Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice

ISSN: 2630-5984

General Self-Efficacy and Forgiveness of Self, Others, and Situations as Predictors of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in University Students

Cem Gençoğlu
, General Directorate of Basic Education, Ministry of National Education, Ankara 06650 Turkey
Ertuğrul Şahin
Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Faculty of Education, Amasya University, Merkez, Amasya 05100 Turkey
Nursel Topkaya
Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Faculty of Education, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Atakum, Samsun 55139 Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between three factors—depression, anxiety, and stress— with general self-efficacy and forgiveness of the self, others, and situations. A convenience sample of 542 students (335 females, 207 males) was recruited from a university in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey. Participants responded to the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42), and a personal information form to determine their forgiveness, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety and stress levels, as well as their socio-demographics. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis and multivariate multiple regression analysis. The results of this study suggested that forgiveness of self and situations were negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. However, forgiveness of others and general self-efficacy were not significant predictors of depression, anxiety, or stress. Mental health practitioners should focus on increasing their clients’ forgiveness levels to help them cope effectively with negative affectivity symptoms including depression, anxiety, and stress in university students.

Keywords
Depression, • Anxiety, Stress, Self-efficacy, Forgiveness of self, Forgiveness of others, Forgiveness of situations, University students.