Optimism, self-efficacy, and perceived stress as predictors of self-reported health symptoms in college students

Studies provide support for the notion of increased vulnerability to upper respiratory track infections (URIs) with exposure to psychological stress, but only few have examined whether optimism and self-efficacy might moderate this relationship. The purpose of the present study was to examine (a) the influence of academic exam stress on susceptibility to URIs and (b) the extent to which these personality characteristics buffer against stress-related vulnerability to URIs. Using a repeated-measures design, URI infection status was measured in a sample of 80 college students with self-reports both during an exam period and outside such a period. Results suggested that optimism may protect from the adverse influence of heightened stress and that pessimistic, low self-efficacious participants may be at elevated risk for the development of URIs at times of increased stress.