Abstract
Previous research has found that participation by young people in an international expedition organized by the British Schools Exploring Society is associated with positive change in a variety of self-report personality dimensions. The purpose of the present study was to supplement self-report questionnaire data with observers' ratings made by expedition leaders. The coping strategies used in relation to the physical and social stresses of the expedition were also assessed. Finally the relationship of optimism to both coping and personality processes was studied. The leaders' ratings showed stronger evidence of personality change than self-report measures. The correlations found between self-report measures and observer ratings of personality dimensions suggested that the expeditioners self-perceptions were affected by the expedition and converged with the ratings of observers. Analysis of coping processes indicated that several strategies were used less in coping with a specific stress such as an expedition than they were reported as being used in general. Physical and social stresses of the expedition were handled differently, confirming the distinction between these two types of stress. In general the results expand upon current research on stress and coping, with the opportunity that an expedition provides for studying the same stress in a predictable sample of subjects.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call