Coping With Stress

When coping with stress, many people tend to use one of the three main coping strategies: 1. appraisal focused, 2. problem focused, or 3. emotion focused coping. Appraisal focused strategies are those that modify the way we think, for example employing denial, or distancing oneself from the problem. People may alter the way they think about a problem by altering their goals and values, such as by seeing the humor in a situation.

People using problem-focused strategies deal with the cause of their problem. They do this by finding out information on the problem and learning new skills to manage the problem. Emotion focused strategies involve releasing pent-up emotions, distracting oneself, managing hostile feelings, meditating (such as a 8-point program offered by Sri Eknath Easwaran), and using relaxation methologies, including using CDs (Liquid Mind) for example which is one of my person favorite relaxation CD series.

Most people use a mixture of all three types of coping, and coping skills will usually change over time. All these methods are useful, but some studies suggest that those using problem focused coping strategies will adjust better to life.

Men often prefer problem-focused coping, whereas women often tend towards an emotion focused response. Problem focused coping mechanisms may allow an individual greater perceived control over their problem, while emotion focused coping may more often lead to a reduction in perceived control. Therefore problem focused mechanisms may represent a more effective means of coping.

In coping with psychological stress, many studies show that the primary positive factor is to have relationships that provide care and support, create love and trust, and offer encouragement, both within and outside the family. Additional factors are also associated with resilience, such as the capacity to make realistic plans, having self-confidence and a positive self image, developing communications skills, and the capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses.

Research has also discovered the individual differences in coping. Self-esteem, ego-control, and ego-resiliency are related to behavioral adaptation. For example, maltreated children who feel good about themselves may process risk situations differently by attributing different reasons to the environments they experience and, thereby, avoid producing negative internalized self-perceptions. Ego control is the threshold or operating characteristics of an individual with regard to the expression or containment of their impulses, feelings, and desires. Ego resilience refers to the dynamic capacity to modify one’s level of ego-control, in either direction, as a function of the demand characteristics of the particular situation.

Research has shown that when maltreated children experienced some risk factors, such as single parenting, limited maternal education, or family unemployment, they exhibited lower ego resilience and intelligence than non-maltreated children. Further, maltreated children are more likely than non-maltreated children to demonstrate disruptive, aggressive, withdraw, and internalized behavior problems. Finally, ego resiliency, and positive self esteem are predictors of competent adaptation in maltreated children.

Demographic information, such as gender, and resources, such as social support, are also predictive of coping. Studying people's adaptation after the 9/11 attacks in NYC,  women were associated with less likelihood of coping than men. Also, individuals who were less involved in affinity groups and organizations showed less coping. Additional studies of coping in Vietnam war veterans found social support to be a major factor contributing to coping.

In my next blog, I’ll have more to say about coping strategies that can be learned and therefore give one better coping abilities in today’s highly stressed liviing conditions.