Self-controlling Coping Research Articles

Dispositional Self-Control Capacity and Trait Anxiety as Relates to Coping Styles

In the present article, we analyzed the relationship between dispositional self-control capacity, trait anxiety, and coping styles. Since self-control is often crucial for adapting one’s behavior to be positive, we predicted that dispositional differences in the capacity to exert self-control play a role in determining individuals coping styles. To test this assumption, we assessed participants’ (N = 163) dispositional self-control capacity using the Self-Control Scale, and their dispositional coping styles by using the short version of the German Coping Questionnaire SVF78 (German: Stressverarbeitungsfragebogen). A path analysis supported our hypothesis; higher levels of dispositional self-control capacity were positively associated with positive coping style and negatively associated with negative coping style. Basing on attentional control theory, we further assumed that this relationship was mediated by trait anxiety. In a second study based on a sample of N = 98 participants, we additionally applied the trait version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results of a path analysis revealed that trait anxiety mediated the relationship between dispositional self-control capacity and coping styles. The results suggest that it may be useful to take a closer look at the role of self-control in the anxiety-coping relationship.

The Relationships Among Workplace Stressors, Coping Methods, Demographic Characteristics, and Health in Australian Nurses

Nursing is known to be stressful. Stress detrimentally can influence job satisfaction, psychological well-being, and physical health. There is a need for increased understanding of the stress that nurses experience and how best to manage it. Three hundred twenty Australian acute care public hospital nurses participated in a study by completing four questionnaires that examined (a) how various workplace stressors relate to ways of coping, demographic characteristics, and physical and mental health and (b) which workplace stressors, coping mechanisms, and demographic characteristics were the best predictors of physical and mental health. Significant correlations were found between stressors and physical and mental health. Multiple regression showed age to be the only significant predictor of physical health. The best coping predictors of mental health were escape-avoidance, distancing, and self-control. Other significant predictors of mental health were support in the workplace, the number of years worked in the unit, and workload. Mental health scores were higher for nurses working more years in the unit and for those who used distancing as a way of coping. Mental health scores were lower for nurses who used escape-avoidance, lacked workplace support, had high workload, and used self-control coping. The findings have implications for organizational management, particularly in terms of recommendations for stress management, social support, and workload reduction.

A History of Abuse in Community Subjects with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Functional Dyspepsia: The Role of Other Psychosocial Variables

Background/Aims: Why abuse is associated with irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia remains unclear but other psychosocial factors may be important. We hypothesized that other psychosocial variables may confound the association. Methods: 207 subjects identified from a previous population survey who also met Rome I criteria for IBS (n = 156) or functional dyspepsia (n = 51) were included in the study. Controls (n = 100) did not report having any abdominal pain in a previous population survey. Sexual, physical, emotional/verbal abuse as a child (≤13 years) and adult (≧14 years) was assessed using validated self-report questions. Other psychological variables were assessed via validated self-report. Results: Adulthood abuse was significantly more common in IBS and/or functional dyspepsia (40%) compared with healthy controls (25%). Abuse was not an independent predictor for IBS or functional dyspepsia when psychological and buffering factors were controlled for in the analyses. Having a diagnosis of depression and using a self-controlling coping style were significantly associated with having a history of abuse. Conclusions: Abuse occurring as an adult was significantly associated with IBS and/or functional dyspepsia, but it was not an important factor when psychosocial factors were controlled for in these disorders.

Illness representations, coping styles and mood in adults with epilepsy

It has been generally accepted that psychosocial well-being in people with epilepsy may show an association with the type of coping strategies they adopt. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the way people with epilepsy perceive their illness (illness representations) in determining their well-being and whether these representations are related to coping strategies in determining psychological outcome. We administered the Illness Perception Questionnaire and the Ways of Coping scale and examined their relationship with anxiety and depression scores in 43 adults with chronic epilepsy. Within multiple regression analyses, whilst epilepsy variables were not significantly related to mood, after also adjusting for patients’ gender, anxiety scores were best predicted by an increased relative use of escape-avoidance and a decreased relative use of distancing as coping strategies; increased depression scores were best predicted by greater relative use of escape-avoidant and self-controlling coping. Once coping factors had been accounted for, Illness Identity scores independently predicted anxiety scores, indicating that coping was not acting simply to mediate the impact of illness representations on patients’ mood. However, illness representations did not independently predict depression, suggesting that in the case of negative affect, coping was acting as a mediating factor. Findings indicate the importance of aspects of epilepsy patients’ cognitive representations of their illness, as well as of their coping styles in determining psychological well-being.

Coping with post‐traumatic stress symptoms following relationship dissolution

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between post‐traumatic stress symptoms resulting from relationship dissolution and coping style. The hypothesis was that some degree of post‐traumatic stress symptoms would be evident among the sample and that the coping strategies of seeking social support, escape–avoidance, self‐controlling and accepting responsibility would be associated with such symptoms. Eighty‐eight university students who had experienced the dissolution of a romantic relationship over the preceding 24 months participated in the research. They were interviewed using the Impact of Event Scale (IES), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOC). The results showed that the mean score of intrusion was slightly higher than that of avoidance. The sample scored significantly higher in the IES items than one standardized sample of medical students but significantly lower in intrusion than another standardized sample of clinical patients. Fifty‐one per cent of the sample scored above the cut‐off of the GHQ. The results also showed that both intrusion and avoidance were significantly correlated with all GHQ items. The sample used the self‐controlling coping strategy the most, followed by escape–avoidance and positive reappraisal. The sample also employed coping strategies of distancing and seeking social support. Stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that escape–avoidance, distancing, seeking social support and planful problem solving were significant predictors to the IES total. Escape–avoidance and accepting responsibility were significant predictors to the IES intrusion. Escape–avoidance and distancing were significant predictors to the IES avoidance. Escape–avoidance was the only significant predictor to the GHQ total. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hearing Impairment, Coping Strategies, and Anxiety Sensitivity

The aim was to study coping strategies among hearing-impaired individuals by using a validated coping instrument—The Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOCQ; S. Folkman & R. Lazarus, 1988)—and to relate the use of coping with anxiety sensitivity and experience of hearing impairment. A questionnaire booklet was sent out to the members of the local branch of the Swedish Hard of Hearing Association. Ninety-four members responded to the questionnaire, yielding a 53% response rate. Primary outcome measures were the WOCQ, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, and visual analogue scale rating of discomfort from hearing impairment. Repeated measures analysis of WOCQ subscales showed that the participants used planful problem solving and self-controlling coping strategies whereas escape/avoidance responses were less frequently used than the other coping strategies. Anxiety sensitivity was associated with escape/avoidance coping (r = .63, p < .0001). In conclusion, hearing-impaired individuals do not use escape/avoidance coping more than other coping strategies. However, escape/avoidance coping is associated with anxiety sensitivity, suggesting that sensitivity to anxiety sensations is an important associated factor. Coping strategies were not associated with discomfort from hearing impairment in any meaningful way.

Symptoms, depression, and coping behaviors of university students

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among subjective symptoms, depression, and stress coping behavior of university students. The survey was carried out on a convenience sample of 298 university students. The questionnaire consisted of each scale for symptoms, depression, and stress coping behaviors. Data analysis procedure included the factor analysis for stress coping behaviors, and the correlation analysis describing a relationship among symptoms, depression, and stress coping behaviors. There were significant correlations between depression and the three types of symptoms : general, psychological, and somatic symptom. Subjects using the negative-emotional-response coping and the self-control coping showed a more severe depression, and those using the problem-solving reappraisal coping and the positive-emotional-response coping showed a milder depression. Subjects using the negative-emotional-response coping complained of all 3 types of symptoms severely, and those using the positive-emotional-response coping complained of general symptoms mildly. Of five stress coping methods, the negative-emotional-response and the positive-emotional-response coping methods were related to both symptoms and depression significantly. This study suggests that the emotional-oriented coping method has more important role for university student's depression and their subjective symptoms than the problem-oriented coping or social supports seeking coping. Further study needs to be conducted to help students effective coping mechanism for good mental health. Also it is necessary for university students to recognize that their symptoms are associated with depression.

AIDS-related grief and coping with loss among HIV-positive men and women.

AIDS-related grief was examined and its association with coping among HIV-positive men and women explored. AIDS-related grief, psychological distress and coping were examined among a sample of 268 HIV-infected individuals, diverse with respect to gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Participants exhibited elevated scores on measures of grief reaction and psychological distress including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and traumatic stress related to their losses. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that severity of grief reaction was associated with escape-avoidance and self-controlling coping strategies, type of loss, depressive symptoms, and history of injection drug use. Interventions are needed to enhance coping and reduce psychological distress associated with the unique bereavement experienced by people living with HIV- and AIDS-related grief.

A 1-year follow-up study of coping in patients with panic disorder.

We conducted a longitudinal study of methods used by patients with panic disorder to cope with stress, in order to investigate the characteristics of coping among these patients and to determine whether coping changes as therapy progresses and whether coping affects outcome. The Lazarus Type Stress Coping Inventory was performed on 43 patients with panic disorder and 315 normal subjects. The Stress Coping Inventory was repeated after 1 year therapy in the patients with panic disorder. Compared with normal subjects, panic disorder patients obtained significantly higher scores for emotional coping strategies (P =.04), and for seeking social support (P =.02) and escape-avoidance (i.e., wishful thinking) (P =.0008) as coping styles. On repeat assessment, these patients obtained significantly higher scores for cognitive coping strategies (P =.002), emotional coping strategies (P <.0001), planful problem solving (P =.02), confrontive coping (P =.002), seeking social support (P =.02), escape-avoidance (P <.0001), distancing (P =.002), and positive reappraisal (P =.001) than the normal subjects. A group x time interaction was significant for a self-controlling coping style (P =.01). On repeat assessment, the patients with a good outcome (Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF] score > 60) obtained a significantly higher score for self-controlling coping style, and the intractable patients (GAF score < or = 60) obtained a significantly lower score than on initial assessment. The results suggest that coping styles such as emotional coping strategies, seeking social support, and escape-avoidance are trait-dependent characteristics of patients with panic disorder. As therapy progressed, state-dependent changes, such as an increase in adaptive coping, were seen as well, and changes in coping also differed significantly based on outcome. These findings suggest that changing coping strategies in patients with panic disorder could be used as a goal of therapy.

Psychosocial adjustment, coping, and quality of life in persons with venous ulcers and a history of intravenous drug use

Objective/purpose: Psychosocial adjustment, coping, and quality of life for persons with a venous ulcer and a history of intravenous drug use were examined. Design: A cross-sectional design was used. Setting and subjects: Data were collected in an urban outpatient clinic. All eligible persons were asked to participate. Thirty-two patients agreed to participate, providing an 89% response rate. The mean age of participants was 44.6 years (SD = 4.3); 91% were African American, and 72% were male. Instruments: Subjects responded to questions about their health and substance abuse history and completed the Quality of Life With a Leg Ulcer Questionnaire, Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS), Ways of Coping Instrument, and Pain Questionnaire. Leg ulcer tracings were measured with the SigmaScan computer program. Methods: Questionnaires were read to participants. Leg ulcers were traced at their borders onto plastic. Results: Wound area correlated significantly with the domestic environment (r = .43) and the psychosocial distress (r = .38) scores of the PAIS. Wound area was negatively correlated to Quality of Life With a Leg Ulcer Questionnaire score (r = -.52). Pain interference was significantly related to the self-controlling coping score (r = .40), domestic environment score of the PAIS (r = .51), and Quality of Life With a Leg Ulcer Questionnaire score (r = -.65). Cox and Wermuth's multiple regression modeling approach was used to summarize the study's variables. Conclusions: A larger wound area was associated with greater illness-induced difficulties in the home environment, greater psychological distress, and poor quality of life. Pain interference was associated with a greater effort to regulate one's feelings and actions, difficulties in the home, and poor quality of life. (J WOCN 2000;27:227–39)

Indistrial microplate handling

Objective/purpose: Psychosocial adjustment, coping, and quality of life for persons with a venous ulcer and a history of intravenous drug use were examined. Design: A cross-sectional design was used. Setting and subjects: Data were collected in an urban outpatient clinic. All eligible persons were asked to participate. Thirty-two patients agreed to participate, providing an 89% response rate. The mean age of participants was 44.6 years (SD = 4.3); 91% were African American, and 72% were male. Instruments: Subjects responded to questions about their health and substance abuse history and completed the Quality of Life With a Leg Ulcer Questionnaire, Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS), Ways of Coping Instrument, and Pain Questionnaire. Leg ulcer tracings were measured with the SigmaScan computer program. Methods: Questionnaires were read to participants. Leg ulcers were traced at their borders onto plastic. Results: Wound area correlated significantly with the domestic environment (r = .43) and the psychosocial distress (r = .38) scores of the PAIS. Wound area was negatively correlated to Quality of Life With a Leg Ulcer Questionnaire score (r = -.52). Pain interference was significantly related to the self-controlling coping score (r = .40), domestic environment score of the PAIS (r = .51), and Quality of Life With a Leg Ulcer Questionnaire score (r = -.65). Cox and Wermuth's multiple regression modeling approach was used to summarize the study's variables. Conclusions: A larger wound area was associated with greater illness-induced difficulties in the home environment, greater psychological distress, and poor quality of life. Pain interference was associated with a greater effort to regulate one's feelings and actions, difficulties in the home, and poor quality of life. (J WOCN 2000;27:227–39)

Victimization by Community Violence in Young Adolescents from a Suburban City

An exploratory model of the victimization-distress relation was tested with a sample of 123 sixth- through eighth-grade students from a small suburban city. More than one-half of the participants reported being victimized by community violence (including being chased, hit, mugged, and wounded). Although the majority of victimization incidents described by students included less severe types of physical confrontations such as chasing or hitting, nearly one-fifth of the students experienced more severe forms of victimization, namely mugging or wounding. An exploratory model was constructed whereby assertiveness and self-controlling coping predicted victimization. Victimization and family support emerged as direct predictors of distress, and family support moderated the victimization-distress relation. Suggestions for further research are discussed.

Mothers of Children With Leukemia: self-reported and observed distress and coping During Painful Pediatric Procedures

Abstract Self-reported maternal coping, self-rated maternal distress, and observed distress and coping behaviors were assessed during lumbar punctures (LP) with families of 45 patients with leukemia. Mothers' subscale means for Ways of Coping Scale (WCS) were significantly higher for 4 of 8 dimensions in this sample than for a stressed community sample. Mothers displayed almost no overt distress, but reported moderate distress both before and after the procedure. Planful problem-solving and self-controlling coping strategies showed correlations of moderate magnitude with observed maternal coping. In regression analyses, mothers' observed distress and coping were most strongly related to patient age and patients' observed distress and coping. Findings are discussed in terms of identifying mothers at risk for greater distress and the difficulties in coping with procedures throughout childhood leukemia treatment.

Appraisal, moods, and coping among individuals experiencing diagnostic exercise stress testing.

Appraisal, coping, and negative moods were examined in a convenience sample (N = 77) of individuals experiencing exercise stress testing to evaluate cardiac disease. Only three types of coping patterns--self-controlling, escape-avoidance, and confrontive coping--were significantly related to appraisal and negative moods. Only a small proportion of the variance in negative moods was accounted for through a mediating effect by the type of coping pattern. Appraisal had a direct effect on negative moods when self-controlling and escape-avoidance were entered as the coping patterns. Negative moods decreased and appraisals became more positive after the procedure. Appraisals, but not negative moods, were influenced by the results of the procedure.

Coping strategies among police recruits in a high-stress training environment.

The use and impact of coping strategies were explored in a setting of environmental stress. The sample consisted of 180 police recruits subjected to training stress in a U.S. police academy. Measures of coping, personal distress, and life stressors were used. Recruits who scored high on personal distress tended to use more coping strategies than those who had lower distress scores. These findings suggest that the magnitude of personal distress may be an important factor in determining which array of coping techniques is used. In terms of effectiveness, the coping strategies of distancing and planful problem solving significantly reduced distress. Escape/avoidance and self-control coping did not appear to work in the police situation and significantly increased distress.

Stress, coping, and high-risk sexual behavior.

We examined the relation between stress, coping, and a high-risk sexual behavior (unprotected anal intercourse) in 398 nonmonogamous gay and bisexual men from the AIDS Behavioral Research Project in San Francisco. Unprotected anal intercourse during the previous month, the amount of stress experienced during the previous month in each of 10 domains, six types of coping (self-controlling coping, escape-avoidance, distancing, planful problem-solving, seeking social support, and positive reappraisal), and spiritual beliefs and spiritual activities were assessed through self-report. There was no relation between stress and unprotected anal intercourse. However, there was a relation between coping and unprotected anal intercourse. Subjects who reported unprotected anal intercourse used sex more of the time to help cope with stressful situations than did subjects who did not report unprotected anal intercourse. Unprotected anal intercourse was negatively associated with seeking social support and spiritual activities and positively associated with self-controlling coping, which involves keeping one's feelings to oneself, and positive reappraisal. The findings suggest that social aspects of coping may be a key to understanding differences between those who engage in high-risk sexual behavior and those who do not.

Burnout and coping strategies among hospital staff nurses

This study examined the relationship between use of coping strategies and burnout among 150 randomly selected staff nurses from four hospitals. The instruments used were the frequency dimension of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson 1981) and the Ways of Coping (Revised) (Folkman & Lazarus 1985). In the canonical correlation analysis, two significant canonical variate sets differentiated nurses on the dimension of burnout. Nurses who experienced increased levels of burnout used the coping strategies of escape/avoidance, self-controlling and confronting (P less than 0.001). Nurses who experience decreased levels of burnout used the coping strategies of planful problem solving, positive reappraisal, seeking social support, and self-controlling (P less than 0.003). Self-controlling coping, although present in both variate sets, was used to a lesser extent by nurses with decreased burnout levels. The positive relationship between planful problem solving and reduced burnout levels supports the theoretical framework of Lazarus. This framework asserts that during the appraisal process, persons evaluate the harmfulness of an event and their own coping resources. Persons with lower levels of burnout may perceive the event as amenable to change or they may perceive their coping resources as adequate. Either perception may promote the view that the situation is amenable to problem solving. Another rationale for the effectiveness of particular coping strategies may lie in the reactions that these strategies engender in others. The use of planful problem solving, seeking social support and positive reappraisal has been reported to result in the offering of greater social support than when confronting and self-controlling coping were used.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Neuroendocrine and psychological variables relating to post-operative psychosis after open-heart surgery

Post-operative psychosis is a frequent complication after open-heart surgery. To investigate relationships between psychopathological outcome and endocrine and psychological variables, serum levels of cortisol, beta-endorphin, norepinephrine, TSH, and cholesterol were measured in 23 male patients undergoing aortic valve replacement from the day before operation (OP) until the seventh day after OP. State and trait anxiety, stress appraisal and the use of coping styles also were assessed. After OP, eight patients suffered from post-OP psychosis and nine from minor psychopathological symptoms. Post-OP psychopathology was significantly correlated with pre-OP psychopathological score as well as with state anxiety, pre- and post-OP stress, and the use of a self-controlling coping style. Serum cortisol, beta-endorphin, norepinephrine, and TSH levels were markedly elevated after OP. Cholesterol levels showed a decline. With regard to endocrine variables, the eight psychotic patients did not differ from 15 non-psychotic subjects, but a subgroup of three major depressed patients had distinctly elevated levels of cortisol and norepinephrine. For all 23 patients, pre-OP cholesterol correlated with pre-OP psychopathology and post-OP depression. Furthermore, post-OP depression was significantly correlated with both post-OP cortisol and norepinephrine. These results indicate the stressful nature of the OP and suggest a multifactorial association of endocrine and psychological variables with psychiatric complications after open-heart surgery.

Multiple component self-control treatment program for air travel discomfort

Five persons with different histories of air travel discomfort were trained to use relaxation, thought stopping and positive self-statements as self-control coping skills. Participation on a post-training flight and self-report measures indicated that all subjects had overcome their travel fears successfully. Four out of five individuals reported maintenance of treatment gains at 16-months' follow-up.