Family Unpredictability and Sense of Coherence: Relationships With Anxiety and Depression in Two Samples
Abstract
Sense of coherence (SOC) refers to beliefs about how comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful one’s life is. We investigated how SOC relates to family of origin unpredictability and psychological functioning in two samples. College students (N=172, 78% female; M=18.9 years old; 78% white/Caucasian) who recalled more family unpredictability while growing up also reported weaker SOC beliefs and poorer mental health. Furthermore, SOC mediated the negative impact of family unpredictability on anxiety but not on depression. Among adults (N=220, 47% female, 50% male, 3% gender nonconforming; M=40.2 years old; 60% Caucasian), correlations among family chaos, SOC, and psychological functioning were even stronger, overall. One mediation was detected: the relationship between family unpredictability and anxiety was partially explained by adults’ perceptions regarding the manageability of their life. This is the first study to explore the relationships among SOC, family chaos, and psychological functioning.
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Biographies
Lisa Thomson Ross, Ph.D., is a Social Psychologist and Professor of Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies at the College of Charleston. Her main research focus is on mental health and unpredictability, both in our experiences (e.g., family chaos) and in our beliefs. Other teaching and research interests include humility, compassion, and human sexuality.
Bradley Heming, commercial real estate professional offering extensive and diverse operations, development, investment management and capital markets experience.
Alexa Lane, Student Doctor at VCOM. Medical University of South CarolinaEdward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Charleston, SC, USA
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Article first published online: March 24, 2022
Issue published: August 2023
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