Ways of coping with psychological distress after trauma

One hundred and eight survivors of trauma attending a stress clinic were assessed on measures of coping, personality, control expectancies and psychological distress. The psychometric characteristics of these questionnaires are discussed, and the relationships between them investigated using correlational and regression techniques. Although cross-sectional studies can only be indicative, it would appear that most coping strategies, and particularly escape-avoidance, are consistently associated with high psychological distress, with the exception of positive reappraisal and distancing, which are the only strategies associated with better psychological outcome. It may be that deeply distressed survivors cannot find effective ways of obtaining relief, and therefore report many ways of trying to cope.