Psychological Well-Being of Canadian Forces Officer Candidates: The Role of Personality and Coping Strategies

Previous research has suggested that personality influences the coping strategies an individual uses to deal with stressors, which, in turn, influences psychological well-being. This study examines whether coping strategies mediate the relationship between neuroticism and the psychological well-being of Canadian Forces officer candidates undergoing basic training. Only partial evidence was found for the mediating role of coping strategies between neuroticism and psychological well-being. These findings suggest that coping strategies and personality may constitute two independent constructs, both of which have significant contributions to well-being among military personnel.     

Coping Strategies and Resolution in Mothers of Children With Cerebral Palsy

“Parental resolution” represents parents coming to terms with their child’s health condition. Differences in the use of coping strategies between mothers who were resolved versus unresolved to their child’s diagnosis was investigated, and a possible moderating effect of these strategies was explored. A strategy aimed at mobilizing the family to acquire and accept help (institutional, formal support) was shown to be a significant moderating variable, in a way that its more frequent use allowed mothers of children with better functional status (but not mothers of children with poorer functional status) to reach resolution.     

Relations Among Children's Coping Strategies and Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Coping Efficacy

The current study tests a model that depicts the relationships among coping strategies (active, distraction, avoidance, and support seeking) and anxiety symptoms. SEM is used to test if the relationship between these variables is mediated by coping efficacy. A large sample of Canadian children (N = 506) aged 8 to 11 years (boys = 249, girls = 245, unknown gender = 12) participated in the study. Results showed that coping efficacy is a partial mediator of the relations between active coping strategies and anxiety symptoms, however support was not found for it to be an effective mediator for other coping strategies. This study contributes to the understanding of childhood anxiety by highlighting the importance of the relationship between anxiety and the methods children use to cope with stress and how perceptions of their coping abilities influence this relationship.     

压力和应对策略在女性大学生负性情绪产生中的作用

通过对239名女性大学生的问卷调查,探讨了不同类型的压力和应对策略在负性情绪产生中的作用及其特点。结果表明:(1)压力和应对策略作用于负性情绪的过程模型既存在差异性又存在一致性。学业压力可以直接作用于负性情绪,也可通过消极解决问题策略的中介间接作用于负性情绪;经济压力主要通过消极解决问题和寻求支持策略的中介间接作用于负性情绪;人际压力对负性情绪的产生具有直接作用,也通过消极解决问题和寻求支持策略的中介间接作用于负性情绪;(2)在三种压力情境下,消极解决问题和寻求支持策略对负性情绪的产生均具有重要作用。     

Coping Strategies and Psychological Outcomes: The Moderating Effects of Personal Resiliency

Certain coping strategies alleviate stress and promote positive psychological outcomes, whereas others exacerbate stress and promote negative psychological outcomes. However, the efficacy of any given coping strategy may also depend on personal resiliency. This study examined whether personal resiliency moderated the effects of task-oriented, avoidance-oriented, and emotion-oriented coping strategies on measures of depression, anxiety, stress, positive affect, negative affect, and satisfaction with life. Results (N = 424 undergraduates) showed higher personal resiliency was associated with greater use of task-oriented coping strategies, which were in turn associated with more adaptive outcomes, and less reliance on nonconstructive emotion-oriented strategies, which in turn were associated with poorer psychological outcomes. In addition, individual differences in personal resiliency moderated the effects of task-oriented coping on negative affect and of emotion-oriented coping on negative affect and depression. Specifically, proactive task-oriented coping was associated with greater negative affect for people lower in personal resiliency. Moreover, high personal resiliency attenuated the negative effects of emotion-oriented coping on depression and negative affect. The effects of avoidance-oriented coping were mixed and were not associated with or dependent on levels of personal resiliency.     

以“应对策略”来重新理解人和精神障碍病因

人应对外界的反应可以简化为“应对策略”,而人就是面对世界这个复杂情境的许多“应对策略”的集合。在进化中,适应环境的“应对策略”得到保留并作为本能而储存在基因中。疾病可以视为人持有不适应环境的“应对策略”所导致的紊乱情况。通过“应对策略”有助于发现,在动物的依靠身体储存策略之上,人有更为复杂的多层面的应对方式,可以分为神经层面、生存动力层面、情感层面、思维层面和自觉自修力层面。这样的区分也有助于对“身、心”做更细致地划分,并用“应对策略”将二者统一起来。

     

胜任力和应对策略对教师职业压力的影响

采用中学教师胜任力问卷、教师职业压力应对问卷和职业压力量表对262名中学教师进行测查,并通过结构方程模型考察应对策略在胜任力和职业压力之间的中介作用。结果表明:(1)主科教师和理科教师的职业压力显著高于副科教师的职业压力;(2)应对策略是胜任力抑制职业压力的有效中介变量;(3)积极应对和消极应对的完全中介效应是不同的,前者小于后者。     

初中生人格型乐观、应对策略与学业成绩的关系

采用生活取向测量、应对方式量表对514名初中生进行调查,旨在了解人格型乐观主义、应对策略与学业成绩之间的关系。运用相关分析和回归分析的方法对它们的关系进行了考察。结果发现初中生积极和消极应对策略在其乐观主义影响学业成绩中的中介效应不显著,在不同学业成绩群体中,乐观主义、应对策略和学业成绩的关系会产生变化,乐观主义和积极应对策略对学业成绩有显著的预测力。     

The Association Between Childhood Maltreatment and Coping Strategies: The Indirect Effect Through Attachment

Maladaptive coping strategies represent a potentially treatable component of psychopathologies associated with childhood abuse and neglect. Coping strategies are relatively stable constructs that may be viewed as trait-like behavioral manifestations of larger, albeit less accessible, intra- and interpersonal processes, such as activation of the attachment system. The authors investigated a potential mediational pathway from childhood maltreatment (in the form of physical and emotional abuse experiences) to coping strategies developed in emerging adulthood through attachment organization in a sample of undergraduate psychology research participants at a public Midwestern university (N = 225). Avoidant attachment patterns helped to explain the relationship between increased instances of childhood maltreatment and a decreased use of adaptive coping strategies. Further, both anxious and avoidant attachment mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and an increased use of maladaptive coping. By utilizing an attachment theory–informed approach as an explanatory guide, researchers and clinicians may be better able to conceptualize, study, and treat complex cases by understanding the underlying relationships between childhood maltreatment, attachment, and coping.     

Perceived and Actual Effectiveness of Coping Strategies Used When Forgiving

This study examined coping strategies that young adults use when forgiving and the perceived and actual effectiveness of these strategies in predicting forgiveness behaviors. Results showed that participants used positive reinterpretation/growth and active coping most and perceived these 2 strategies as being effective when forgiving. Although positive reinterpretation/growth did predict forgiveness behaviors, active coping did not, which suggests that young adults may not be aware of the most effective coping strategies for forgiving others. Contributions of the study, including results on the coping strategies that predict forgiveness behaviors, are discussed.     

父母冲突、青少年应对策略及其与青少年社会适应的关系

以736名小学、初中、高中学生为被试,着重探讨了父母冲突内容、青少年应对策略和青少年社会适应之间的关系。研究发现:(1)父母冲突中指向孩子和指向父母自身的冲突普遍较少,但指向孩子的冲突显著地多于指向父母自身的冲突。指向孩子的冲突存在显著的性别和年级主效应;(2)青少年所使用的间接应对策略要显著地多于直接应对策略,直接应对和间接应对策略均存在显著的性别和年级主效应;(3)青少年的不良行为存在显著的性别主效应,学习问题、抑郁和主观幸福感存在显著的年级主效应;(4)父母冲突多的青少年和使用应对策略少的青少年出现的不良行为、学习问题和抑郁要显著地高于父母冲突少、使用应对策略多的青少年,但前者感受到的主观幸福感要显著地少于后者;(5)指向孩子的冲突和直接应对策略可以显著地预测青少年的不良行为,指向孩子和指向父母自身的冲突可以显著地预测青少年的学习问题。间接应对策略和指向父母自身的冲突可以显著地预测青少年的抑郁情绪,同时,间接应对策略可以显著地影响青少年的主观幸福感。     

应对风格问卷的初步编制

本研究提出一种关于应对风格的理论构想。根据此构想编制的应对风格问卷可将个体分为灵活应对、问题应对、情绪应对和异常应对四种应对风格。初步研究表明,此问卷具有较好的信度和效度。用此问卷对1115名被试进行了初步调查,发现灵活应对风格160人,问题应对风格420人,情绪应对风格394人,异常应对风格的141人。此量表的建立为我们今后进行压力与应对的研究提供了一个有效工具。     

Stressors and Coping Strategies of State University Students in a Developing Country

The study examined stressors and coping strategies of 281 Social Sciences students at the Midlands State University in Zimbabwe (49% female, 51% male). A questionnaire was used to collect data. The results showed that the 7 most common stressors were: finance, reading resources, accommodation, food, transport, inadequate infrastructure and lecturer related problems. The students mentioned 34 coping strategies that were categorized and then analysed for effectiveness. The effects of sex, residence status and academic year differences were evaluated using Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis rank order analysis of variance. There were no significant differences in coping strategies for stressors by demographic variables.     

污名应对策略的研究现状与展望

应激与应对的理论发展构建了污名应对研究的基本框架。污名应对策略是指被污名者在具体污名情境中为减少压力的消极影响而有目的地采用的情绪、认知和行为反应。目前, 关于被污名者应对污名策略的研究, 特别是艾滋病污名应对策略的研究日趋增多。根据不同的划分标准, 可以区分出问题聚焦性与情绪聚焦性策略、卷入与摆脱策略以及前摄性与反应性策略; 对于可隐藏污名而言, 还涉及到表露/隐藏策略。在研究方法上, 质性研究范式日益发挥重要作用。未来应该注重污名应对策略的情境性, 加强不同污名领域的专题研究, 关注对应对策略的评价并构建污名应对策略的层次模型。     

Gender Differences in Coping Styles of Chinese Military Officers Undergoing Intensive Training

This study investigated gender differences in anxiety and coping styles under the stress of intense military training. We surveyed Chinese female (n = 470) and male (n = 379) military officers who were surveyed during the third month of a 10-month intensive training program. Results indicated that state and trait anxiety were highly correlated in both women and men. In general, female officers had higher levels of anxiety, greater negative coping tendencies, and less perceived self-efficacy than their male counterparts. When compared with the norm, both women and men had significantly more positive coping strategies. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed factors that influenced male and female state anxiety. Avoidance, which was chosen by women more often than men, in general was less useful for female officers. The most common positive coping style for female officers was problem solving, whereas for men it was help seeking. We suggested that even female officers with lower mental health levels than their male counterparts made active cognitive changes to their coping styles when undergoing intense military training.     

气候变化的心理影响及应对策略

气候变化是指人类活动直接或间接导致的气候方面的改变, 是本世纪人类面临的最大挑战之一。气候变化对个人的认知、情绪及行为均有影响, 这些心理影响对大多数人而言是渐进式的。目前已有的研究发现, 气候变化的应对策略包括问题聚焦、情绪聚焦和意义聚焦三种, 而意义聚焦可能是其中最有利于心理健康的应对策略。未来的研究需要进一步界定某些重要概念, 并使之能够操作化, 需要探讨气候变化应对策略与心理健康之间的关系, 研究中国人气候变化应对策略的特征等。     

Coping with recruiter stress: Hardiness,performance and well-being in US Army recruiters

ABSTRACT

Recruiting for military service can be a highly stressful job, but it is one that is essential for success in the all-volunteer force. Military recruiters face a number of job stressors, including pressure to meet monthly production quotas, long work hours and time away from family. They also work in relative isolation, with limited work social support networks. These factors make recruiters vulnerable to burnout and early attrition. The present study examines psychological hardiness and active, problem focused coping as potential stress resilience resources in US Army recruiters. In a stratified random sample of N = 817 recruiters, hardiness was found to predict supervisor-rated performance and psychological well-being. Hardiness also interacted with problem focused coping to predict psychological well-being, suggesting a mediating role for coping. These results can be applied to help improve policy for selecting and training military recruiters.     

Levels of Social Support and Coping Strategies in Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

The study examined the effects of levels of social support and types of coping strategies on the psychological adjustment of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Five hundred students from two universities in the Limpopo Province of South Africa participated in this study (males =115, females = 383). Mixed methods were used for the collection and data analysis. Higher the level of social support received correlated with superior psychological adjustment. The specific types of coping styles adopted did not affect psychological adjustment in the survivors.     

The Influence of Income Level and Ethnicity on Coping Strategies

The Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) by S. Folkman and R. S. Lazarus (1988) has been used widely; however, few studies have evaluated this assessment tool in research concerning populations from different income levels and ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to compare the endorsement of the 8 coping strategies as outlined by Folkman and Lazarus's original research with Caucasian, middle class participants to the endorsement of coping approaches in a low income, primary care sample. Results suggest that low income individuals report utilizing greater rates of coping strategies overall and specifically employ emotion-focused coping strategies more than Folkman and Lazarus's original sample. Ethnic differences within the present study's low income sample were also examined and suggest that even within this low income sample, African Americans use certain emotion-focused coping strategies significantly more than Caucasian participants.     

The Role of Positive Emotions in Reducing Depressive Symptoms Among Army Wives

The homecoming period following combat deployment can be as stressful to military spouses as the deployment itself. This study used the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions to examine whether personal resources (adaptive coping, maladaptive coping, and resilience) mediate the relationship between positive emotions and depressive symptoms in Army wives (N = 252) following the homecoming of a deployed active-duty service member. Using path analysis, after controlling for demographic variables and marital satisfaction, positive emotions were related to all 3 personal resources (positively to adaptive coping and resilience, negatively to maladaptive coping). In turn, adaptive coping and resilience were related to fewer depressive symptoms and maladaptive coping to greater depressive symptoms. The direct path between positive emotions and depressive symptoms was nonsignificant, suggesting complete mediation. The final model accounted for 54% of the total variance in depressive symptoms. Results support the important role that positive emotions play in decreasing depressive symptoms in this high-risk population.