A Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analysis investigating the association between Religion, Mindfulness and Personality on Stress and Anxiety

Khaffaf, Delia (2017) A Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analysis investigating the association between Religion, Mindfulness and Personality on Stress and Anxiety. Manchester Metropolitan University. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The psychological field of stress and anxiety has been extensively explored; nonetheless it is argued that in order to fully understand a construct, individual differences that introduce variance to the stress and health domain must be examined. Literature has investigated confounding variables and the likes of religiosity, mindfulness and personality traits have indicated associations with stress and anxiety. Consequently, using a correlational survey design, the current study investigated relationships between the predictor variables; religiosity, mindfulness and the big five personality traits on the criterion variable; stress and anxiety, using a student volunteer sample (N = 114) (Female = 78, male = 36) with an age range of 19-24. An 85- item questionnaire was posted online and participants were recruited through an online participation pool and a private group on social media.Pearsons correlation coefficients indicated negative correlations between the variables of religiosity, mindfulness, agreeableness, extraversion, contentiousness and openness on the criterion variable, a positive correlation was observed for neuroticism on stress and anxiety. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that, within religion and mindfulness, only mindfulness was a strong predictor of stress and anxiety. When the big personality traits were added to the model, mindfulness became non-significant and the only strong predictor of stress and anxiety was neuroticism, suggesting an indirect relationship between mindfulness, neuroticism, stress and anxiety.These findings confirm the importance of these variables in reducing stress and anxiety and some findings were consistent was previous literature. The limitations, further implications and directions for future research are discussed.