Coping Strategies

Coping strategies are the thoughts and behaviors used to manage the internal and external demands of a stressful situation. In this chapter, we describe the coping process, some of the ways coping strategies are categorized, and some of the factors associated with effective coping. Contextual factors such as the nature of the stressful situation, the personality of the individual, and social context can all influence whether or not a particular coping strategy is employed and whether or not it is effective. Even though some coping strategies are more consistently associated with successful adaption than others, there is no one coping strategy that is universally adaptive or maladaptive.