Associations of Taking Conflict Personally with Mental and Physical Health: An Allostatic Load Perspective

Building from an allostatic load perspective, this study tested mental and physical health outcomes associated with taking conflict personally. Four hundred and thirty-seven students completed measures assessing direct personalization, persecution feelings, stress reactions, positive relational effects, negative relational effects, and like/dislike valence; mental health; and physical health. Persecution feelings and like/dislike valence were negatively associated with mental health; negative relational effects were positively associated with mental health; direct personalization and persecution feelings were negatively associated with physical health; and like/dislike valence was positively associated with physical health. Results indicated partial support for a model in which mental health mediated associations between taking conflict personally and physical health.