The concept of coping is fascinating because it analyses the way in which an individual responds to a situation, as well as whether or not it is effective. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) defined coping as the "constantly changing cognitive and behavioural efforts made by individuals to manage specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person". This essay will cover the many perspectives on the subject of coping, from the cognitive viewpoint to the more comprehensive biopsychosocial theory. It will also detail the characteristics of adaptive copers and the effective strategies they use, as well as comparing and contrasting these with patterns that are generally considered maladaptive.
The first published theory of coping was imagined by Lazarus (1984), who ascribed to the cognitive viewpoint. Lazarus was interested in the concept of stress as a transaction, and suggested that people go through stages of appraisal. The first stage is where the individual determines whether or not the event is a threat. If the event is identified as threatening, the individual then evaluates their ability to cope with the stressor. These evaluations are repeated regularly to ensure continued accuracy, especially as the individual attempts to deal with the stressor. Dienstbier (1989) refined this theory so that the term "stress" pertained only to negative outcomes, whereas the term "challenge" was introduced in reference to transactions which could lead to either a positive or negative outcome. The distinction was important because these outcomes resulted in different physiological responses. Frankenhaeuser (1986) discovered that these responses were tied to the level of dissatisfaction the ...
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... situation (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Having a plan to confront a stressful situation will greatly strengthens an individual's sense of self-efficacy, and thus improve their wellbeing (Roesch, Weiner & Vaughn, 2002).
In conclusion, the ability to cope is an important skill because it has a major effect on both physical and mental health. People use a variety of strategies in their attempts to cope with life's stressors, such as problem-solving and venting their emotions. When a coping strategy endangers an individual's wellbeing or makes the problem worse in the long-term, then it is considered maladaptive. Type B, Type R, and Survivor personalities are known for being the best at coping with stress because they respond to stress instead of simply reacting to it. When stressful events are viewed as an opportunity for personal growth, coping becomes second-nature.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1987). Transactional theory and research on emotions and coping. European Journal of Personality, 1(3), 141-169. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=6af88033-cdff-4c3b-8b49-dadc2d302c35%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4105
Lochman, J. E., Boxmeyer, C. L., Powell, N. P., Qu, L., Wells, K., & Windle, M. (2012). Coping
According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is the process of adjusting enough in the presence of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or major sources of stress such as financial and workplace problems, family/ relationship problems, and severe health problems or workplace and financial stressors (American Psychological Association, 2013).
Psychological literature shows that certain personality types make a person more or less prone to experiencing frequent stress. It is thought that specific characteristics of personalities determine what will make individuals feel stressed. To test the correlation between personality type and stress, I conducted three interviews with people of varying personality types. Through interviewing codependent, type-A, and hardy individuals; I found there to be a correlation between personality, stressors, and coping techniques.
In addition, lots of Americans chose watching movies as a way of coping with their financial struggles, allowing them to take a break from worrying. Coping is a form of perseverance that can be seen as ignoring the problem. However, coping suggests that the individual has not given up, but is finding ways to deal with the stress that comes with enduring many challenges. The 1930s proved to be a difficult time, but the people of the United States rose to the challenge and
Coping with stress in inevitable but there are various strategies people can learn to cope with in our everyday life. Benjamin Lahey, a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, wrote an article “Coping with Stress” on how to handle them. Everybody is different in their own way so not everyone is going to deal with stress the same way. In the article, Professor Lahey mentions positive and negative, productive and non-productive methods people handle stress through effective coping, ineffective coping, and defense mechanisms.
Smeets, T., Otgaar, H., & Raymaekers, L. (2012). Survival processing in times of stress. Psychon Bull Rev, 19, 113-118.
According to psychology, the ability of humans to adapt to negative life situations and withstand stress and adversity is centered in a concept called resilience. An individual with resilience may experience the stress and pain that oppression and adversity brings; however, they are better able to control their negative emotions, rather than allowing these emotions to control their thoughts and actions. Resilience is not something people are born with or without, it is a trait that is developed. However, there are causational factors that contribute to the development of resilience. A few of these factors are: Having at least one close friendship and or having a
Jones, F, Bright, J, Clow, A (2001). Stress: myth, theory and research. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. p. 10.
The definition of coping is described in the text as the “constantly changing (dynamic) cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage internal and/or external demands exceeding the resources of the person. This emphasizes that coping behaviors go beyond routine, adaptive behaviors.
Ong, A. D., Bergeman, C. S., Bisconti, T. L., & Wallace, K. A. (2006). Psychological resilience, positive emotions, and successful adaptation to stress in later life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(4), 730.
This research is guided by two major theories. First, Transactional Theory, which is a widely accepted theory of coping developed by Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman. Second, the Control Theory developed by Charles Carver and Michael Scheier.
The behavioral response to stress involves coping. “Coping refers to active efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress” (Weiten & ...
ROY, S. C. (2013). Synthesis of a Middle Range Theory of Coping. Generating Middle Range
Stress can be defined as the action by which we distinguish and react to certain events, which we assess as dangerous or stimulating. A momentary stress can mobilize your immune system to fend off infection and heal a wound. (Segerstrom, 2007) Dealing with extreme stress can be detrimental to one’s health. Throughout life, there may be different situations that can cause stress, such as a divorce, or an unexpected death. The circumstances of our lives flow through a psychological filter, and how we assess an event will directly influence how much stress we experience. Since stress cannot be avoided, we must find a way to cope with it. By coping with the stressors in life, you may be able to lead a healthier and happier life.