Stress in Context: Social Determinants, Coping, and Policy Implications in a Representative Austrian Sample

Stress is a near-universal experience with profound health implications, yet population-level data on its prevalence and effective coping strategies remain limited. This preregistered study examined the prevalence of stress, coping behaviours, and their differential impact on well-being in a representative sample (N = 1,099) from Austria, a high-income country with a robust social safety net. Using validated scales alongside novel stress and coping inventories, we found that 7% of participants reported extreme stress, with self-imposed pressure, constant availability, and social relationships emerging as dominant stressors. While better social integration predicted higher well-being, it did not buffer the effects of stress. Conversely, self-selected coping strategies (e.g., gardening, yoga) significantly mitigated the impacts of stress (p < 0.001). Women reported higher stress levels, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive interventions. Results suggest that in high-resource contexts, public health policies should integrate structural supports with individualized coping tools to address stress holistically.