Approaches to Coping with Stress

Coping with stress

Coping Strategies- Emotion Focused Coping

Emotion focused coping deals with the emotions generated by the stressor. Examples of emotion focused coping include:

• Denial-e.g. going on as if nothing has happened
• Focusing on and venting emotions- e.g. crying or getting angry with others
• Wishful thinking- e.g. dwelling on what might have been if this hadn't happened

Some forms of emotion focused coping are positive (e.g. reinterpeting the event in a positive light) but some are negative (e.g. repeatedly thinking about the problem without trying to change it)

Coping Strategies- Problem Focused Coping

Problem focused coping deals with the stressor itself. Examples of problem focused coping include:

• Taking…