This study was conducted in order to explore the relationship between the level of perceived stress and amount of television viewing and to clarify the role of television viewing motives and television affinity as mediators of the relationship between aforementioned variables. The structural equations modelling was used to analyse data from a sample of 216 female college students. The results suggested that perceived stress was not directly linked to the amount of television viewing but indirectly through two mediating variables – ritual motives and television affinity. Instrumental motives did not play any mediating role in the relationship between stress, affinity and amount of television viewing. Television affinity depended directly only on ritual motives and was positively related to the amount of television viewing. Finally, implication of the results for mental health and well-being of students were discussed.

perceived stress, ritual TV viewing motives, instrumental TV viewing, TV affinity, TV viewing