Coping and Copers: What it is to Cope, Personalities, and Effective and Non-effective Coping Strategies Kerry Williams Psychology of Stress The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand

Coping and Copers: What it is to Cope, Personalities and Effective and Non-effective Coping Strategies This essay discusses coping, a complex process exercised by people to suppress, change, or eliminate stress or threat. This essay also discusses copers, that is, people who exhibit certain personality characteristics, known as distress resistant personality patterns, which can significantly influence whether they stay healthy or become ill. Also covered are coping strategies, -strategies people draw upon to solve life’s stressors, some effective, while …show more content…

Further, subjects who were higher in hardiness were happier, less depressed, had higher levels of self esteem, energy, optimism, meaning, and direction. Individuals exhibiting the hardiness characteristic are described as having three closely related tendencies; challenge, commitment, and control (Dolbier, Leiferman, Steinhardt, & Soderstrom, 2000). These tendencies reflect a number of perceptions and behaviours. Dolbier et al. decribed these as: The term challenge reflects an outlook on life that enables an individual to perceive change as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat to one’s sense of security or survival. Change rather than stability is seen as the normative mode of life. Individuals strong in commitment believe in the truth and value of who they are and what they are doing. They have a sense of meaning and purpose in work and relationships and are deeply involved rather than alienated out of fear, uncertainty, or boredom. The term control reflects a belief that one can influence the course of events within reasonable limits. Hardy individuals have an internal sense of personal mastery, confronting problems with confidence in their ability to implement effective solutions, rather that feeling powerless, lacking self- confidence and initiative, and manipulating others. (P.312) To cope, simply means to alter the situation or its interpretation, that is, behavioural and