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Abstract
The study investigates the role of social skills within the framework of the Communication Theory of Resilience (CTR) and its relationship on college students’ ability to manage stress and achieve positive adaptation. College students experience significant stress that could lead to mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. The study also integrates the Social Skills Deficit Vulnerability Model (SSDV) to examine whether distress disclosure skills moderate the engagement in resilience-building processes. CTR processes were also examined to mediate between stress and positive adaptation. College students completed a survey assessing their stress levels related to a difficult event, distress disclosure, CTR behaviors, and positive adaptation. Results show no significant mediated or moderated relationships. The findings highlight the nuanced role of specific CTR behaviors and contextual factors in fostering adaptation, stressing the complexity of resilience processes and the need for further research to enhance the theoretical and practical understanding of communicating resilience.