International Indexed & Refferred Research Journal, October 2012, ISSN 0975-3486, RNI- RAJBAL 2009/30097: VoL IV *ISSUE- 37

Research PaperPsychology

Coping Strategies among subjects of different Life Cycle Stages

October,2012

* Dr. Renuka Joshi ** Dr Sapna Tomar

*Associate Prof. & Head, Dept. of Psychology ** Research Scholar Head, Dept. of Psychology, DAV (PG) College, DEHRADUN, Uttarakhand A B S T R A C T
The present study was planned to find out the coping strategies adopted by adolescents, adults and old age subjects in stressful situations. Total sample consisted of 600 subjects equally divided into three groups (adolescents, adults and old age) and two sexes (males and females. All the subjects were selected by using quata random sampling technique and were administered individually Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WAYSS) - Constructed and standardized by Folkman and Lazarus (1988). Means, SDs and F values were computed to draw inferences. Findings revealed that adolescents, adults and old age subjects differ from each other on all the dimensions of Depression except Sleep Disturbance. Old age subjects were found to use significantly more Confrontive Coping, Distancing and Accepting Responsibility whereas adolescents were higher on Self Control, Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal. Females were found to significantly low in using Coping Strategies than males on Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal.

Introduction Coping strategies refer to the specific efforts, both behavioral and psychological, that people employ to master, tolerate, reduce, or minimize stressful events. There are many different ways of coping but they all involve making some change in input-output relationships. Thus some methods of coping involve changing, controlling and even avoiding certain inputs, whether the problem is attacked by working on inputs that in internal processes or outputs, it will be one of the two major ways of adjusting- defensive coping or direct coping. Defensive coping involves protecting oneself by getting away from threatening inputs. Direct coping involves meeting challenges head on. Coping with stress may begin with the occurrence of a stressful event during exposure to stressor and finally after it has taken places. However, successful coping with stress should depend on a number of factors such as individual attitude, perception of life stress and suffering and personal skills, capability of problem solving and decision making. Sahu, K. (2007) found gender differences on life stress and significant negative relationship between life stress and coping was observed. It was also extended for males but this relationship was not found significant for females. Charlane Pereira (2012) revealed that leisure and culture does not affect the coping strategies (emotion focused coping/problem focused coping/social support coping) of doctors in Goa and Mumbai. Further, no interaction effect was found between leisure and culture for any of the coping strategies. Folkman, S. and Lazarus, R.S (1980) evaluated age difference in the use

of problem focused coping and emotion focused coping among individuals aged 45 to 64. The younger group was found to use emotion focused approach more i.e. they used more of accepting responsibility, distancing more than older group. Singh, Sandeep and Kuma, Amit (2011) observed in his study that different coping processes namely accepting responsibility, confronting, positive reappraisal, and self controlling have significantly influence the mental health of HIV positive persons particularly the depression level. Considering the above facts the present study was undertaken to observe the generational differences on the tendencies of using Coping strategies during stressful events. Hypotheses To achieve the main objective of the study following hypothesis are framed; All the three groups will differ from each other on the tendency of using Coping Strategies and its di mensions. Males and females will differ significantly from each other on Coping Strategies and its dimensions. Method Sample Entire sample was consisted of 600 subjects equally divided into three groups (Adolescent, Adult, and Old age) and males and females. All the subjects were matched on socio-economic status as all the subjects were belonging to middle income group. Quota random sampling was used to select the sample from the Dehradun Distt. Adolescents were selected from K.V (F.R.I) and Rajkiya vidhyalya, Selaqui, Adult and Old age subjects were selected from Sudhowala,

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International Indexed & Refferred Research Journal, October 2012, ISSN 0975-3486, RNI- RAJBAL 2009/30097: VoL IV *ISSUE- 37

Badowala, Thakurpur, Gujrara, Mansingwala and Dandalakand, Dehradun. Keeping in view the main objective of the study the sample was classified in to three groups (Adolescent, Adults and Old age) ranging between 14 to 65yrs (Adolescents 13-19yrs, adults 25-40yrs and old age 55-65yrs). All the three groups (Adolescent, Adult, Old age) were combined with two level of sexes yielding 4 conditions. Tools; Fairly established and standardized test of Coping styles was used for the data collection; * Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WAYSS) -Constructed and standardized by Folkman and Lazarus (1988) to measure the coping strategies of the subjects. Different Coping Strategies measured by the scale are Confrontive Coping, Distancing, Self-Control, Seeking Social Support, Accepting Responsibility, Escape Avoidance, Planful Problem Solving, and Positive Reappraisal. Procedure The subjects were contacted individually and requested to cooperate for the testing schedule. Good rapport was established with all the subjects and they were convinced that the result and the information they will give would be kept strictly confidential and will be used for research purpose only. The testing schedule was conducted by administering the Coping Strategies Scale (CS) to know the coping strategies of the subjects. Raw scores were obtained with the help of manual of the scale and Means SDs and F values were computed to draw inferences. Results Table 1 shows the mean and SD of adolescents, Adults and Old Age People on Coping Strategies and its dimensions. The table denoted that old age people scored higher mean values on Total Coping Strategies and its dimensions namely, Confrontive Coping, Distancing, Self Control, Accepting Responsibility , Planful Problem Solving followed by Adolescents and Adults. Adolescents scored higher mean values on Seeking Social Support, Escape Avoidance and Positive Reappraisal followed by Old Age People and Adults. Table 2 shows the gender differences on coping strat-

egies and its dimensions. On Total Coping Strategies and its dimensions namely Confrontive Coping, Distancing, Self Control, and Seeking Social Support, female subjects obtained higher mean score, whereas male subjects scored higher on Accepting Responsibility, Escape Avoidances, Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal than female subjects. Table 3 represents that significant F values for groups (adolescents, adults and old age) were found for Total Coping Strategies and its dimensions namely; Confrontive Coping, Distancing, Self Control, Accepting Responsibility, Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal. No significant difference among groups was found on Seeking Social Support and Escape Avoidance. To show the gender differences the F values Table 3 reveals that males and females differ significantly from each other on Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal. On all other dimensions of Coping Strategies the obtained F values were found to be insignificant. Interactional F values indicated that interaction of sex and group is significant for only Confrontive Coping. Discussion Coping Strategies and Groups To test the first hypothesis the obtained F- ratio for Coping Strategy (table 3) for groups (adolescents, adults and old age) was emerged to be highly significant at .01 levels. Mean values (Table 1) shows that old age subjects obtained higher mean values followed by adolescents and adult subjects. It denoted that the tendency of using Coping Strategy is significantly higher among old age subjects followed by adolescents and adult subjects. Adult were found to have lowest tendency of using Coping Strategy whereas adolescents possess the moderate tendency of Coping in stressful situations. The obtained findings were in contrast to the earlier findings of Nadia Garnefski, Jeroen & Legestee et al (2002) who showed that all cognitive coping strategies are significantly lesser extent among adolescents

Table 1 Groups differences on Coping Strategies and its dimensions. Variable/Dimension Adolescents(n=200) Adults (n=200) Old Age(n=200) Mean SD Mean S D Mean SD Coping Strategies (Total) 79.10 14.92 72.35 15.63 79.86 15.62 Confrontive Coping 8.79 2.97 9.41 3.21 11.43 2.97 Distancing 9.32 3.10 8.56 2.97 10.07 3.61 Self- Control 10.57 3.98 9.41 2.95 10.11 3.93 Seeking Social Support 9.52 3.24 8.90 1.97 9.26 3.10 Accepting Responsibility 7.45 2.97 6.41 4.14 8.43 2.92 Escape Avoidance 9.67 4.62 9.08 3.21 9.52 4.24 Planful Problem Solving 11.26 5.13 9.94 3.96 10.17 6.24 Positive Reappraisal 12.50 4.87 10.79 3.99 10.87 3.94

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International Indexed & Refferred Research Journal, October 2012, ISSN 0975-3486, RNI- RAJBAL 2009/30097: VoL IV *ISSUE- 37
Table 2: Gender differences on Coping Strategies and Variable / Dimension Male (n =300) Mean SD Optimism/Pessimism Attitude 28.51 5.12 Coping Strategies (Total) 78.42 18.24 Confrontive Coping 9.42 3.68 Distancing 9.15 3.48 Self- Control 10.13 3.88 Seeking Social Support 9.02 3.26 Accepting Responsibility 7.70 3.19 Escape Avoidance 10.65 3.88 Planful Problem Solving 12.50 3.84 Positive Reappraisal 13.85 4.51 Table 3 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Variables and their dimensions F value for Sex Total Coping Strategy 1.74NS Confrontive coping 1.75NS Distancing .36NS Self Control 1.68NS Seeking Social Support, 22NS Accepting Responsibility .11NS Escape Avoidance .69NS Planful Problem Solving 3.82* Positive Reappraisal 7.58** its dimensions Female(n=300) Mean 29.53 82.43 10.37 9.52 10.96 10.33 7.44 10.36 10.46 10.99

SD 3.99 16.73 3.48 3.54 3.65 3.38 2.81 4.13 4.04 4.62

of Coping Strategies and its dimensions F value for Group F value for Interaction 11.34** 1.61NS 32.45** 4.88** 10.84** 1.59NS 5.60** .89NS 1.52NS .90NS 24.89** .73NS 1.29NS 1.28NS 6.53** .38NS 9.78** .70NS

than adults. Kathleen M. Galotti (2002) found that adult and old age people were more likely to use a complex coping strategy than were adolescents. On various dimensions of Coping Strategies (table 3) the obtained F ratio for the dimensions of Coping Strategy, namely; Confrontive Coping, Distancing and Accepting Responsibility was found to be significant revealing that group difference existed on these dimension of Coping Strategy. Furthermore, the old age subjects possessed significantly higher tendency of using these coping Strategies. Adolescents were observed to have lower tendency of using Confrontive Coping whereas adults were found to use at a minimum level of these Coping Strategy. Adolescents were found to have significantly higher tendency of using Self Control, Planful Problem solving and Positive Reappraisal technique of coping in stressful situations as compared to old age and adults. Adults were found to have lowest tendency of using these coping strategies. The tendency of using Self control, Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal was of moderate level among old age subjects. Insignificant F value on Seeking Social Support and Escape Avoidance dimension of Coping Strategy (table 3) showed that adolescents, adults and old age subjects do not differ from each other on these two dimensions of Coping Strategy or the tendency of Seeking Social Support and Escape Avoidance among adolescents, adults and old age subjects is almost similar. On the basis of above obtained findings the proposed hypothesis was partially accepted claiming that all the three groups differ from each other on all the

technique of Coping Strategies except Seeking Social Support and Escape Avoidance. Old age subjects were found to use significantly more Confrontive Coping, Distancing and Accepting Responsibility whereas adolescents were higher on Self Control, Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal. The findings of present study stand in contrast to the findings of Folkman and Lazarus (1980) who reported differences in different age groups on coping strategies and found that younger group use Emotion focused approach more i.e. they used more of accepting responsibility and distancing than older group. The younger group was found to use more Confrontive Coping and Seeking social Support than the older group. The findings of present study stand in line to the findings of Folkman and Lazarus (1980) who reported the older group use more passive, interpersonal emotional focused forms of coping i.e. Distancing, Accepting Responsibility and Positive Reappraisal. Rath, Sangeeta. and Nanda, Sumitra (2011) also indicated that academically competent adolescents adopted more problem- focused coping strategies and academically less-competent adolescents adopted more emotion-focused coping strategies. Again, boys used more problem-focused while girls used more emotion-focused coping strategies. Coping Strategies and Gender Differences The calculated F values for various dimensions of Coping Strategies (table 3) revealed that males and females did not show significant differences on Coping Strategy dimensions namely; Confrontive Coping, Distancing, Self Control, Seeking Social Support, Accepting Responsibility and Escape Avoidance

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International Indexed & Refferred Research Journal, October 2012, ISSN 0975-3486, RNI- RAJBAL 2009/30097: VoL IV *ISSUE- 37

it is similar among males and females in stressful situations. The findings stands in contrast to the earlier findings of Rao, K; Moulaud, S and Subbhkrishan, D. K. (2000) who showed gender differences in the use of emotion focused coping and denoted that females preferred social support utilization than males. Significant F ratio (table 3) on the Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal dimension of Coping Strategy denoted that males and females differ significantly from each other on this dimension of Coping Strategy. It indicated that males have significantly higher tendency and higher level of using Planful Problem solving and Positive Reappraisal technique in stressful situation than females males use more problem focused efforts to alter the situation and creating positive meaning by focusing on personal growth as compared to females. On the basis of above obtained findings the proposed hypothesis was partially accepted claiming that females are significantly low in using Coping Strategies than males on Planful Problem Solving and Positive

Reappraisal. No gender difference was observed on the tendency of using Confrontive Coping, Distancing, Self Control, Seeking Social Support, Accepting Responsibility and escape Avoidance in stressful situations. The findings stands in line to the earlier findings of Folkman and Lazarus(1980) who reported that men use significantly more problem focused coping than women. Tyagi, P and Sen, A. K. (2000) also reported gender differences on coping strategies and showed that males are higher on problem focused coping technique than females. Finally it can be concluded that Old age subjects were found to use significantly more Confrontive Coping, Distancing and Accepting Responsibility whereas adolescents were higher on Self Control, Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal. Significantly higher tendency of using Planful Problem Solving and Positive Reappraisal technique in stressful situations was found in male as compared to female subjects.

R E F E R E N C E
1 Charlane Pereira (2012), A cross-cultural study of coping strategies of doctors involved in leisure activities. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology. Vol.3 (1), Pp 40-43 2 Folkman, S and Lazarus, R.S. (1980)"An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample". Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Vol. 21: 219-239. 3 Folkman, Susan and Lazarus, S. Richard. (1988). Construct and standardized "Ways of coping questionnaire (WAYSS). 4 Kathleeen M. Galotti (2002). The effects of optimism on coping and perceived quality of life of college students. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, Vol.13(2):185-200. 5 Nadia Garnefski., Jeroen Legerstee et al (2002). Conitive coping strategies and symptoms of depression and anxiety a comparison between adolescent and adult. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 12: 230-236. 6 Rath, Sangeeta. and Nanda, Sumitra (2011). Adolescents' coping: Understanding the role of gender and academic competence. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology. Vol.2 (2), Pp 136-139.. 7 Rao, K ; Moulaud, S and Subbhkrishan, D. K. (2000). Appraisal of stress and coping behavior in college students. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, Vol. 26 (1-2): 5-13. 8 Sahu, K. (2007). Stress and coping: A study of male and female degree college teachers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Vol. 8: 39-44. 9 Singh, Sandeep and Kuma, Amit (2011). Coping influences on depression among HIV positive persons. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology. Vol.2 (2), Pp 114-117. 1 0 Tyagi, P and Sen, A. K. (2000). A study of Role stress and coping strategies among manger and supervisor in Public Sector Organization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Vol. 1: 5-17.

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