Abstract
This study examined different protective and risk factors that influence perceived stress. Participants (N = 254) were recruited from introductory psychology courses in exchange for course credit. Six surveys were used to examine the dependent variable of perceived stress and the independent variables of positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, religious orientation, spirituality, and demographic information. Standard multiple regression analyses indicated that the chosen variables had a significant effect on the dependent variable of perceived stress. Specifically, the combination of higher levels of spirituality, negative affect, and extrinsic religious orientation, and lower levels of positive affect, intrinsic religious orientation, and life satisfaction in combination significantly predicted perceived stress. Previously reported findings of differences between genders and ethnicities were not supported by the results of this study, however this could be due to the heterogeneity of the student population.