从自我构念的视角分析独生子与非独生子的日常应激水平差异

From the Self-Construal Perspective to Analyse the Differences of Daily Psychological Stress Level Between Only Children and Non-Only Children

为了解独生子与非独生子的心理应激差异,将被试区分为独生子、长子和非长子,从自我构念的视角考察独生子与非独生子的日常心理应激水平差异及其表现出的不同日常心理应激水平的原因.研究1以唾液皮质醇觉醒反应水平作为心理应激的指标,发现长子的应激水平显著高于独生子;研究2以主观应激报告为指标,同时测量了被试的自我构念水平,结果发现长子的应激水平高于独生子和非长子,并且发现互依自我构念中介因是否独生子而对日常应激水平产生不同的影响,研究结果提示由于长子具有更高的互依自我构念,较多的考虑自我与他人的关系,导致了其比独生子有更高的日常应激水平.

Stress is an important and common feeling everyone may encounter. The differences of stress level between only children and non-only children are inconsistent. In the present studies the participants were classified into three groups: only children, firstborn children and non-firstborn children, so as to investigate the differences of daily psychological stress level among the three groups and the causes for them from the perspective of self-construal. In Study 1, we used the cortisol awaking responses(CAR) as the index of daily psychological stress. The results indicated that the daily stress level of the firstborns was significantly higher than that of the only children(p=0.022) and the non-firstborns(p=0.042). In Study 2, we measured the subjective reports of the psychological stress and the self-construal of the subjects. The results showed that the daily stress level of the firstborns was significantly higher than that of the only children(p=0.031) and the non-firstborns(p=0.008) and that the interdependent self-construal completely mediated the effect between groups(only child/firstborn) and daily stress level. The results of the above two studies suggested that the firstborns, who possess higher interdependent self-construal and consider more relationships with others, perceive higher daily stress level than only children.