Abstract: The present study examined the relationships among different stress sources, coping strategies and female university students’ negative feelings by applying the structural equation modeling analysis. Two hundred and thirty-nine female university students were asked to fill out questionnaires on stress, coping, depression and anxiety. The results indicated that (1) the predictive effects of stress and coping strategies on negative feelings are significant. (2) The process models about stress, coping strategies and negative feelings are different across stress sources in several aspects. Academic stress not only has the direct effects on negative feelings, but also has the indirect effects through negative problem-solving strategies. Economic stress has only the indirect effects on negative feelings through negative problem-solving and support-seeking strategies. In addition to the direct effects on negative feelings, interpersonal stress also has the indirect effects on negative feelings through negative problem-solving and support-seeking strategies. (3) Whatever the stress is from the academic, economic or interpersonal situation, negative problem-solving and support-seeking strategies always have the significant effects on negative feelings.

Key words: Stress, coping strategies, depression, anxiety, female university students