Preventive Coping Research Articles

Perceived Stress and Outness: Examining the Coping Mediation Framework Among Chinese LGBTQ+ Community

Despite global progress in LGBTQ+ rights, sexual minorities in China face significant societal pressures and legal ambiguities, which remain poorly understood. This study explores the potential mediating role of proactive and preventive coping strategies in the relationship between perceived stress and outness levels among Chinese LGBTQ+ individuals. Survey data from 267 Chinese LGBTQ+ individuals aged 16–42 revealed high levels of perceived stress within this community. Both proactive and preventive coping strategies significantly mediated the negative impact of perceived stress on outness levels. These findings contribute to the understanding of LGBTQ+ community’s perceived stress and outness status in China, highlighting the need for inclusive policies and support systems to improve their mental health and social well-being.

Future-oriented coping: gender and adolescent stage as modulators of its use, dispositional profile and relationship with emotional adjustment outcomes

The aim of this study was to examine possible differences by sex and stage of adolescence in the use of proactive and preventive coping, its relationships with personality and emotional adjustment. A total of 934 Spanish adolescents participated. No differences were found by sex or stage of adolescence in the use of future-oriented coping or in its relationship with adjustment scores. The differences found were centered on the dispositional profile of future-oriented coping shown by the different subgroups. The dispositional profile of proactive coping was more complex in girls and in late adolescence. In contrast, the dispositional profile of preventive coping was more complex in boys, and the differences by stage of adolescence highlighted the different weight of the personality dimensions involved. These findings point to the importance of developing programs adapted according to sex and stage of adolescence to train adolescents in the use of future-oriented coping skills and to improve their mental health.

Customer mistreatment and employees’ coping strategies: A Meta-SEM analysis

Despite the numerous studies on customer mistreatment, our understanding of the effectiveness of coping strategies for customer mistreatment remains limited. This research provides a meta-analytic structural equation modeling (meta-SEM) analysis to explore the distinctive coping types that employees may use when encountering customer mistreatment, as well as the subsequent outcomes. Drawing on the regulatory focus theory and the coping toward customer mistreatment, we categorize various coping strategies into three types (i.e., goal-oriented promotive coping, confrontation-oriented promotive coping, and preventive coping), and propose that these coping types have differential relationships with outcomes. Through a meta-SEM analysis based on 143 articles and 155 independent samples (N = 44,378), we found that these three coping types significantly mediated the mistreatment–outcomes relationships, and that goal-oriented promotive coping was a more beneficial type of coping. This research provides significant implications for employees and organizations to effectively cope with customer mistreatment.

Effects of perceived stress on turnover intention of female healthcare staff: a serial multiple mediation model

BackgroundHealthcare staff in China, especially females, work in a high-pressure, high-load, and high-risk environment, which affects the physical and mental health, the efficiency and quality of work, and increases turnover intention. The present study investigated the relationship between perceived stress and turnover intention in female healthcare staff, and the effects of future-oriented coping and work-family balance on this relationship.MethodsFour hundred thirty-five female medical workers were recruited to perform a perceived stress scale, future-oriented coping inventory, work-family balance scale and turnover intention scale. Meanwhile, serial multiple mediation analysis was performed using PROCESS.Results1) Perceived stress positively predicted the level of turnover intention in female healthcare staff; 2) Preventive coping and proactive coping showed mediation effects on the relationship between perceived stress and turnover intention, and preventive coping positively related to proactive coping; 3) The work-family balance also showed mediation effects on the relationship between perceived stress and turnover intention; 4) Preventive coping, proactive coping and work-family balance showed a serial multiple mediation on the relationship between perceived stress and turnover intention in female healthcare workers.ConclusionsPerceived stress affects the level of turnover intention in female healthcare staff through preventive coping, proactive coping, and work-family balance. In addition, the sequential model of future-oriented coping was validated among female healthcare staff.

Investigating the nature of psychological reattachment to work in the morning: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT Psychological reattachment to work means mentally reconnecting with one’s work before or upon returning to work in the morning. Recent studies revealed its potential to boost daily work engagement, demonstrating its relevance to research and practice. Despite this, no studies have explored the components of psychological reattachment and why and how employees reattach to their work. Yet, to expand the theoretical understanding of psychological reattachment and to apply its potential in practice, it is crucial to dive deeper into the details around this process. Therefore, this study employs a qualitative approach to test existing theoretical assumptions on psychological reattachment, uncover additional manifestations of psychological reattachment, examine its unfolding process, and identify potential predictors, benefits, and drawbacks. Our methodological procedure comprises the multi-coding of qualitative material from 35 employees with diverse backgrounds. One of our main findings is that when anticipating upcoming demands during the workday, employees also anticipate how to meet those demands. Furthermore, the more demands are expected, the longer it takes employees to mentally reattach to their work. This hints at how psychological reattachment might resemble a preventive coping mechanism for job demands during the day.

The study of the relationship of proactive coping strategies with psychological well-being and life satisfaction

The article presents the results of a theoretical analysis and empirical study of the relationship between proactive coping strategies with psychological well-being and life satisfaction. The object of the study is proactive coping among students. The subject of the study is psychological well–being, life satisfaction as predictors of proactive coping. Currently, it is noted that proactive coping makes a significant contribution to the formation of psychological health. Among the distinctive characteristics of proactive coping strategies is the assessment of future stressors, that is, the process of preadaptation. It is proactive coping that leads a person to development more than strategies to avoid failure. Accordingly, the study of the links between psychological well-being, life satisfaction and the coping process allows us to expand our understanding of the most effective coping strategies, which include proactive coping. The research method is a theoretical analysis of domestic and foreign sources, as well as empirical psychodiagnostics of 144 respondents in the age period of early and middle adulthood. According to the results of the correlation analysis, statistically significant correlations between the formation of proactive coping strategies, psychological well-being and life satisfaction are demonstrated and described. The scientific novelty lies in the identification of predictors of proactive coping behavior, in this regard, it seems relevant to search for significant relationships. It is revealed that psychological well-being, life satisfaction as personal characteristics can be considered in the perspective of further research as factors of the severity of the formation of proactive and preventive coping, abilities to meet needs and achieve goals, self-realization, having goals in life, positive self-acceptance and adequate self-esteem demonstrate a great formation of proactive coping strategies. The new data obtained may be relevant in the development of psychological support aimed at the development of proactive coping strategies among adults.

Career-related concerns and opportunities in the times of COVID-19 pandemic among preservice teachers

ABSTRACT COVID-19 had sudden effects on education by inducing school closures, obligating distance education, and cancellations in schedules. This phenomenological study explores the pandemic-related career concerns of graduating preservice teachers and their strategies to cope with these challenges; and also considers whether the pandemic brought new career opportunities. Findings suggest that participants of the study experienced concerns in several areas including graduation, employability, and future teaching competencies; however, they also developed preventive coping strategies and found new opportunities. To cope with the pandemic, participating preservice teachers tried to stay positive about their occupational futures and attempted to remain prepared for possible problems in future practice. They also emphasised the role of self-care in learning to function well psychologically in crises to guide and support their students’ psychosocial skills. Finally, participants found opportunities to improve their technological skills, develop crisis management skills, and discover new career opportunities. Implications for education are discussed.

Teachers' psychological stress and wellbeing during a pandemic: Exploring latent profiles.

Teacher stress is at an all-time high. The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for teachers, which resulted in a record number of teachers intending to leave the classroom citing stress as a contributing factor. Understanding teachers' positive and negative psychological experiences, or well-being, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic will inform teacher wellness interventions intended to keep teachers in the classroom. Two hundred forty-six teachers from a suburban school district participated in a survey of well-being indicators, including affect, perceived stress, teaching self-efficacy, and preventive coping. A latent profile analysis identified four patterns of well-being: strained, resilient, lower teaching self-efficacy, and lower emotional well-being. While many teachers were resilient during the crisis, approximately two-thirds experienced global or isolated areas of strain. Additionally, the Classroom Appraisal of Resources and Demands-Revised, a theory-driven assessment of teachers' workplace appraisal of demands and resources, was associated with teachers' strained and resilient well-being profiles, making it a suitable screening tool for these groups. Layered screening and tailored intervention, based on teachers' well-being patterns, may help minimize teacher attrition during and postcrises. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Police Realistic Tactical Training Is Not Risk-Free: Stress-Induced Wide-QRS Paroxysmal Tachyarrhythmia in a Healthy Police Officer and Professional Athlete

The reported case, a spin-off of a wider ongoing national study investigating the individual stress reactions of police officers during realistic police tactical training, highlights the eventuality that stress-induced paroxysmal arrhythmias might occur and remain undetected without ECG monitoring as a standard practice. The ECG of a 41-year-old frontline police officer (and professional athlete of the State Police’s rugby team) was monitored with a wireless, textile-based, wearable device during stressful scenarios implying the use of force. ECG data were processed with the Kubios software to assess training-induced time-varying changes of heart rate variability parameters and of the parasympathetic, sympathetic, and stress indices. Multiparametric analysis of the heart rate variability quantified remarkable stress-induced increment of vagal withdrawal and of sympathetic dominance, with exceptionally high-stress index and sudden occurrence of a wide-QRS paroxysmal tachyarrhythmia (240 bpm) with concomitant operational failure. Subsequent exhaustive mandatory clinical assessment excluded any structural and arrhythmogenic cardiac abnormality. Although exceptional and to the best of our knowledge so far unique, the recording of a stress-induced paroxysmal wide-QRS arrhythmia occurring during realistic tactical training in a healthy police officer and highly fit athlete is worth to be shared as a caveat about the potential risk if eventually occurring in officers with unknown cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., for ischemic heart disease). Moreover, the demonstration that such a high level of stress may occur even in an experienced, healthy, and highly fit officer altering the physiologic dynamicity of brain–heart interaction with a negative consequence on the operational outcome strongly suggests that individual emotional reactions induced by stressful duty events must be safely experienced and assessed with realistic training, to adopt preventive coping strategies, to improve police officers’ efficiency in front of threats, and to lower the risk of inappropriate use of force with dramatic consequences on the street.

Relationship between time perspective and proactive coping behavior in future dialectologists

The relevance of this study is due to the problem of professional training of future dialectologists in the context of distance learning over the past two years. Taking into account the special requirements for the personal qualities of the future dialectologist, the question arises of proactive skills for coping with a difficult situation and a clearly built time perspective in today's situation of uncertainty. The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between the time perspective and proactive coping behavior in future speech pathologists of different areas of training. The results of an empirical study of 80 students studying in the direction of «Special Psychology and «Speech Therapy» aged 18 to 43 years (M = 22.5; SD = 6.394) are presented. The following methods were used in the study: Proactive Coping Inventory (PCI) in adaptation by E.P. Belinskaya et al., R. Schwarzer's scale «Proactive attitudes» (adapted by A.A. Bekhter), Time Perspective Inventory by Philip George Zimbardo in adaptation by A. Sircova et al. An analysis of correlations showed that proactive coping in future dialectologists is positively associated with a positive past and the search for emotional support. In special psychologists, links have been found between negative past and preventive coping, which distinguishes them from future speech therapists, who have found positive links between seeking instrumental support and a positive past. Differences were also established between future special psychologists and speech therapists in terms of the hedonistic present, future and positive past. The results of the study allow us to expand the scientific understanding of the relationship between the time perspective and proactive coping behavior in future speech pathologists.

Perception of danger, coping strategies, and mental health in university population

Objective: This study aimed to relate life satisfaction and psychological distress to coping with the perception of criminal danger in university students. Method: Three scales were used: The Life Satisfaction Scale, the K-10 Psychological Distress Scale, and the Coping with Perceived Danger Scale. A total of 370 university students participated, of whom 65.4% were female, and 13.8% had experienced crime in the previous two years. Result: A positive and statistically significant relationship was found between coping with perceived danger, such as cautious avoidance (r=0.274, p ≤ 0.00), preventive coping (r=0.344, p ≤ 0.00), and extreme avoidance (r=0.207, p ≤0.00), with psychological distress. These relationships were even stronger for victims of crime. Women show higher levels of psychological distress and more cautious, avoidant and extreme coping strategies in the face of danger compared to men. Finally, a negative and significant relationship was observed between psychological distress and life satisfaction. Conclusion: It appears that regardless of whether a person has been a victim of crime in the last two years, perceptions of danger and strategies of cautious and even extreme crime prevention are related.

Risk Perception and Public Pandemic Fatigue: The Role of Perceived Stress and Preventive Coping.

This study explores the status of pandemic fatigue, predictors, and their mechanisms of action based on a stress-response framework and a parallel model of future-oriented response. Study 1 investigated 8426 Chinese adult residents' understanding of and willingness to cooperate with the pandemic prevention and control policies and Study 2 surveyed 1635 Chinese residents on their activeness of pandemic prevention and control (APPC), pandemic risk perception, perceived stress, and future-oriented coping. Study 1 found that public understanding of and willingness to cooperate with prevention policies were significantly lower in 2022 than in 2020 and 2021. Study 2 found that risk perception negatively predicted the APPC; perceived stress and preventive coping significantly mediated the relationship between risk perception and APPC; but perceived stress and proactive coping did not significantly mediate the relationship between risk perception and APPC. This revealed an increase in public fatigue in the third year of the pandemic. Pandemic fatigue can be predicted by pandemic risk perception, but the direct pathway of action is not significant and requires the mediation of perceived stress and preventive coping.

Psychological Effect of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome on Health Related Quality of Life among Young Women: Moderating Role of Proactive Coping Strategies

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOs) in young women is a major hormonal syndrome that not only effects their quality of life (QoL) but overall mental wellbeing is also effected. Worldwide, prevalence rate of PCOs among women is reported to be more than 70% which is increasing day by day. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to examine the effect of PCOs on HR-QoL among young women and to explore the moderating role of proactive coping strategies between PCOs and Health Related Quality of life. For this purpose, 200 outdoor diagnosed patients of PCOs were selected by using purposive sampling techniques, from different hospitals in Islamabad. They were requested to complete three sets of questionnaires, namely, PCOs symptom questionnaire, WHOQoL- BREF, for measuring Health Related Quality of Life and Proactive Coping Inventory. Percentage and Regression analyses was performed to assess effect of PCOs on health related quality of life and the moderating role of proactive coping strategies. Findings revealed that the mean age range of participants as 22.04. Majority of them have done matriculation (60%, n= 121) and were employed (79%, n=159). Following Regression Analysis, results showed that PCOs had a significant negative impact upon HR-QoL (p<.05). Findings also revealed that high score on PCOs symptom checklist negatively affects the Health Related Quality of Life (?= .030, p>.05). Furthermore, proactive coping strategies and reflective coping strategies had insignificant role in PCOs as p<.05 whereas Strategic Planning and Preventive Coping appeared to have a significant moderating role between PCOs and Health Related Quality of Life (p>.05). Overall, The presence of PCOs adversely impacts the HR-QoL of young adults. It predominantly affects psychological and social well-being rather than bodily working.

Paradoxical relationship between esports toxicity and toxicity tolerance: moderated mediation by gender and positive reappraisal coping

PurposeDespite the negative effects of toxicity on various aspects of esports communities, gamers continue to enthusiastically show their pride and engage with the game. Based on the stress and coping theory, the current study aims to shed light on how esports gamers cope with toxicity to develop toxicity tolerance by the mediation effect of positive reappraisal coping strategy.Design/methodology/approachA total of 456 gamers were included in the analysis. Structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the hypothesized model. Gender differences in the toxicity-coping process were investigated using multi-group analysis.FindingsThe findings revealed the full mediation effect of positive reappraisal on the relationship between toxicity and toxicity tolerance, especially for male gamers. The empirical evidence of this study contributes to theorizing the transformative role of positive reappraisal in developing positive consumption outcomes when esports gamers experience toxicity in the game. The multi-group analysis provided further insights into differentiating the applicability and effectiveness of positive reappraisal based on gender.Originality/valueThe findings contributed to sport management and communication literature by allowing researchers and practitioners to move beyond a preventive coping mindset by facilitating a positive coping environment that encourages gamers to interpret the conversation and messages in a more positive manner.

Development and validation of proactive coping smoking cessation in adolescents

Smoking is one of the most significant lifestyle factors contributing to the global disease burden. Individuals who use proactive coping will improve their environment and life rather than reacting to the past and planning for the future by constructing and pooling available resources to deal with stressors. However, instruments measured proactive coping toward smoking cessation are limited. This study aimed to develop and test the validity and reliability of proactive coping toward smoking cessation in adolescents. The data collection process was divided into two phases, namely instrument development and psychometric testing. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing were conducted on 300 adolescents. Proactive coping smoking cessation (PCSC) is the development of proactive coping inventory (PCI). Loading factor coefficient on support seeking 0.54-0.82, reflective coping 0.585-0.823, strategic planning 0.580-0.736, proactive coping 0.439-0.648, avoidance 0.586-0.826 and preventive coping 0.507-0.707. Cronbach's alpha for PCSC ranged from 0.970 to 0.972. PCSC shows the acceptable internal and external consistency and the results of the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) verify that the six-factor model correctly represents the original PCI factor structure. Future studies are required to test the instrument in different setting and culture.

ПРОАКТИВНЫЙ КОУПИНГ И ТОЛЕРАНТНОСТЬ К НЕОПРЕДЕЛЕННОСТИ У ПРЕДПЕНСИОНЕРОВ С РАЗНЫМ УРОВНЕМ ЖИЗНЕСТОЙКОСТИ

The article presents a study of proactive coping and uncertainty tolerance in Pre-retirees with different levels of hardiness. The purpose of the study focused on the level of hardiness of Pre-retirees and on revealing preferred strategies for proactive coping and tolerance for uncertainty in their relationships. Approaches to the study of the characteristics of pre-retirement age, the phenomenon of hardiness, and the factors that determine it are analyzed. It is noted that hardiness is a valid predictor of mental and somatic health, subjective well-being and labor productivity. The article presents the results of a study of respondents of pre-retirement age (N=300) using the methods “Screening version of the hardiness test”, “Tolerance to uncertainty”, “Proactive coping”. The results show that respondents have the most pronounced proactive coping strategies such as proactive coping, preventive coping, and seeking emotional support. It was found that in the subgroup of respondents with higher hardiness, the median preference for the three proactive coping strategies is higher than in the subgroup with low hardiness. Moreover, the most tangible difference in the level of medians was found in the “Search for emotional support” strategy. Such a result may indicate that people with hardiness see, first of all, in their close environment a resource of their ability to withstand adverse life circumstances. Regarding the role of tolerance for uncertainty, it was shown that a sense of control over the situation and the possibility for clear, unambiguous interpretations and forecasts of the development of the situation are associated with hardiness. It is noted that respondents with different levels of hardiness showed the greatest differences in the affective component of tolerance for uncertainty

Development and cross-national investigation of a model explaining participation in WHO-recommended and placebo behaviours to prevent COVID-19 infection

To protect themselves from COVID-19, people follow the recommendations of the authorities, but they also resort to placebos. To stop the virus, it is important to understand the factors underlying both types of preventive behaviour. This study examined whether our model (developed based on the Health Belief Model and the Transactional Model of Stress) can explain participation in WHO-recommended and placebo actions during the pandemic. Model was tested on a sample of 3346 participants from Italy, Japan, Poland, Korea, Sweden, and the US. It was broadly supported: objective risk and cues to action showed both direct and indirect (through perceived threat) associations with preventive behaviours. Moreover, locus of control, decision balance, health anxiety and preventive coping moderated these relationships. Numerous differences were also found between countries. We conclude that beliefs about control over health and perceived benefits of actions are critical to the development of interventions to improve adherence to recommendations.

Assessing drought effects on banana production and on-farm coping strategies by farmers — a study in the cattle corridor of Uganda

Drought is a major threat to banana production in Uganda, leading to large yield losses. This study documented drought effects on banana production and identified farmers’ drought mitigation strategies. Interviews were conducted in eight districts, randomly selected from banana-growing districts in Uganda’s cattle corridor, characterised by frequent droughts. Data were collected from 120 respondents/farms. Banana production in the study area was dominated by small-scale farmers, growing mostly a combination of cooking and dessert banana types. Among the 15 identified effects of drought stress on banana growth, reduced bunch weight, wilting and drying of leaves, reduced leaf production and reduced number of fingers and clusters were the most reported. ‘Mpologoma’ and ‘FHIA 17’ cultivars were reported as the most and least affected by drought stress, respectively. Although the cattle corridor is prone to recurrent droughts, the deployment of drought coping strategies was mostly low, with farmers using one to three strategies. A total of 12 drought mitigation practices were used across the cattle corridor, with mulching being the most common option. Irrigation was perceived as the most effective mitigation option though its deployment was limited by water scarcity and the high cost of water pumps. This study suggests the need for government support to mitigate drought through establishing infrastructure for irrigation, strengthening climate data collection and information systems and the development of drought-tolerant cultivars by breeders. Additionally, farmers need to prioritise preventive coping strategies like planting drought-tolerant cultivars, irrigation, mulching, and manure application and ensure timely of deployment of mitigation practices.

Knowledge hiding as a coping response to the supervisors’ dark triad of personality: A protection motivation theory perspective

In the current era of a knowledge-based economy, where the main driver is knowledge transfer, knowledge hiding among employees has become a stumbling block. Drawing on the protection motivation theory, we provide another explanation for employees’ engagement with knowledge-hiding behavior. Specifically, we argue that knowledge hiding is a preventive coping mechanism against the threat induced by supervisors’ dark triad of personality traits. We also introduced mattering and job security as cognitive mediations between the supervisor’s dark triad of personality traits and subordinates’ knowledge-hiding behavior. Our results indicate that the supervisor’s dark personality traits enhance subordinates’ knowledge-hiding behavior, mediated by low mattering perception and threatened job security. We also provide a list of knowledge-hiding antecedents studied over the past ten years. Theoretical and practical contributions along with future research directions are also presented.

Vulnerability to early stressful life events: The moderating role of HOMER1 gene in the gene × environment interaction

ABSTRACT To explore the curvilinear relationship between early stressful life events and future-oriented coping and whether the HOMER1 (rs7713917) polymorphism can moderate the relationship between early life stress and two types of future-oriented coping, 14,675 Han Chinese people were surveyed. The relationship between the number of early stressful life events and future-oriented coping adhered to a quadratic curve. HOMER1 polymorphisms moderated the relationship between the impact of early life stress and preventive coping (β = −0.02, 95% CI [−0.03, −0.01], p = 0.010), which was different from that of proactive coping (β = −0.01, 95% CI [−0.02, 0.01], p = 0.073). Individuals with the AA genotype who experienced a high impact of early life stress were more likely to use preventive coping compared with those who experienced a low level of early life stress, but they showed no difference in their proactive coping strategies. In contrast, individuals with the GA/GG genotype displayed higher vulnerability to environmental changes.