Stress Buffers and Dysphoria: A Prospective Study

Following recommendations to include multiple predictors within a single study, this prospective study tested whether generalized self-efficacy (GSE), positive thoughts, optimism, and self-mastery may act as stress buffers. The Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire- Positive, the Life Orientation Test, the Self-Mastery Scale, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, the Life Experiences Survey, and the Beck Depression Inventory were administered to 69 undergraduate volunteers twice over 5 weeks. The GSE x negative life events interaction accounted for unique variance in future dysphoria, indicating that, for greater preexisting GSE, negative life events were less associated with dysphoria. This finding suggests that GSE may act as a stress buffer: When exposed to stressors, persons with higher GSE may become less dysphoric than persons with lower GSE. Additionally, for higher self-mastery, negative life events had a stronger relationship with future dysphoria. This suggests that self-mastery may in some circumstances act as a stress exacerbator: When exposed to stressors, persons with higher self-mastery appear to become more dysphoric than persons with lower self-mastery.