Lecture 10 - Coping

Coping

Process of trying to manage demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding one’s resources

Stage 1 of Coping Process

Stressful event, its stage, and anticipated future course

Stage 2 of Coping Process

Appraisal and interpretation of the stressor

Stage 3 of Coping Process

Coping responses and strategies

Stage 4 of Coping Process

Coping tasks

Stage 5 of Coping Process

Coping outcomes

Negative Affectivity

Personality variable marked by:

• Pervasive negative mood —> anxiety, depression, and hospitality

Implicated in experience of symptoms, seeking of medical treatment, and possibly illness

Positive Affectivity

• Promotes better mental + physical health

• Linked with lower levels of stress indicators

• Triggers better immune responses

• Improves coping

Resilience

Ability to bounce back from negative experiences and adapt to stressful situations

Resources for promoting resilience

• Sense of coherence + purpose about life

• Sense of humor + trust in others

• Sense that life is worth living

• Religious beliefs

Coping Style

Propensity to deal with stressful events in a particular way

Avoidant Coping Style

Coping by avoiding threat

Approach Coping Style

Coping by gathering information or directly taking action against threat

Problem-focused Coping

Attempting to do something constructive about the stressful conditions

Emotion-focused coping

Regulating emotions experienced due to the stressful event

Coping with Tragedy, Stage 1 (Emergency Stage)

Thinking about and discussion of the event with others occurs

Coping with Tragedy, Stage 2 (Inhibition Stage)

Discussion is reduced or ceases, but thinking and rumination continues

Coping with Tragedy, Stage 3 (Adaptation Stage)

Both discussion and thought about the event diminish

John Henryism

Prolonged, high-effort active coping with psychosocial environmental stressors

• Ex: African Americans with these traits tend to work through medical crises

Mindfulness Meditation

Teaches:

• Having a higher awareness of present

• Focus on present ad accept it

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Teaches:

• Accepting the problem

• Be aware of occurrence and conditions that cause it

• Change behaviors

Coping Effectiveness Training

Teachers:

• How to assess stressful events

• Disaggregate stressors into specific tasks