4E Strategies for coping with stress and improving mental wellbeing

Question 1

Coping

Answer 1

• describes all the things we do to manage and reduce stress
• usually involve coping strategys

Question 2

Coping strategys and what the sucess of them is influenced by

Answer 2

a method we use to manage or reduce the stress produced by a stressor

stratergies sucess is influenced by
- coping flexibility
- context-specific effectiveness

Question 3

Coping flexibility

Answer 3

the ability to modify our coping strategies to adapt to different stressful situations

Question 4

Individuals with high coping flexibility vs low coping flexibility

Answer 4

high- quickly adjust coping strategies if they are ineffective

low- use the same coping strategies across different situations, even if they continue to not work

Question 5

Context-specific effectiveness

Answer 5

when a coping strategy matches or is appropriate to the stressful situation

e.g
- physical environment
- stressor itself
- individual involved

Question 6

Strategies for coping with stress

Answer 6

approach- confronting the stressor directly

avoidance- evading a stressor and dealing with it indirectly (maladaptive)

Question 7

Examples of approach strategies

Answer 7

• seeking advice from experts e.g counseller
• talking through problems with a friend or family member
• accepting responsibility

Question 8

Benefits and limitations of approach strategies

Answer 8

benefits
- more adaptive and effective than avoidance
- enable better functioning and fewer psychological symptoms

limitations
- in the short term it may increase stress levels while engaging with stressor
- may require lots of energy and focus to deal with stressor, causing neglection of other aspects of life

Question 9

Examples of avoidance strategies

Answer 9

• pocrastination
• napping or oversleeping
• substance use or abuse
• denial
• use of distractions

Question 10

Benefits and limitations to avoidance strategies

Answer 10

benefits
- may be considered an adaptive strategy (if unchangeable)
- conserves energy to focus on other stressors that can be changed
- might be appropriate if nothing can be done
- more effective in coping in the short term
- can provide an ‘time out’

limitations
- tend to be maladaptive
- associated with negative consequences e.g increased vulnerability to mental health problems an stress related physical problems
- can contribute to other problems e.g socially inappropriate behaviours and substance use

Question 11

Exercise as an avoidance coping strategy

Answer 11

even though it has benefits it is considered an avoidance strategy because it does not directly deal with stressor (unless stressor is being fit or losing weight)