Life Stress and Health: Stressors and Resources

In the life stress process social, psychological, and physiological environments simultaneously impinge on well-being. In this paper we focus on physical health as it is affected by two environmental elements: stress(or)es and resources. Data from a three-wave panel survey of a representative upstate New York community are examined by lagged causal relationships among these variables. The results show that (1) prior physiological conditions contribute directly to current physical symptoms, (2) stress and resource components of the psychological environment directly affect current physical symptoms, (3) social resources buffer both social stressors and psychological stress, whereas psychological resources buffer only psychological stress, and (4) psychological stress mediates the effects of prior social stressors and psychological resources. Clearly, stress is a complex process in which the three interacting environments affect well-being. Importantly, social resources play a buffering role relative to social and psychological stresses for physical well-being.