage, D.L. (2005). Social Support and
Physical Health: The Importance of Belonging. Journal of American
College Health, 53, 276-284.
[9] Eldeleklioglu, J. (2006). The Relationship between the Perceived Social
Support and the Level of Depression and Anxiety in University
Students. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 6, 742-752.
[10] Deniz, M.E. (2006). The Relationships Among Coping with Stress, Life
satisfaction, Decision-making styles and Decision Self-Esteem: An
Investigation with Turkish University Students. Journal of Social
Behavior and Personality, 34, 1161-1170.
[11] Ceyhan, E., Ceyhan, A.A., &Kurtyilmaz, Y. (2005). Depression among
Turkish Female and Male University Students. Journal of Social
Behavior and Personality, 33, 329-340. B. Smith, "An approach to
graphs of linear forms (Unpublished work style)," unpublished.
[12] Kessler, R.C., Chiu, W.T., Demler, O., Merikangas, K.R., & Walters, E.
(2005). Prevalence, severity and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV
disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archivesof
General Psychiatry, 62, 617-27.
[13] Lexis, M., Jansen. N., van Amelsvoort, L., van den Brandt, P., & Kant, I.
(2009).Depressive complaints as a predictor of sickness absence among
the working population. Journal of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine, 5, 887-95.
[14] Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the
buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 310-357.
[15] Friedlander, L.J., Reid, G.J., Shupak, N., &Cribbie, R. (2007). Social
Support, Self-Esteem, and Stress as Predictors of Adjustment to
University Among First-Year Undergraduates. Journal of College
Student Development, 48, 259-274.
[16] Seiffge-Krenke, I., &Klessinger, N. (2000). Long-term effects of
avoidant coping on adolescents- depressive symptoms. Journal of Youth
and Adolescence, 29, 617-628.
[17] Buck, R. (1999). The biological affects: A typological. Psychological
Review, 106, 301-336.
[18] Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Cognition and motivation in emotion. American
Psychologist, 46, 352-367.
[19] Ebbin, A. J., & Blankenship, E. S. (1986). A longitudinal health care
study: International versus domestic students. Journal of American
College Health, 34, 177-182.
[20] Misra, R., Crist, M., &Burant, C.J. (2003). Relationships among Life
Stress, Social Support, Academic Stressors, and Reactions to Stressors
of International Students in the United States. International Journal of
Stress Management, 10, 137-157.
[21] Wan, T., Chapman, D. W., & Biggs, D. A. (1992). Academic stress of
international students attending U.S. universities. Research in Higher
Education, 33, 607-623.
[22] Mackay, C., Cox, T., Burrows, G., &Lazzerini, T. (1978). An inventory
for the measurement of self-reported stress and arousal. British Journal
of Social and Clinical Psychology, 17, 283-284.
[23] Procidano, M.E. & Heller, K. (1983). Measures of perceived social
support from friends and from family: Three validation studies.American
Journal of Community Psychology, 11, 1-24.
[24] Patterson, J.M., &McCubbin, H.I. (1991). Family Assessment
Inventories for Research and Practice. Madison, WI: University of
Wisconsin.
[25] Zung, W.K. (1965). A Self-Rating Depression Scale. Archives of
General Psychiatry, 12, 63-70.
[26] Furnham, A. & S. Shiekh. (1991). Gender, generation and social support
correlates of mental health in Asian immigrants. International Journal of
Social Psychiatry, 39, 23-33.
[27] Coffman, D.L., & Gilligan, T.D. (2003). Social support, stress, and selfefficacy:
Effects on students- satisfaction. Journal of College Student
Retention, 4, 53-66.
[28] Meleis, A. I. (1982). Arab students in western universities: Social
properties and dilemmas. Journal of Higher Education, 53, 4, 439-447.
[29] Dyson, R., &Renk, K. (2006). Freshmen Adaptation to University Life:
Depressive symptoms, Stress and Coping. Journal of Clinical
Psychology, 62, 1231 - 1244.
[30] LeDoux, J. E. (1986). Sensory systems and emotion. Integrative
Psychiatry, 4, 237-248.
[31] Moroi, K. (1986). Loneliness induced by situational changes in lives of
freshmen. Japanese Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 25,
115-125.
[32] Klomegah., & Yao, R. (2006). Social factors relating to alienation
experienced by international students in the United States. College
Student Journal, 40, 303-315.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:57762", author = "Shamirah-Farah Faleel and Cai-Lian Tam and Teck-Heang Lee and Wai-Mun Har and Yie-Chu Foo", title = "Stress, Perceived Social Support, Coping Capability and Depression: A Study of Local and Foreign Students in the Malaysian Context", abstract = "The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of
perceived social support and stress on the coping capability and level
of depression of foreign and local students in Malaysia. Using
convenience sampling, 200 students from three universities in
Selangor, Malaysia participated in the study. The results of this study
revealed that there was a significant relationship between perceived
social support and coping capability. It is also found that there is a
negative relationship between coping capability and depression.
Further, stress and depression are positively related whereas stress
and coping capability are negatively related. Lastly, there is no
significant difference for the stress level and coping capability
amongst local and foreign students.", keywords = "Coping capability, depression, perceived social support, stress.", volume = "6", number = "1", pages = "117-7", }
