Final answer:
Mediating factors in the life-events approach help determine individual responses to life changes and stressors, including coping mechanisms, social support, and subjective appraisals. These factors can amplify or mitigate the stress effects of both major life events and daily hassles on one's health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mediating factors in the contemporary life-events approach are elements that can influence how an individual experiences and reacts to significant life changes. These factors may include personal coping strategies, social support networks, and the perceived control over the situation. Studies by psychiatrists Holmes and Rahe suggest that life events requiring substantial adjustment can be stressful, regardless of whether they are perceived as positive or negative. This concept is central to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), which lists 43 life events that necessitate different levels of personal readjustment.
Mediating factors can either buffer the impact of stressful events or exacerbate the stress experienced. For instance, strong support systems may provide emotional comfort and practical assistance, lessening the stress that accompanies life changes. On the other hand, the absence of such support could increase stress levels. Daily hassles, although considered less significant than major life events, can accumulate and also serve as stressors, potentially impacting health and wellbeing.
The appraisal of a situation plays a significant role in stress levels. People perceive and respond to stressors differently; for example, a challenge that one person finds invigorating may be overwhelming to another. Therefore, the subjective evaluation of life events and daily hassles, along with personal and environmental resources, can mediate the impact of stress on health outcomes.