Relationship Between Decision-Making Styles and Perceived Stress Among Postgraduate Students

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between General Decision-Making Styles and perceived stress among adults to gain a deeper understanding of how decision-making processes influence stress levels. Employing a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 222 participants using validated self-report measures for General decision-making styles, which include Rational, Avoidant, Dependent, Intuitive, and Spontaneous decision-making styles, as well as the Perceived Stress Scale. Spearman’s rho correlation analyses revealed significant associations between certain decision-making styles and stress levels. The Dependent decision-making style was positively correlated with perceived stress (p < 0.001), suggesting that individuals who rely on others for decision-making may experience higher stress due to a perceived lack of control over their decisions. Similarly, the Intuitive style showed a moderate positive correlation with stress (p < 0.001), indicating that intuitive decision-makers may also be susceptible to stress. Conversely, Avoidant and Spontaneous decision-making styles showed no significant relationship with perceived stress, highlighting the nuanced impact of different decision-making styles on stress perception. These findings suggest that fostering adaptive decision-making approaches could play a role in stress management interventions. Future research should investigate causal relationships and consider the contextual factors that influence decision-making and stress.