Stress and

Coping Strategi

es

Ahsan Ahmad Baba

What Is Stress?

Physiological challenge which, if prolonged, can result in a negative state, or alternatively, an improved capacity to cope physiologically

Rice, P. R. (1999)

Stressors

Physical -- external factors. Social -- caused by interactions

between an individual and his/her environment.

Psychological -- strong emotions can be brought on by external or internal factors.

Coping: What is coping?

Coping is a process of constant evaluation of the success of one’s strategies

Coping is learned as one encounters situations

Coping requires effort

Coping Strategies

Positive belief the ability to cope is enhanced when people believe they

can successfully bring about desired consequences

Problem-solving skills having specific knowledge or abilities related to specific

problem

Social skill ability to get other people to cooperate

Social support feeling of being accepted, loved, or prized by others

Problem Focussed Coping

consists of changing the situation redefining the problem looking at alternative solutions evaluating the implications of the alternatives choosing the best one to act on

Emotion-focussed coping

consists of controlling and possibly changing the emotional response to an event

cognitive responses such as avoidance or minimization

the goal is to decrease emotional distress often used when the individual feels that

nothing can be done about the situation