The Relationship Between Solution-Focused Thinking, Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Psychology Well-Being Among University Students

Year 2020, Volume: 10 Issue: 59, 649 - 660, 28.12.2020

Faika Şanal Karahan Erdal Hamarta

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine whether university students' solution focused thinking has a significant relationship with their levels of depression, anxiety, stress and psychological well-being and whether solution-focused thinking predicts these variables. While gathering data, the Solution Focused Inventory, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Flourishing Scale were used. Multiple regression analysis, variance analysis, and independent t-test were performed to determine whether goal orientation, resource activation and problem disengagement which are the subscales of solution-focused thinking predict other variables. According to the findings of the study, there was a positive relationship between these subscales and psychological well-being, and a negative relationship between these subscales and depression, anxiety, stress, and the subscales of solution-focused thinking significantly predict university students' depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological well-being.

Keywords

Solution-Focused Thinking, Psychological Well-Being, Depression, Anxiety, Stress

References

• Adewuya, A. O., Ola, B. A., Olutayo, O. A., Mapayi, B. M., & Oginni, O. O. (2006). Depression amongst Nigerian university students. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, l41, 674–678.
• Al-Ma’seb, H. (2018). Social support as a predictive factor: Solution-focused thinking in clinical social work. International Social Work, 19, 1-14.
• Bayram, N., & Bilgel, N. (2008). The prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of depression, anxiety and stress among a group of university students. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 43, 667–672.
• Beyebach, M. (2014). Change factors in solution-focused brief therapy: A review of the Salamanca studies. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 33(1), 62–77.
• Dameron, M. L. (2016). Person-centered counseling and solution-focused brief therapy: An integrative model for school counselors. Journal of School Counseling, 14(10), 1–28.
• De Castro, S., & Guterman, J. T. (2008). Solution-focused therapy for families coping with suicide. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 34, 93–106.
• De Jong, P., & Berg, I. K. (2012). Interviewing for solutions (4th edition). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
• Gilbert, P., McEwan, K., Bellew, R., Mills, A. ve Gale, C. (2009). The dark side of competition: How competitive behaviour and striving to avoid inferiority are linked to depression, anxiety, stress and self-harm. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 82,123–136.
• Grant, A. M., Cavanagh, M. J. , Kleitman, S. , Spence, G., Lakota, M., & Yu, N. (2012). Development and validation of the solution-focused inventory. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 7(4), 334-348.
• Grant, A. M., & Spence, G. B. (2010). Using coaching and positive psychology to promote a flourishing workforce: A model of goal-striving and mental health. In P.A. Linley, S. Harrington, and N. Page (Eds.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology and work (pp. 175–188). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Güler, M., Demirci, K., Karakuş, K., Kişioğlu, A. M., Zengin, E., Yozgart, Z., Ören, Ö., Saydam, G., & Yılmaz, H. R. (2014). Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi öğrencilerinde umutsuzluk-depresyon sıklığı ve sosyodemografik özellikler arasındaki ilişkinin belirlenmesi. International Journal of Basic and Clinical Medicine, 2(1),32-37.
• Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 885–878.
• Köktuna, S. Z. (2007). Çözüm odaklı kısa terapi tekniğinin alt sosyoekonomik seviyedeki kadınların geleceğe umut ile bakabilme ve boyun eğici davranışlarına etkisinin incelenmesi. Yayımlanmış Yüksek Lisans Tezi. Maltepe Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul.
• Neipp, M. D. C., Tirado, S., Beyebach, M., & Martínez González, M. D. C. (2017). Spanish adaptation of the Solution-Focused Inventory (SFI). Terapia Psicológica 2017, 35 (1) 5-14.
• Nerdrum, P., Rustoen, T. & Ronnestad, M. H. (2006). Student psychological distress: a psychometric study of 1750 Norwegian 1st-year undergraduate students. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 50(1),95–109.
• Orth, U. & Sowislo, J. F. (2013). Does low self-esteem predict depression and anxiety? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Psychological Bulletin, 139 (1), 213-240.
• Orth, U., Robins, R. W. & Widaman, K. F. (2012). Life-span development of self- esteem and its effects on important life outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 102, 1271–1288.
• Orth, U., Robins, R. W., Trzesniewski, K. H., Maes, J., & Schmitt, M. (2009). Low self-esteem is a risk factor for depressive symptoms from young adulthood to old age. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 118, 472–478.
• Ovuga, E., Boardman, J., & Wasserman, D. (2006). Undergraduate student mental health at Makerere University, Uganda. World Psychiatry, 5(1), 51–52.
• Özcan, H., Subaşı, B., Budak, B., Çelik, M., Gürel, Ş. C., & Yıldız, M. (2013). Ergenlik ve genç yetişkinlik dönemindeki kadınlarda benlik saygısı, sosyal görünüş kaygısı, depresyon ve anksiyete ilişkisi. Journal of Mood Disorders, 3(3), 107-13
• Anaswara, P., Chacko Eapen, J., George, S., & Baijesh, A. R. (2016). Dispositional mindfulness and solution- focused thinking among university students. International Conference on Solution-Focused Practices 2016, pp.136-143.
• Siyez, D. M., & Tan-Tuna, D. (2014). Lise öğrencilerinin öfke kontrolü ve iletişim becerilerinde çözüm odaklı psiko-eğitim programının etkisi. Türk Psikolojik Danışma ve Rehberlik Dergisi, 5 (41),11-22.
• Sparrer, I. (2012). Çözüm odaklı yaklaşıma ve sistemik yapısal dizime giriş. (Çev. Suvarierol, E.), İstanbul: Pan Yayıncılık.
• Stewart-Brown, S., Evans, J., Patterson, J., Petersen, S., Doll, H., Balding, J., & Regis, D. (2000). The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important and neglected public health problem? Journal Public Health Medicine, 22(4), 492–499.
• Şanal-Karahan, F. & Hamarta, E. (2016). Üniversite öğrencilerinde çözüm odaklı düşünmenin depresyon, anksiyete, stres ve psikolojik iyi oluş ile ilişkisi. Yayımlanmamış Doktora Tezi. Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Konya.
• Tadros, E. (2019). The tadros theory of change: An integrated structural, narrative, and solution-focused approach. Contemporary Family Therapy, 41: 347.
• Tomoda, A., Mori, K., Kimura, M., Takahashi, T., & Kitamura, T. (2000). One year prevalence and incidence of depression among firstyear university students in Japan: a preliminary study. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 54, 583–588.
• Yang, H., & Hai, T. (2015). Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the solution‐focused inventory in college students. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 43(4), 305-315.
• Wong, J.G.W.S., Cheung, E.P.T.,Chan, K.K.C., Ma, K.K.M. & Tang, S.W. (2006). Web-based survey of depression, anxiety and stress in first-year tertiary education students in Hong Kong. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 40(9), 777– 782.
• Voelker, R. (2003). Mounting student depression taxing campus mental health services. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 289,2055–2056.
• Zatloukal, L., Žákovskı, D., & Bezdíčková, E. (2019). Utilizing metaphors in solution-focused therapy. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 41(1), 24–36.