Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton

Coping strategies are significant in the prevention and development of mental problems in children and adolescents. Specific coping strategies within broad coping categories may be associated with symptoms of psychopathology differently. Yet, we lack comprehensive data on these associations in South Africa. The present cross-sectional study investigates specific coping strategies and their association with symptoms of anxiety and depression among 415 Etwatwa adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years. A quantitative, correlational research design was adopted, and data was collected in the form of self-report questionnaires. Female adolescents reported significantly more symptoms of anxiety and depression than male adolescents (p < .001). The only statistically significant gender difference in coping was that female adolescents used more behavioural disengagement (p = .001) than male adolescents. Using substances, behavioural disengagement and self-blame predicted more symptoms of both anxiety and depression among adolescents. Denial was associated with more symptoms of anxiety while venting was associated with more symptoms of depression. When the data set was split by gender, behavioural disengagement predicted anxiety in both female and male adolescents. Self-blame predicted both anxiety and depression in female adolescents and only anxiety in male adolescents. Venting predicted depression in female adolescents but not in male adolescents. While further research is recommended to determine the direction of effects, the findings of this study suggest that targeting the use of these strategies may help to prevent emotional distress among adolescents.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Psychology

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Hlatshwayo, Busisiwe Sophie

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Wild, Lauren

• adolescents
• depression
• anxiety
• coping strategies
• socioeconomic disadvantage
• quantitative

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41821

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41821