Emotion-oriented Strategies Research Articles

Personality and coping. What traits predict adaptive strategies?

Coping and strategies used play an essential role in the adaptation to changes, and personality traits are important predictors of these strategies. The aim of this study is to find out what traits predict different coping strategies in older adults. Participants were 226 older adults (60 to 88 years old). Data on personality and coping strategies were obtained through the NEO-FFI and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were conducted. Neuroticism positively predicted emotion-oriented strategies: negative self-focused, overt-emotional expression, avoidance, and religious. Problem-oriented strategies were positively predicted by openness to experience (problem-solving focused), agreeableness (positive reappraisal), and conscientiousness (problem-solving focused and positive reappraisal). In addition, agreeableness and conscientiousness negatively predicted emotion-oriented strategies: overt-emotional expression and negative self-focused. Extraversion did not predict any coping strategy. These findings show that neuroticism is a maladaptive trait during aging, whereas openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are adaptive traits in older adults.

Analyzing Stress Coping Strategies and Approaches of School Teachers

With increasing demands of the job market, occupational stress isbecoming a matter of great concern for both employers and employeesacross the occupations. Individuals try different coping strategies andapproaches to keep this stress at a manageable level. This studyexamined the stress coping strategies and approaches used by the schoolteachers in respect to their perceived level of stress. A self-developedquestionnaire based on COPE inventory was used to conduct this surveybasedexploratory study. A sample of 400 school teachers with diversebackgrounds working in both public and private sectors was randomlyselected from two district of Punjab. Mean, percentage and t-test wereapplied to analyze the data. The study found that 60% of the teachersperceived high or very high level of stress. Female teachers reportedmore stress than male teachers. ‘Turning to religion’, ‘positivereinterpretation’ and ‘planning’ to actively solve the problem are themostly used coping strategies. The majority of respondents usedproblem-oriented and emotion-oriented strategies. Further, it was foundthat as the level of stress increased, teachers tend towards use of problemand emotion-oriented approaches than avoidance and social-supportapproaches.

Does silence speak louder than words? The impact of oncologists’ emotion-oriented communication on analogue patients’ information recall and emotional stress

ObjectiveThe impact of two types of oncologists’ emotion-oriented communication on participants’ recall of medical information was investigated, and the potential mediation by a reduction in emotional stress. Additionally, moderation effects by personal characteristics were explored. MethodsAn oncologist’s communication in response to a patient’s emotional expressions was manipulated during a videotaped, scripted bad-news consultation. Three conditions were created: 1) standard communication, 2) emotion-oriented silence, and 3) emotion-oriented speech. Participants (N = 217) were randomly allocated to one of the three conditions. Measurements included information recall (free recall and recognition), emotional stress (self-reported and physiological), and personal characteristics. ResultsEmotion-oriented silence (p = .002) and speech (p = .019) enhanced information recognition compared to standard communication. No differences in free recall were found. Emotional stress did not mediate these relations. Poorer functional health literacy predicted poorer recognition, but this was counteracted by emotion-oriented communication. ConclusionsBy means of acknowledging, exploring, empathic and supportive statements, and attentive silence, the oncologist’s communication resulted in better information recognition. How oncologists’ communication impacts patients’ information recall warrants further investigation, as this could not be explained by reducing emotional stress. Practice implicationsThese insights will help educators to validate the relevance of emotion-oriented strategies, and encourage oncologists to adopt them.

Stress-coping Strategies, Attachment Styles, and Resiliency of Working Children in Tehran, Iran

Child labor is a bitter reality in developing countries and is necessary to be addressed in terms of its psychological aspects. Considering the limitations of the conducted studies and cultural environment in Iran, it is still unknown that how these children cope with their stresses, how the quality and type of their attachment styles are, and how resilient they are to inconveniences. In a causal-comparative study, a sample of 100 working children in Tehran using convenient sampling method and a sample of 150 non-working children using purposive sampling were selected; all the samples were asked to fill Endler and Parker Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations‌(CISS-21), Collins and Read Attachment Styles Scale, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale‌(CD-RISC).‌The obtained data were analyzed using ANCOVA and MANCOVA in the form of 2 × 2 factorial using SPSS-16. After adjusting for education level, the results showed that working children mostly use emotion-oriented strategy to cope with stress but the avoidance-oriented strategy is less used by these children. Regardless of group member factor, girls and boys used respectively emotion-oriented and avoidance strategies more frequently. However, in the interaction between group and gender, the results revealed that boys in working children group obtained the lowest scores in task-oriented strategy. In addition, working children‌ group (especially girls), compared to non-working children presented more insecurity in terms of attachment style. Finally, it was found that working children were less resilient than non-working children, but the main effect of gender alone and the interaction between group and gender on resilience scores was not statistically significant‌(p > 0.05). The findings emphasized the protective role of resilience and secure attachment in preventing possible psychological and behavioral disorders in working children. Moreover, the results demonstrated that risky role of emotion-oriented strategy and insecure attachment style in exacerbating the problems of these children, especially for girls.

The Everyday lives and coping Strategies of women in Delhi; Discerning roots of Psychological Empowerment: An Ethnographic Study

This is an ethnographic study based on inductive reasoning inspired by everyday life coping of slum women in Delhi. Evidences from field work were found to be congruent with the underlying assumptions of Humanistic and analytical psychology, perspectives which ascertain positive human values and life orientation such as growth, and fulfillment, making it difficult to completely neglect strategies for adaptability, positive coping, and adjustment, which are having a positive influence in everyday lives of slum women in their day-day life. The focus of this study is not to explore the daily life concerns, but to highlight how these concerns are addressed by slum women, with regard to their coping strategies. The objective of this study was to bring into light the phenomenon of positive adaptability towards daily life concerns, in context with slum women by exploring three coping strategies given by Endler and Parker. Task-oriented strategy, Emotion-oriented strategy, and, Avoidance-oriented strategy three categories which were used to categorize the responses towards daily life stressors. Finally this study attempts to fill in the prevailing literature gap in the context of the conceptualization of psychological empowerment for slum women based on the findings of this study and trace the roots of psychological empowerment using the perspectives of psychology. This study illustrates analysis of ethnographic records of 50 informants from various slums in Delhi.

Anxiety and Coping Strategy Changes in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Initiating Fingolimod: The GRACE Prospective Study

The objective of this prospective study was to assess the changes in anxiety levels, and their relationship with coping strategies over the first four months of fingolimod treatment in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Data were collected at the inclusion visit (Visit 1) and 4 months later (Visit 2). We used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess the level of anxiety and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations scale to assess the coping strategies used when engaged with stressful situations. The HADS anxiety scores were compared between Visits 1 and 2, according to the preferred coping strategy. At Visit 1, half of the 198 patients included were considered to be anxious (doubtful or in a certain way). The same proportion preferentially used an avoidance-oriented strategy and one-third preferentially used an emotion-oriented strategy. The mean HADS anxiety score decreased significantly (p = 0.001) at Visit 2 (8.1 ± 4.0) compared to Visit 1 (8.8 ± 4.3), particularly in the group of patients who used an emotion-oriented strategy (p = 0.002). In conclusion, the initiation of fingolimod in patients with RRMS is followed by a decrease of anxiety levels which vary according to the coping strategy used.

Socioeconomic Effects of Farmer-Pastoralist Conflict on Agricultural Extension Service Delivery in Oyo State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT The study focused on the socio - economic effect of farmer-pastoralist conflict on family farming in Oyo State, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty respondents comprising of farmers and pastoralist were sampled and interviewed. Results showed that majority (52.6%) were between the ages of 30-50 years. The average household size was between 5 and 9 members (63.3%). Crop damage (63.3%) and indiscriminate bush burning (46.7%) were considered the most common causes of conflict between farmers and pastoralists. Majority (71%) of farmers suffer economic losses from farmer-pastoralist conflicts. Also, 75% of farmers used more of problem-oriented coping strategies while majority of herdsmen (73%) used more of emotion-oriented strategies. There was a significant difference (p=0.000) in socio-economic losses among farmers and pastoralists. Farmers are the worst hit of Farmer-pastoralist conflicts as it affects their family farming. Setting up of a three-tier farmer-herdsmen conflict management committee is recommended. Keywords: Farmers, Pastoralist, Agricultural Extension.

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

ABSTRACTCertain 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.

Zasoby odpornościowe i czynniki ryzyka a używanie alkoholu i marihuany w okresie wczesnej dorosłości

IntroductionThe aim of the study was an attempt at defining the risk factors and immunity resources allowing prediction of the use and abuse of alcohol and marijuana in early adulthood. Temperament and character traits, anxiety levels, self-destructive tendencies and style of coping with stress were examined. MethodThe research sample included 166 secondary school students aged 18–20 years defined by targeted selection. The following questionnaires were used: AUDIT, Spielberger et al.’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Kelley et al.’s Chronic Self-destructiveness Scale, Endler and Parker's Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations and Cloninger et al.’s Temperament and Character Inventory. ResultsA relationship was demonstrated between temperament and character traits, style of coping with stress, self-destructive tendencies and marijuana/alcohol use (p<0.05). Temperament and character traits included exploratory excitability, disorderliness, sentimentality, bad habits, vindictiveness and advantage of personal benefits. Among stress-coping styles, important significance was ascribed to emotion-oriented strategy. No significant relationship was found between psychoactive substance use and declared anxiety level. ConclusionsAlcohol and marijuana users significantly differ from abstainers as regards temperament and character traits, manifested, e.g. by a higher degree of exploratory excitability, unconventionality, lower tolerance to monotony, poorer discipline and control in frustrating situations. As regards stress-coping styles – marijuana and alcohol users are worse at coping with frustration, and they tend to focus attention on themselves and their emotional problems. The investigation on the severity of self-destructive tendencies showed that psychoactive substance users have a tendency to initiate intentional suffering and failures, give in to temptation easily and show addictive tendencies.

How flexible is coping after acquired brain injury? A 1-year prospective study investigating coping patterns and influence of self-efficacy, executive functioning and self-awareness.

To investigate coping flexibility in patients with newly acquired brain injury and to investigate the influence of problem type, self-efficacy, self-awareness and self-reported executive functions on coping flexibility. Data were collected from a prospective clinical cohort study of 136 patients assessed after discharge home (mean time since injury = 15 weeks) and 1 year later. Situation-specific coping was measured by asking patients to complete the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) for 3 acquired brain injury (ABI)-related situations, which were then categorized into problem types (physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioural, communication, other). Coping consistency (number of strategies used throughout every situation) and variability (range in frequency of use of strategies over situations) were measured. Random effects regression analyses were used. Patients used more task-oriented coping for cognitive compared with physical problems. Coping variability was limited. Reliance on emotion-oriented coping decreased over time. Higher self-efficacy correlated with increased task-oriented and avoidance coping and decreased emotion-oriented coping. Greater self-reported problems in executive function correlated with greater consistency in task-oriented and emotion-oriented strategies. Patients with acquired brain injury rely on a defined set of coping options across situations and time. High self-efficacy increases active coping. Subjective executive dysfunction might hamper effective strategy selection.

Effect of Demographic Variables on Occupational Stress and their Coping Strategies

This study focuses on investigating the relationship between dennographic variables &amp; occupational stress and the coping strategies adopted by employees to deal with it. Age, experience, and gender are used as demographic variables. Problem-oriented and emotion-oriented coping strategies are primarily investigated to understand their impact on coping stress. Two additional coping strategies related to emotion venting and consuming medicines were also studied. Data has been collected from a US based software development firm. An attempt was made to fit a regression model on health based coping strategy elements and the demographic variables. A relationship between various coping strategies adopted at managerial/non-managerial level is explored in this study. At gender level, various coping strategies and their interrelationship is investigated. The results indicate that at organization level, emotion-based coping strategies have a direct relationship with health. At managerial level, female employees adopt more of problem-oriented strategies compared to their male counterparts. Problem-oriented strategies are being adopted at managerial level further confirms that, male and female employees are more socialized in structural and instrumental thinking thereby adopting problem-oriented strategies. At non-managerial level, female employees adopt more of emotion-oriented strategies compared to their male counterpart. This further implies that at non-managerial level, male and female employees are socialized into conventional behaviour thereby relying on emotion-oriented strategies.

Longitudinal association between adolescent attachment, adult romantic attachment, and emotion regulation strategies

Attachment security towards parents and peers in adolescence, and romantic attachment styles and emotion regulation strategies in young adulthood, were evaluated using an eight-year longitudinal design. Fifty-six young adults completed the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) at age 14, and then, at age 22, the Experience in Close Relationships (ECR) and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), an emotion regulation questionnaire concerning coping strategies, including task-oriented versus emotion-oriented foci. Results indicated that greater insecurity to parents and peers in adolescence predicted a more anxious romantic attachment style and greater use of emotion-oriented strategies in adulthood. Concurrently, anxious adult attachment style was related to more emotion-oriented strategies, whereas an avoidant attachment style was related to less support-seeking. Analyses also identified emotion-oriented coping strategies as a partial mediator of the link between adolescent attachment insecurity to parents and adult anxious attachment, and a complete mediator of the association between adolescent attachment insecurity to peers and adult anxious attachment. These findings support the core assumption of continuity in attachment theory, where relationships to parents influence close romantic relationships in adulthood.

Multi-type Childhood Abuse, Strategies of Coping, and Psychological Adaptations in Young Adults

To retrospectively analyze the rate of multi-type abuse in childhood and the effects of childhood abuse and type of coping strategies on the psychological adaptation of young adults in a sample form the student population of the University of Mostar. The study was conducted on a convenience sample of 233 students from the University of Mostar (196 female and 37 male), with a median age of 20 (interquartile range, 2). Exposure to abuse was determined using the Child Maltreatment Scales for Adults, which assesses emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, neglect, and witnessing family violence. Psychological adaptation was explored by the Trauma Symptom Checklist, which assesses anxiety/depression, sexual problems, trauma symptoms, and somatic symptoms. Strategies of coping with stress were explored by the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations. Multi-type abuse in childhood was experienced by 172 participants (74%) and all types of abuse by 11 (5%) participants. Emotional and physical maltreatment were the most frequent types of abuse and mostly occurred together with other types of abuse. Significant association was found between all types of abuse (r=0.436-0.778, P<0.050). Exposure to sexual abuse in childhood and coping strategies were significant predictors of anxiety/depression (R(2)=0.3553), traumatic symptoms (R(2)=0.2299), somatic symptoms (R(2)=0.2173), and sexual problems (R(2)=0.1550, P<0.001). Exposure to multi-type abuse in childhood is a traumatic experience with long-term negative effects. Problem-oriented coping strategies ensure a better psychosocial adaptation than emotion-oriented strategies.

Sex differences in coping styles and implications for depressed mood.

Based on a sample of young adults in Miami-Dade County, Florida, this paper examined the extent to which there were sex differences in 3 coping style types: problem focused, emotion focused, and avoidance focused (Endler & Parker, 1990). Further examined were the extent to which sex differences in coping styles could be explained by sex differences in chronic strain; the extent to which sex differences in depressed mood could be explained by sex differences in coping style; and whether the effects of different coping style types on depressed mood varied by sex. Results suggested somewhat complex relationships among sex, coping, chronic strain, and depression. No sex differences in the use of problemfocused coping were observed when statistical controls for socioeconomic status were applied; however, women more often used avoidance-focused techniques. Although female respondents more often used emotion-oriented strategies compared to male respondents, such use did not prove to be fundamentally harmful for women. In fact, the effects of using emotion-focused strategies, such as the expression of feelings, reduced depressed mood for women, but not for men. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.