Coping behavior: the concept and stages of coping behavior

Every person throughout his life is faced with a huge number of situations, many of which cause the emergence of negative emotions. However, despite this, a person at all stages of his development must learn to find a way out of any situation, overcome difficulties and cope with obstacles. Each of us has to do this with varying degrees of effectiveness, but the consequences of these processes are not only a positive result that changes the quality of life and self-esteem, but also stress, various disorders, as well as internal feelings. All this ultimately leads to a violation of the psychological health of a person who, on the one hand, is forced to find the most acceptable ways out of situations provided by life. And on the other hand, such a search leads to a crisis of personality, manifested in the personal and professional sphere. Understanding this led to the emergence and development of a new direction in psychology. It is based on the term "coping behavior," coined by foreign psychologists. And then supplemented and expanded by domestic experts. It is worth noting that coping behavior is used in different areas of life. Therefore, this topic is interesting not only to psychologists, but also to ordinary people who seek to make their lives better and to maintain mental health in all situations. In the article we will analyze the coping behavior and coping strategies from which it is built. Readers will also be able to familiarize themselves with the effect of stress on individual behavior and the history of the emergence of this trend in psychology.

Talk about terminology

To put it as briefly as possible, then coping behavior in psychology is a set of actions aimed at searching, solving, overcoming and analyzing life situations that have arisen. In theory, all of the above actions are based on personal development and a set of specific behavioral skills. However, in many situations, due to the need to find the most favorable solution to the problem and get out of the predicament, the person acquires new skills. Ultimately, all manipulations should restore the balance between the inner feeling of oneself and the external circumstances suggested from the outside (this can be clearly seen in the coping behavior of adolescents). A similar harmony is achieved through several mechanisms.

We must say right away that it is impossible to talk about the coping behavior of an individual without understanding the term “coping”. After all, it was he who laid the foundation for a new direction in psychology. It appeared approximately in the forties of the last century and twenty years later became an integral part of psychology that studies the overcoming of conflicts and stresses. Coexisting behavior, by the way, is directly related to the ability to tune oneself to solve problems in a state of stress. Moreover, the reactions of each person have a noticeable imprint of personality, although most of the actions taken correspond to a number of strategies. However, let's get back to coping.

This term has many meanings today, but one must proceed from its direct translation into Russian - overcoming. In science, it is understood as human interaction with the tasks set by internal and external circumstances. If we consider copying in more detail, we can say that this is a set of behavioral strategies that allow you to adapt to any life circumstances. Psychologists believe that coping is a kind of individual set of reactions. It is built from logic, social status, mental capabilities and body resources. At the same time, coping can also have a negative value, since its essence is still adaptation. But it can not always fully satisfy the needs and requirements of the individual in the specific proposed external circumstances.

Coping behavior, in turn, involves the complete overcoming of negative reactions. As a minimum program, a significant reduction in these reactions is provided, which should become the basis for gaining balance. Moreover, it is worth noting that the result is achieved through a well-thought-out strategy of action.

Initially, psychologists were interested in coping behavior during adulthood or growing up a child. The fact is that each person goes through several serious personality crises as he grows. The most striking reaction of the body during these periods is stress. Coping behavior compels an individual to collect all his available resources and act on one or another strategy. In the first years of its existence, a new direction of psychology studied only external circumstances that are far from everyday life. For example, specialists studied the situations proposed by professional activity or the discrepancy between the expected circumstances and the real ones as a result of gaining new experience at the stage of growing up. However, it soon became clear that adaptive coping behavior or psychological overcoming, as it is also called, can be said in the context of everyday situations. Psychologists have found that almost every day people get into special life circumstances that cause stress and require immediate resolution. This means that they have to regularly use strategies in order to return to a state of comfort and balance. Today, coping behavior and various coping strategies are used by almost all specialists working with correction of personality behavior.

Characteristic

The coping behavior and its characteristics in the scientific works of psychologists have a different interpretation. Therefore, it is quite difficult to put together all disparate theses and formulations related to this issue. In general terms, we can say that the scientific base of the new direction was determined by the nineties of the last century. But so far, foreign and domestic psychologists have published works that reveal the essence of coping behavior, coping strategies and resources required for their implementation.

The most clear description of the main term of a new direction in psychology was given by Antsiferov. She described coping behavior as conscious regulation designed to change an existing life situation. Its main goal is to adapt the needs of the individual to the proposed conditions and change the latter in order to satisfy internal needs. Moreover, in order to obtain a result, a person must take an active position, while any other does not lead to a complete change in the situation and the receipt of positive emotions.

L. Lazarus wrote a book in which all the problems of coping were worked out, as well as a complete description of this theory and basic strategies. If we refer to the author, then the interaction of the individual with all external stimuli and situations seems to be a continuous and active process. Moreover, it regularly changes, passing through three main stages:

• cognitive assessment;
• overcoming;
• emotional overwork.

Speaking of cognitive assessment, it should be noted that it, in turn, also has a certain division:

• primary;
• secondary.

Initially, any stressful situation is perceived as dangerous and disturbing, but as the emotional intensity decreases, the person approaches to understanding the possibilities of solving the problem. Then comes the stage of overcoming, during which all possible options for action are sorted out. Moreover, coping is largely determined by the personal resources of the personality, which to a greater extent correct its capabilities and attitudes. After overcoming, an assessment is made not only of the deed, but also of one's own emotional state. On the basis of all of the above, a person forms stable variants of coping behavior.

Copying mechanism: basic concepts

The coping behavior of an individual basically has a coping mechanism. Its action and components can be found far from in all scientific works of psychologists. However, many of them still use this three-phase model in their practice.

So, the coping mechanism can be described as a combination of three components:

• copying resources:
• coping strategies;
• coping behavior.

Resources: A Scientific Approach

The first item on our list is copying resources. In the whole mechanism, these are the most stable characteristics, they are necessary in order to maintain a personality in a difficult situation, and serve as the basis for the formation of diverse types of strategies. Psychologists divide all available resources of an individual into several categories having their group differences:

• Physical. These resources primarily determine the stamina of the individual. In many ways, the physical form is the factor that affects the internal state of comfort and self-esteem.
• Social. Each individual takes his own place in a common social network. He also has certain support systems, characterized by the presence of colleagues, relatives and friends of high or low social status.
• Psychological. They are among the most numerous of all. From the main psychological resources we can distinguish sociability, moral values, intelligence, own self-esteem and the like.
• Material. In many respects, a person is determined by its material resources such as financial position, available real estate and future growth prospects.

Psychologists assign all of these resources a very important role in shaping strategies, and therefore overcoming life circumstances. It is proved that a person with a wider range of resources is able to act more efficiently. The degree of decision making, the ability to concentrate on the problem, the ability to choose the best solutions from all the proposed ones and overcome unnecessary doubts depend on them. I would also like to add that copying resources also determine the presence of such a phenomenon as “I have to”. It makes the person mobilize in any situation, regardless of the problem for the sake of a sense of duty. Moreover, in different situations, the motive may be a different sense of duty: to children, family, parents, leader and so on. The more developed coping resources in an individual, the easier it will be for him to act under stress in the process of overcoming.

Formation and use of strategies

Copying strategies can be explained as personal reactions to certain situations. Through these strategies, applied in different life circumstances, coping behavior is built. It is interesting that according to the work of psychologists, our subconscious mind perceives any situation that needs to be overcome as danger and stress. Therefore, first of all, it seeks to build protection by forming protective-coping behavior (we will talk about this a bit later), and only then turns to adaptive strategies that promise effective elimination of negative emotions by overcoming the problem.

To date, the classification and characterization of coping strategies is based on the works of R. Lazarus and S. Folkman. They identified two categories of strategies that are used by all individuals, focusing on available resources:

• Problem-focused. This category requires a rational and carefully thought-out approach to solving the situation. It requires analyzing the problem, selecting several options for getting out of it, creating a plan taking into account social support, studying additional information and the like.
• Emotionally focused. These strategies are applied in practice by individuals who tend to emotionally respond to any stress (most often such coping behavior is observed in adolescents and psychologically immature individuals). An individual with a similar strategy is characterized by: distance from the problem, avoidance or acceptance, confrontation, attempts to introduce self-control and so on.

I would like to note that of all the components of the coping mechanism, strategies have the most controversial basis. Many experts create their own classification for them, supplementing the above or completely ignoring it. For example, foreign psychologists R. Moss and J. Schaefer added to the voiced classification a third strategy - evaluation-focused. It implies a complete logical analysis of current events, determination of their significance, acceptance or avoidance. At the same time, problem-focused strategies are defined as, first of all, the search for social support and information that makes it possible to get out of the situation with the least discomfort and also make a qualitative forecast of the consequences. The same psychologists gave their definition to emotionally focused strategies. They consider them as the most effective set of actions to manage their emotions, humble acceptance of the situation and emotional unloading.

One cannot ignore such a gradation of strategies as adaptability and low adaptability. The first include an active search for social support, the selection of options and the most comfortable solution in the end. This category of strategies is often referred to as proactive coping behavior. Maladaptive strategies are basically self-flagellation, self-blaming and avoiding responsibility for the situation and making decisions in general.

At the beginning of the 21st century, E. Skinner introduced several new definitions regarding coping strategies. In his scientific work, he used the concept of “family” and divided all strategies into 12 families. Each has several subspecies, revealing its essence and purpose in full. In summary, the strategy families are as follows:

• search for information;
• resolution of the situation;
• helplessness;
• avoidance of responsibility and the situation itself;
• Confidence in your strength;
• search for social and other types of support;
• delegation of authority;
• conscious and unconscious social exclusion;
• device;
• conversation;
• humble acceptance;
• resistance.

Often a person uses several complementary strategies at the same time. Thus, the effectiveness of the result is increased and a feeling of comfort after immediate overcoming appears more quickly.

Coping behavior

This part of the coping mechanism seems to psychologists the most understandable and simple, since it is directly dependent on the chosen strategies and available resources.

A great contribution to the new direction of psychology was made by T. L. Kryukova. Coexisting behavior in her work is almost synonymous with coping behavior. Moreover, the author claims that, having chosen several times a similar model of behavior even in different situations, the person develops a kind of skill. In the future, he will be the determining factor in the event of stress.

Protective co-behavior

Copying behavior is always the result of stress caused by a task or a situation. If we consider stress from a psychological point of view, then it looks like discomfort. This sensation arises after the imbalance between the requests of the personality directed to the external environment, and the resources to translate them into reality or simply interact with the outside world.

Interestingly, no one outside can explain the degree of stress. She always determines this only on her own by evaluating available resources. At the same time, reactions to stress can be not only arbitrary. Some reactions are involuntary, since they do not require control due to frequent repetition. However, in any case, regardless of the response strategy, stress is perceived as a threat. Consequently, the individual seeks to apply psychological defense methods. At the dawn of the development of a new scientific theory and in the process of determining its characteristics and methods, coping behavior was often equated with psychological defense mechanisms. And only as a result of long research it was possible to identify their differences and significance in the process of overcoming difficulties.

The protective behavior of an individual is always passive. It is based on the desire of the individual to avoid stress and thereby ease their psychological stress. Also, this behavior is unconstructive. It does not allow an analysis of the problem that arises and does not provide an opportunity to choose options for getting out of it, referring to its resources.

With all this, the protection mechanism is always aimed only at mitigating the discomfort that has arisen. It does not have the resource base to change the situation and fully satisfy the needs and requirements. In this case, the individual always applies them unconsciously. Protective-coping behavior arises immediately on the emerging threat in the form of stress. If a person refuses to use coping behavior with an arbitrary and informed choice of strategies, then with any threat, only protective mechanisms will be activated. As a result, this can lead to the emergence of maladaptive mechanisms.

:

• . . . , .
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• Target significance. When the individual’s connections with others are broken, protective-coping behavior will not be aimed at restoring them. The main purpose of applying these mechanisms is the successful regulation of emotional states.
• Functionality regulation. In the process of protection, the individual does not look for ways out of the situation, all available resources are directed to reflection, suppression and avoiding problems by any possible means.

Burnout phenomenon

Combining behavior in burnout correction is a very important and integral factor. But these mechanisms were identified and correctly evaluated only at the dawn of the twenty-first century, while the term “burnout” in relation to professional activity was first applied in the late seventies of the last century.

As you know, in professional activity a person experiences the greatest stress. In addition, it is often recurring and in many situations becomes regular. Particularly often, the phenomenon of burnout is mentioned in the context of studying the professional activities of individuals who are forced to constantly be in close contact with other people. This category primarily includes teachers, preschool teachers and doctors.

It is noteworthy that burnout is carried out according to a certain model, which includes three points:

• Emotional exhaustion. The person feels a certain emptiness and strain. Many psychologists describe this as dulling emotions and dimming the colors of the world.
• The tendency to depersonalization. Over time, the individual develops an absolutely impersonal attitude to all working contacts. In many situations, this borders on indifference, formalism, and cynicism. In the process of developing this trend, internal conflict intensifies. After some time, it translates into obvious irritation, a feeling of dissatisfaction and conflict.
• Decrease in self-esteem. All achievements in professional activities lose their value and significance; as a result, dissatisfaction with oneself grows . Often this transforms into a desire to change a profession.

To date, few effective coping behavior strategies have been developed to solve the burnout problem. As it turned out, it is very difficult to solve due to the multifaceted nature of the issue and the inability to find common strategies for all professions. In each case, an individual approach is required.

For example, coping behavior among healthcare providers often includes active and passive strategies. Emotional stress and exhaustion are overcome by confrontation, flight and acceptance of responsibility. And depersonalization is leveled by distance. However, any treatment to a psychologist with burnout syndrome requires an assessment of coping resources and only then the selection of suitable strategies.

The problem of motherhood: a brief description

In the context of today's article and issues to be addressed, I would like to mention the coping behavior of women with young children. The problem of motherhood from the point of view of psychology in our country has not been considered for a very long time. But in fact, most women at the stage of adopting a new role go through a real crisis, which often leads to deviation of behavior.

Specialists working in this direction claim that from the moment of pregnancy the expectant mother applies several different coping strategies. For example, before childbirth it is mainly avoidance and distraction. And after the appearance of the baby, the main strategies become the search for support and other mechanisms inherent in the problem-oriented style of solving the situation. At the same time, it was proved that parental attitudes that arose in childhood play an important role in the process of adopting the role of mother.

Moreover, it is not always possible for a woman to correlate all the characteristics of a new role voiced by society, with herself and her behavior. This leads to a personality crisis amid falling self-esteem and stress. Most often, in such situations, a woman unconsciously turns on protective mechanisms and can no longer return to effective coping strategies.

Instead of a conclusion

Until today, the theoretical basis of coping behavior is undergoing correction. In psychological science, this new direction has already proved its worth, but still requires further study.