Coping strategy (coping mechanism) is a natural or learned way of responding to a changing environment or specific problem or situation. Coping can be adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive coping helps the person to deal effe effect ctiv ively ely with with stre stress ssfu full even events ts and and mini minimi mize zess dist distre ress ss asso associ ciat ated ed with with them them.. Mala Malada dapt ptiv ivee copin coping g can can resu result lt in unnec unneces essa sary ry dist distre ress ss for for the the pers person on and othe others rs associated with the person or stressful event. Earl Early y on, azar azarus us and !ol" !ol"ma man n (#$% (#$%&) &) and and thei theirr colle colleag ague uess made made a basi basicc distinctio distinction n between between problem'foc problem'focused used coping and emotion' emotion' focused focused coping. coping. roblem roblem focused coping may entail ta"ing steps to remove the stressor, or evade its arrival, or to reduce reduce its its physic physical al contac contact. t. Emoti Emotion'f on'focu ocused sed coping coping stems stems from from the fact fact that that stress stress eperiences generally lead to emotional distress. Emotion'focused coping is aimed at preventing, minimizing, or reducing this distress. According According to COPE inventory inventory by Charles Charles S. Carver (1989), (1989), Problem-fo Problem-focused cused coping includes Active coping, planning, suppression of competing activities, restraint coping and seeking of social support for instrumental reasons. Active coping is the process of taking active steps to try to remove or circumvent the stress stressor or or to amelio ameliorat ratee its eff effect ects. s. Active Active coping coping includ includes es initia initiatin ting g direct direct action action,, increasing one's efforts, and trying to execute a coping attempt in stepwise fashion. Planni Planning ng is thinking about how to cope with a stressor. Planning involves coming up with action strategies, thinking about what steps to take and how best to handle the problem.
Suppression of competing activities means putting other projects aside, trying to avoid becoming distracted by other events, even letting other things slide, if necessary, in order to deal with the stressor. waiting g until until an appropr appropriat iatee opport opportuni unity ty to act presen presents ts itsel itself, f, Restraint coping is waitin holding one- self back, and not acting prematurely. This is an active coping strategy in the sense that the person's behavior is focused on dealing effectively with the stressor, but it is also a passive strategy in the sense that using restraint means not acting.
Seeking social support for instrumental reasons is seeking advice, assistance, or information. Emotion Emotion -focused -focused coping includes seeking social support support for emotional reasons, positive positive reinterpre reinterpretatio tation n and growth, growth, denial, denial, acceptance, acceptance, turning to religion, and humor. (Carver, et. Al 1989)
Seeking social support for emotional reasons is getting moral support, sympathy, or understanding.
Positive reinterpretation and growth is a type of emotion- focused coping: coping aimed at managing distress emotions rather than at dealing with the stressor.
Denial are reports of refusal to believe that the stressor exists or of trying to act as though the stressor is not real. Acceptance is accepting the reality of a stressful situation in which stressor is something that must be accommodated, as supposed to circumstances in which the stressor can easily be changed. Turning to religion for emotional support, as a vehicle for positive reinterpretation and growth, or as a tactic of active coping with a stressor. Humor involves making light of the problem. As an extension, the said inventory also identifies the less helpful ways of coping which includes focusing on and venting of emotions, behavioral disengagement, mental disengagement, and substance use. (Carver, et. Al 1989)
Focusing on and venting of emotions: the tendency to focus on whatever distress or upset one is experiencing and to ventilate those feelings
Behavioral disengagement: reducing one's effort to deal with the stressor, even giving up the attempt to attain goals with which the stressor is interfering. Mental disengagement occurs via a wide variety of activities that serve to distract the person from thinking about the behavioral dimension or goal with which the stressor is interfering. Substance use includes using alcohol or drugs to reduce distress
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