Hope and Personal Stress:Manifestation of Gender and Age

Hope, an aspect of positive mental health, plays a crucial role in eliminating personal stress in contemporary life, especially during the phase of emerging adulthood. This study was designed to assess the role of biological age and gender in hope and personal stress of emerging adults, and to explore the relationship between hope and personal stress. It is hypothesized that there will be difference between biological age group and gender with reference to hope and personal stress. This cross-sectional study includes 2 x 2 between groups factorial design involving 120 participants selected by random sampling method, out of which 60 (30 males and 30 females) belong to in the age group of 18-21 years and 60 (30 males and 30 females) to the age group of 25-28 years. The results reveal that the participants of younger age group are more hopeful than of the older age group, and the males are more hopeful than the female. Personal stress has been experienced more by older age group and males than that the younger age group and females, respectively. It is found out that the participants when become more hopeful they are less susceptible to personal stress. Implications and future direction of the study have been discussed in light of related literature.