Coping, Distress, and Life Events in a Community Sample.

Coping strategies represent behavioral and cognitive efforts to deal with stressful encounters (R. S. Lazarus & S. Folkman, 1984). This study aimed to assess the pattern of associations between demographic variables, problem-and emotion-focused coping, and distress. A representative sample of 510 adult Israelis completed coping and distress inventories. Emotion-focused coping showed strong positive associations with distress, whereas problem-focused coping was negatively related to this variable, although to a lesser degree. The effects of problem-focused coping on distress were more pronounced for participants who had experienced a recent life event. The conclusion to be drawn is that stressful conditions may enhance the effects of coping strategies on distress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)