Analyzing the Temporal Structure of Proactive Coping: An Integrative Approach
Ana Tomova1, Mario Lawes1, Michael Eid1
1Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Journal of Personality
|April 8, 2026
Summary
Proactive coping, a key aspect of well-being, demonstrates high temporal stability, primarily due to stable individual traits rather than life events like unemployment. A small dynamic component does exist, however.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Health and Well-being Research
Background:
- Proactive coping is crucial for health and well-being.
- Its temporal stability and sensitivity to life events remain underexplored.
- Existing conceptualizations focus on trait-like, state-like, or process-oriented aspects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the variability and stability of proactive coping dimensions.
- To examine the influence of life events, specifically unemployment, on proactive coping.
- To integrate trait, state, and process-oriented approaches to coping.
Main Methods:
- Utilized monthly panel data from two cohorts of German job seekers (N=1540, N=909).
- Employed a latent-state-trait model with autoregressive effects for analysis.
Main Results:
- Proactive coping exhibited high temporal stability, predominantly driven by dispositional (trait) factors.
- Situation-specific influences on proactive coping were minimal.
- Unemployment did not significantly affect proactive coping levels.
- Results were consistent across both study cohorts.
Conclusions:
- Proactive coping is a highly stable construct over time, persisting through employment and unemployment.
- While largely stable, proactive coping possesses a dynamic component influenced by situational factors.
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