Differences in Health, Stress and Coping - A Cross Cultural Comparison

Abstract: This thesis presents a quantitative research that was conducted as a minor field studywith a comparison of Swedish and Indonesian undergraduates. The purpose of this study wasto compare cultural disparities concerning health, stress and coping strategies between the two countries. A questionnaire was carried out, both online and by paper in Sweden, and by paper in Indonesia. 156 Swedish and 172 Indonesian students participated. The survey consisted offive different instrument scales of time perspective, satisfaction with life, perceived stress, coping, and individualism versus collectivism. Swedish students reported higher levels of health, life satisfaction and stress than Indonesian students. It was also found that Swedishstudents were more future oriented while Indonesian students were more present hedonistic. Swedish students used less active coping than Indonesian students and male students used more active coping than female students. It was also found that Indonesian students did not ask others for help as much as Swedish students. Finally, it was also shown that health predicted satisfaction with life.