Coping with Stress

Question 1

Strategies for Coping with Stress

Answer 1

Coping: a process invol ving cognitive and beha vioural efforts to manage specific internal or external stressors which are appraised as exceeding the resources of the person
Coping Strategy: a specific method (beha vioural or psychological) used to manage stress
There are many strategies available some more beneficial than others ➡ The effectiveness of coping strategies depends on:
● The nature of the stressor (acute, chronic, daily pressures or catastrophes)
● The indi dual (their appraisals, coping flexibility, personality, access to
support)
● The stressful event itself

Question 2

Context Specific Effectiveness

Answer 2

The context of the stressor will impact the effectiveness of a given coping strategy.
Context Specific Effectiveness: when there is a positive match between the coping strategy and the stressful situation

Question 3

Coping Flexibility

Answer 3

Coping Flexibility: The ability to effectively modify or adjust one’s coping strategies according to the demands of different stressful situations
The ability to:
● Recognise whether the use of a flexible coping approach is appropriate for a specific situation
● Select a coping strategy that suits the situational circumstances
● Recognise when the coping strategy being used is ineffective
● Discontinue an ineffective coping strategy
● Produce and implement an alternative coping strategy when required.
High coping flexibility results in greater adaptability and a willingness to employ various strategies
Low coping flexibility results in persistence with the same, ineffective strategies

Question 4

Approach & Avoidance Coping Strategies

Answer 4

NOTE: Both categories of strategies attempt to reduce the experience of stress and increase capacity to cope, however the approach to achieve this differs

Approach coping strategies:
Involve efforts to confront a stressor and deal directly with it and its effects
● The strategy addresses the cause of stress directly one acts to resolve ➡
what’s causing stress
● People using these strategies tend to be stronger and have fewer psychological symptoms
Avoidance Coping Strategies:
Involve efforts that evade a stressor and deal indirectly with it and its effects
● Acti ty is focused away from the stressor
● Promotes disengagement from the stressor
● People relying on avoidance strategies are less adaptive and more likely to
7
Strengths
Limitations
● Emphasises psychological responses
● Difficult to test through experimental research
to a stressor and the personal nature
experience stress related physical and mental problems