Examining predictors of subjective well-being and stress symptoms among university students

The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of mindfulness, self-compassion, emotion management skills and social interest levels in subjective well-being and stress symptoms. In this research, independent variables are mindfulness, self-compassin, emotion management skills and social interest. Dependent variables are subjective well-being and stress symptoms. The universe of this study is the students who are attending different faculties at Akdeniz Üniversity. Tha sample of the study includes students from selected from Faculty of Education, Faculty of Literature, and School of Physical Education. In composing study sample, several classes were chosen from faculties or schools and the data collection instruments were administered in these classes in fall semester of 2015-2016 Academic year. Research sample consists of 834 students, of which were 519 female and 315 male. Age range of students are 17-27, with the mean of 20.43. In the study, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale, Emotion Management Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Stress Self-Assessment Checklist, Social Interest Index and Personal Information Form was used. Hierarchical regression results showed that describe, actaware and non-react dimensions of mindfulness significantly predicted subjective well being. The results also showed that observe, actaware, non-judge and non-react significantly predicted syptoms stress. It also appeared that self-kidness, self-judgement, and isolation dimensions of self-compassion were significat predictors of subjective well being whereas only isolation and over-identification dimesions of self-compassion were significant pretictos of stress symptoms. According to the results, emotion management skills significantly predicted both subjective well-being and stress syptoms. Finally, it appeared that social interest significantly predicted subjective well-being, but did not predict stress syptoms.