Comparing Coping Strategies in an Interactional Context

The study examined whether supportive or unsupportive behaviors of a partner and individual differences in coping style moderated the effectiveness of problem-focused and emotional approach interventions. At Time 1 each member of a dyad indicated use of various coping strategies in a self-report. Several days later participants were randomly assigned to either a problem-focused or an emotional approach coping workshop. Positive affect, negative affect, and anhedonic depression were measured at Time 1 and two weeks subsequent to the intervention. Forty-eight dyads, friends of the same gender and known to each other for at least six months, completed the entire study. We found that the following three factors moderated the effectiveness of the emotional approach and problem-focused coping intervention: (a) an individual's environment, specifically having friends who are unsupportive; (b) preferred coping style, specifically participants who typically engage in emotional approach coping; and (c) the interaction of past unsupportive social interactions and preferred coping style.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Baker, John Patrick

Contributors dc:contributor

• Berenbaum, Howard

• Psychology, Clinical

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3250209

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82119