CHAPTER 5

1. CHAPTER 5 �Coping�

2. What is coping? Definition: the process of managing taxing circumstances, expending effort to solve life�s problems, and seeking to master or reduce stress Coping strategy classifications: Problem-focused coping Emotion-focused coping Meaning-making coping Active-cognitive coping Active-behavioral coping Avoidance coping

3. Problem-Focused Coping Proposed by Richard Lazarus Involves squarely facing one�s troubles and trying to solve them. E.g., You can�t pay your tuition�you get a student loan.

4. Emotion-Focused Coping Proposed by Richard Lazarus Involves the use of defensive mechanisms Avoiding the problem Rationalizing what has happened Denying the occurrence of the problem Laughing the problem off Calling on religious faith for support E.g., You fear failing an exam�don�t go to class.

5. Meaning-Making Coping Involves drawing on beliefs, values, and goals to change the meaning of a stressful situation Positive appraisal E.g., Losing your job might be interpreted as being able to advance in a new job.

6. Other Stress-Coping Strategies Active-Cognitive Active thinking in an effort to adjust more effectively (rationalizing, analyzing). Active Behavioral Action taken to improve situation (counseling) Avoidance Behavioral Keeping the situation out of awareness (eat more, deny it happened) Contexts and effective coping (coping flexibility�ability to modify coping strategies to match the demands of the situation)

7. Techniques Used for Effective Coping Think positively and optimistically. Cognitive restructuring & self-talk Increase self-control. Thought stopping & empowerment Seek social support. Use proactive coping (respond to potential stressors). Engage in enjoyable activities. Use humor. Use multiple coping strategies.

8. Emotional Approach to Coping While emotion-focused coping is linked with less effective outcomes than problem-focused coping over the long term, in short term, a combination of the two could be effective. Emotional approach coping�actively processing and expressing emotion Disadvantage of the approach�it could lead to rumination (passively and repeatedly focusing on negative emotions) Emotional regulation The process by which individuals control which emotions they experience, when they experience them, and how they experience and show them. Emotional intelligence The ability to perceive and express emotion, understand emotion, and regulate emotion. Consists of developing emotional awareness, managing emotions, reading emotions, and handling relationships.

9. Coping and Positive Emotion Positive emotions can also be experienced during stressful situations. Benefit-finding Identifying positive results of a stressful circumstance (finding a silver lining in a cloud) Positive emotion and social support are reciprocally linked (they influence each other). Positive emotions appear to improve our ability to cope with the physical effects of stressors (may even help in reducing the effects of the common cold).

10. Stress Management Programs Teach individuals how to appraise stressful events, how to develop skills for coping with stress, and how to put these skills into use in their everyday lives. Types of Stress Management Programs Meditation and Relaxation Transcendental meditation (use of a mantra�repetition of a calming phrase or word used to cleanse mind for new experiences) Mindfulness meditation (maintaining a floating state of consciousness that encourages individuals to focus on whatever comes to mind at that particular moment used to increase concentration Biofeedback The process in which individuals� muscular or visceral activities are monitored by instruments; then, individuals learn to voluntarily control their physical activities as information from the instruments is fed back to them