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A process-oriented perspective examining the relationships among daily coping, stress, and affect.
Jessica M Blaxton1, C S Bergeman1
1Psychology Department, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States.
Personality and Individual Differences
|January 23, 2018
Summary
Daily coping strategies impact affect differently based on stressor appraisal and individual traits. Understanding these real-time relationships offers deeper insights into stress management.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Daily stress and coping mechanisms significantly influence emotional well-being.
- Individual differences in cognitive appraisal of stressors moderate coping effectiveness.
- Longitudinal daily assessments provide nuanced insights into dynamic psychological processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the daily interplay between coping strategies, affect, and cognitive appraisal of stressors.
- To investigate how age and stressor characteristics influence the effectiveness of coping strategies.
- To differentiate between-person and within-person effects in stress and coping dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multi-level modeling on 56 days of daily data from 371 participants (aged 44-87).
- Assessed daily positive and negative affect, bothersome events, and coping strategies.
- Incorporated cognitive appraisal of stressor severity and controllability.
Main Results:
- Coping strategies demonstrated differential relationships with affect.
- The efficacy of coping strategies was contingent upon stressor characteristics and individual factors.
- Average stress severity and specific strategies (Altering Meaning, Dispelling Effects) showed stronger associations with affect than daily fluctuations.
Conclusions:
- Certain coping strategies are more effective for specific affective outcomes.
- A process-oriented, daily data approach enhances understanding of the dynamic interplay between individuals, stress, and coping.
- Findings highlight the personalized nature of effective stress management.
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