Coping Mechanisms as Antecedents of Justice and Organization Citizenship Behaviors: A Multi-Focal Perspective of the Social Exchange Relationship

The purpose of this study was to examine approach and avoidance coping strategies in the context of a natural disaster as antecedents of justice and organizational citizenship behavior. Using a multi-focal perspective of social exchange theory, the study uses both reciprocity and rationality to enhance the theoretical underpinnings of behavior in a justice context. Survey data was collected from full-time employees who had experienced a hurricane three weeks earlier (n?=?255). The differences between approach and avoidance coping are clear in the results suggesting that coping strategy helps account for individual differences in justice perceptions. Findings demonstrated that employees who use approach coping strategies had higher perceptions of justice and higher levels of organizational citizenship behavior while employees who use avoidance coping strategies had lower perceptions of justice and lower levels of organizational citizenship behavior. This has implications for employers who could introduce coping skills training as a practical means of assisting employees in a disaster situation.     

Emotional competence and quality of life of children with asthma: The mediating effect of coping strategies

This study explored the mediating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between emotional competence (EC) and quality of life (QOL) among children with asthma. Participants were 87 children (M age?=?11.72, SD?=?2.58) with controlled and partially controlled asthma, undergoing everyday treatment. They filled in questionnaires assessing EC, coping strategies and QOL. Results showed that the association between some ECs and the QOL of children with asthma was fully mediated by two maladaptive cognitive coping strategies. Among children with asthma, a greater ability to differentiate their emotions, a reduced attention to bodily signals of emotions and a reduced analysis of their current emotional state were related to decreased engagement in two coping strategies (‘Ignoring Asthma’ and ‘Worrying about Asthma’), which in turn increased their QOL. These findings show that EC has an indirect effect on QOL through very specific coping strategies. They also emphasise the importance of screening EC in children with asthma and the importance of developing and using multidisciplinary interventions for them.     

Unexpected death,religious coping and conjugal bereavement outcomes in Africa (Togo)

This pioneering study in sub-Saharan African context examined the role played by religious strategies (religious coping, religious community support (RCS)) in the conjugal bereavement process and its outcomes depending on the expected or unexpected death. Based on cross-sectional approach, the study targeted Togolese bereaved spouses (N?=?162). The mean period of mourning was 112.52 months (SD?=?94.72). The results of a hierarchical regression revealed that RCS was positively associated with grief symptoms when the death was expected and, unsurprisingly, the negative religious coping predicted grief symptoms when the death was sudden and unexpected. Religious strategies would play a threefold role: providing refuge and comfort, regulating the bereavement distress and serving resources to give meaning to the loss of the beloved. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Emotional competence and quality of life of children with asthma: The mediating effect of coping strategies

This study explored the mediating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between emotional competence (EC) and quality of life (QOL) among children with asthma. Participants were 87 children (M age?=?11.72, SD?=?2.58) with controlled and partially controlled asthma, undergoing everyday treatment. They filled in questionnaires assessing EC, coping strategies and QOL. Results showed that the association between some ECs and the QOL of children with asthma was fully mediated by two maladaptive cognitive coping strategies. Among children with asthma, a greater ability to differentiate their emotions, a reduced attention to bodily signals of emotions and a reduced analysis of their current emotional state were related to decreased engagement in two coping strategies ('Ignoring Asthma' and 'Worrying about Asthma'), which in turn increased their QOL. These findings show that EC has an indirect effect on QOL through very specific coping strategies. They also emphasise the importance of screening EC in children with asthma and the importance of developing and using multidisciplinary interventions for them.     

Children's Coping in the Context of Disasters and Terrorism

Disasters and terrorism present significant and often overwhelming challenges for children and families worldwide. Individual, family, and social factors influence disaster reactions and the diverse ways in which children cope. This article links conceptualizations of stress and coping to empirical knowledge of children's disaster reactions, identifies limitations in our current understanding, and suggests areas for future study of disaster coping. Coping strategies, developmental trajectories influencing coping, and the interplay between parent and child coping represent critical areas for advancing the field and for informing programs and services that benefit children's preparedness and foster resilience in the face of mass trauma.     

Communal coping and rumination in the aftermath of Chile earthquake: Multiple mediation analysis of the relationship between subjective severity and posttraumatic growth

Communal coping and collective participation were recently proposed as a potential mechanism that may favour not only individual's capacity to bounce back but also community cohesion and social well‐being and posttraumatic growth in the aftermath of natural disasters. To date, there is a lack of studies simultaneously assessing the effect of communal coping strategies and cognitive strategies on the development of posttraumatic growth. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the role of communal coping strategies and cognitive strategies such as intrusive and deliberated rumination as potential mediators between subjective severity of the event and posttraumatic growth and positive adjustment in the context of natural disaster. The questionnaire was administrated to 225 people affected by the most intense earthquake recorded in Chile in this century. The results of multiple mediation analysis showed that both cognitive strategies, such as deliberative rumination, and communal coping strategies, such as communal positive reappraisal and participation in spiritual rituals, are potential mediators between subjective severity and posttraumatic growth. Overall, the present work offers researchers and professionals interested in this area of study an interesting approach to analyse individual and collective coping strategies and its interrelation.     

Coping,Social Interest,and Psychological Birth Order as Predictors of Resilience in Turkey

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of psychological birth order, social interest, and coping strategies and their interactions on resilience in Turkish population (N?=?247). The results indicated social interest, coping strategies of active planning, acceptance and cognitive restructuring, seeking external help and psychological birth order of the youngest and middle child were predictors of resilience.     

Anxiety and coping with community disasters: The Israeli experience

This study compared anxiety levels and coping strategies in Israeli adults during the Al-Aqsa Intifada (n = 707) and under ballistic missile attacks targeted at Israeli civilians during the Persian Gulf War (n = 328). In view of the differences among the two disaster situations in terms of severity of impact, scope, duration, predictability, and controllability, it was hypothesized that higher levels of state anxiety would be observed for the terror attack than for the missile attack crisis. Furthermore, problem-focused coping was predicted to be more salient than emotion-focused coping during the Gulf War—at a time where more protective action could be taken. Overall, the data supported the hypotheses. The data are discussed and explicated in the context of stress and coping theory and research.     

Karamojong Adolescents in Tororo,Uganda: Life Events,Adjustment Problems,and Protective Factors

The Karamojong people of Uganda are marginalized and likely to have difficult lives. Research is needed to understand Karamojong children’s challenges, adjustment, and resiliency to help guide interventions and policies to improve their lives. Thus, 18 Karamojong 10–16-year-olds (10 girls; M?=?13.33 years; SD?=?1.81) were recruited from a nongovernmental organization in Tororo District, Uganda, and interviewed about their life events, coping strategies, social support, and hope. Adolescents also were verbally administered questionnaires about their life events and adjustment problems. Participants reported many negative life events (M?=?9.28 of 16). The number of negative life events was positively correlated with internalizing, but not with externalizing, problems. Participants described a variety of coping strategies. Most participants received emotional or instrumental social support, and were hopeful about their futures. Hardships were often alcohol- or poverty-related events, whereas hope was often centered on education.     

Long-term adherence to a physical activity intervention: The role of telephone-assisted vs. self-administered coping plans and strategy use

Objective: This study investigated the role of coping plans and the use of selection, optimisation and compensation (SOC) strategies within an experimental evaluation of a 26-week physical exercise intervention.

Methods: Older women (N?=?86, M _age?=?73.7 years) were randomly assigned to a telephone-assisted or a self-administered coping planning intervention after 6 weeks’ participation in an exercise programme. The number of different coping plans formulated, exercise-specific SOC strategy use and their interaction were used to predict objectively measured long-term adherence to the intervention.

Results: The number of coping plans formulated (β?=?0.28) and goal-pursuit strategies reported (sum score of optimisation and compensation strategies, β?=?0.39) predicted adherence to the exercise programme over 20 weeks. The predictive strength of coping plans increased with decreasing numbers of goal-pursuit strategies (β?=??0.21). Women supported via telephone reported significantly more coping plans than did women in the self-administered coping planning group, F(1,80)?=?9.47, p?=?0.003.

Conclusion: Coping plans have a buffering effect on adherence levels when use of SOC strategies is low. Older women's adherence to physical activities may be improved if they are given direct support in generating coping plans involving strategies of selection, optimisation and compensation.     

Assessing the Role of Body Image Coping Strategies as Mediators or Moderators of the Links Between Self-Objectification, Body Shame, and Well-Being

We examined self-objectification in relation to well-being, and the potential moderating versus mediating role of body image coping strategies (appearance fixing, avoidance, positive rational acceptance). Undergraduate women from southern Ontario, Canada (Sample 1, n?=?104; Sample 2, n?=?314) completed measures of depression, disordered eating attitudes, subjective well-being, and body-image coping. Self-objectification was related to greater depression, disordered eating attitudes, and lower subjective well-being. A two-stage mediation model was supported: Body shame and body image coping strategies (appearance fixing and avoidance) partially mediated the associations between self-objectification and outcomes; appearance fixing and avoidance partially mediated the associations between body shame and outcomes. Body image coping strategies did not moderate any of the relations between body shame and outcomes.     

Coping tendencies and changes in athlete burnout over time

Burnout can lead to numerous negative outcomes for athletes. While we know a reasonable amount about how athlete burnout develops over time, we know comparably less about the role of coping in this process. The present study aimed to help address this issue by examining the role of coping tendencies in predicting changes in athlete burnout over a six-month period. A sample of 141 junior athletes (mean age = 17.3 years) completed measures of coping tendencies (problem-focused and avoidance coping) and burnout. Participants also completed the measure of burnout on two further occasions, three months and six months after the initial assessment. Conditional latent growth curve modelling revealed that coping tendencies predicted changes in athlete burnout over time. In this regard, avoidance coping predicted increases in athlete burnout, whereas problem-focused coping was unrelated to changes in athlete burnout. These findings provide evidence that an athlete’s tendency to use avoidance coping strategies is linked to burnout development over time.     

Trauma and substance use: the role of defences and religious engagement

Substance use disorders commonly co-occur with posttraumatic stress disorder and are associated with greater impairment. There is some evidence to suggest that different coping strategies, including defence mechanisms and religious forms of coping, may buffer the relationship between trauma and SUDs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential moderating roles of defence mechanisms and religious coping on the already-established relationship between trauma symptoms and substance abuse. Data were gathered from a sample of college students (N?=?380). Trauma symptoms were associated with increased substance use and abuse. The use of immature defences was significantly associated with trauma and substance use. Increased substance abuse was also associated with higher rates of negative religious coping. Individuals who endorsed trauma symptoms were also more likely to use positive and negative religious coping. Defences and coping did not moderate the relationship between trauma and substance use.     

A feasibility study of psychological strengths and well-being assessment in individuals living with recurrent depression

Current conceptualizations of mental illness focus on assessing psychopathology. A balanced approach would assess strengths that individuals bring to coping with illness. This study measures psychological strengths in individuals with recurrent depression, their coping strategies, and their perceptions of the usefulness of strengths assessment as a component of psychological assessment. Individuals (N?=?112) with recurrent depression completed an online questionnaire measuring several psychological strengths, including gratitude, forgiveness, spirituality, and hope. Participants also described their use of coping strategies and their reaction to the utility of the two-continua model of mental health. A subset (n?=?10) completed a follow-up telephone interview. Higher levels of gratitude, self-forgiveness, hope, and spirituality and lower levels of optimism were indicative of higher life satisfaction. Self-forgiveness, spirituality, and gratitude were predictors of happiness. Higher levels of hope and self-forgiveness predicted positive affect whereas lower levels of self-forgiveness predicted negative affect. Participants reported using a range of coping resources and indicated that they valued strengths assessment, perceiving the two-continua model of mental health as empowering. The researcher discusses implications for clinical practice.     

The Association of Negative Urgency with Psychological Distress: Moderating Role of Proactive Coping Strategies

Abstract

Negative urgency, which is the tendency to act impulsively under the influence of negative emotions, is a risk factor for various psychological disorders including anxiety and depression. In contrast, proactive coping is a future oriented coping strategy that aims to prepare the self for future stressors by reappraising the stressors as challenges or keep oneself prepared for impending losses. Although the effect of proactive coping and preventive coping strategies on reducing depression and anxiety has been consistently documented, the association of their interaction with risk factors received little attention. In the current study, the moderator roles of two dimensions of Proactive Coping strategies in the association of negative urgency with anxiety and depression, is examined. Data were collected from 404 individuals (255 women) aged 18 to 59 (M?=?31.29, SD = 11.70) through scales assessing negative urgency, proactive coping, anxiety and depression from a community sample. The results revealed that the interaction of proactive coping with negative urgency to be significantly associated with individual differences in depression scores, indicating that appraising the threats as challenges may have potential for buffering the effects of negative urgency on depression. However, a similar pattern was not observed for anxiety or preventive coping.     

Preventing the detrimental effect of posttraumatic stress in young children: The role of theory of mind in the aftermath of a natural disaster

We conducted a field study to test whether parents' negative reactions to a natural disaster affected children's reactions, together with the factors buffering this negative influence. Specifically, we examined whether parents' posttraumatic stress symptoms following an earthquake were associated with children's posttraumatic symptoms and their use of negative coping strategies. Theory of mind (ToM) was tested as the factor allowing children to reduce the detrimental effects of posttraumatic stress symptoms on negative coping. Hypotheses were tested in a sample of elementary school children and their parents in the aftermath of the earthquakes that struck Northern Italy in 2012. Results revealed that mothers' (but not fathers') posttraumatic stress symptoms were positively associated with children's posttraumatic stress symptoms, which acted as mediator on the use of negative coping strategies by children, but only among children with low ToM abilities. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of findings.     

Coping with Missile Attack: Resources, Strategies, and Outcomes

ABSTRACT The coping process was examined in a group of Israeli subjects experiencing SCUD missile attacks during the Persian Gulf War. We were interested in examining the relationship of coping resources, optimism, perceived control, and coping strategies, to anxiety, to physical symptoms, and to cognitive functioning during a real crisis. Data were gathered via structured questionnaires in the midst of the Persian Gulf War (February 1991) on a sample of 261 adult respondents residing in northern Israel. Although people reported a mixture of palliative and active coping strategies, it was the use of palliative coping efforts that predicted greater anxiety and physical symptoms. Subjects with greater coping resources used more palliative and active coping strategies and had higher cognitive functioning. However, active coping did not predict any of the negative stress reactions (i.e., anxiety and physical symptoms). People who perceived being in control of the situation reported using less palliative coping and fewer symptoms. That active coping did not predict negative stress reactions may have been a function of the severity of the stressor, and the resultant high levels of anxiety that were engendered. Overall, these findings do point to a different coping process in a grave and ongoing disaster situation than that reported in reaction to more normal life events.     

Coping with traumatic stress in journalism: a critical ethnographic study

Journalists who witness trauma and disaster events are at risk for physical, emotional, and psychological injury. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a critical ethnographic study among 31 Canadian journalists and photojournalists with regard to coping strategies used to buffer the effects of being exposed to trauma and disaster events and work-related stress. The findings are the result of in-depth individual interviews and six workplace observations with journalists across Canada. The most commonly reported coping strategies were: avoidance strategies at work, use of black humor, controlling one's emotions and memories, exercise and other physical activities, focusing on the technical aspects, and using substances. Recommendations for addressing the effects of work-related stress within this population are provided.     

A Longitudinal Study of Coping Strategies and Quality of Life Among People with Multiple Sclerosis

The current study was designed to examine the role of coping strategies on quality of life (QOL) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) over a period of 12 months. Respondents were 321 people with MS and 239 people from the general population who completed measures of QOL on two occasions, 12 months apart. People with MS also completed measures of how they coped with their illness. The results demonstrated that people with MS experienced lower levels of QOL at both points in time. For people with MS, QOL domains strongly predicted other QOL domains at both time 1 and time 2. The coping strategies of social support, focusing on the positive and wishful thinking were consistent predictors of physical QOL, psychological QOL, social QOL and environmental QOL. These findings indicate that coping strategies play an important role in predicting the QOL of people with MS.     

The effectiveness of expatriate coping strategies: the moderating role of cultural distance, position level, and time on the international assignment

On the basis of the stress and coping literature, the authors examined the diverse coping strategies used by expatriate managers in response to the problems encountered while on international assignments. It was hypothesized that although problem-focused coping strategies may be more effective than are emotion-focused coping strategies in affecting cross-cultural adjustment and intention to remain on the international assignment, the relationship is moderated by contextual factors such as hierarchical level in the organization, time on the assignment, and cultural distance. Coded semistructured interview responses from 116 German expatriates on assignment in either Japan or the United States were analyzed with moderated regression analyses. The results suggest that the effectiveness of problem-focused coping strategies in predicting cross-cultural adjustment is moderated by cultural distance and position level but not by time on the assignment. The use of problem-focused coping strategies was not related to expatriates' intention to remain on the assignment.