Follow-up study on the effects of sense of coherence on well-being after two years in Japanese university undergraduate students

Considering first- and second-year university undergraduate students as subjects, this study examined the effect of the sense of coherence (SOC) at the baseline level and subsequent changes in SOC after two years on aspects related to the students’ well-being in their third and fourth school years. These aspects included good physical and mental well-being and the successful resolution of developmental themes. A follow-up survey was performed based on a self-administered questionnaire for 406 undergraduates at two universities in Tokyo. The first survey was conducted in June 2000 and the second, in September 2002. Valid responses were received from 281 students (response rate: 69.2%). A multiple regression analysis showed that high baseline-SOC and later SOC-change were predictors of high physical and mental well-being, which consisted of three domains such as somatic symptoms, and so on, and high psycho-social well-being, which consisted of six domains such as growing interest in learning, clarity regarding one’s own career, and so on. Moreover, the effects on well-being differed slightly between males and females. These results demonstrate that Antonovsky’s theory that SOC influences well-being, including successfully responding to the developmental theme, can be confirmed in male students; however, this is only partially confirmed in female students.