Coping Strategies in Adolescents

The role of coping styles as predictors of depressive symptoms among adolescents: a prospective study

The present study prospectively explored the main and interactive effect of approach and avoidant like coping styles, as well as school-related stress on depressive symptoms in a sample of 327 (167 females, 160 males) students in two Norwegian secondary schools. The results showed that seeking parental support as a coping style served as a negative predictor of later depression, and results give some support for aggressive coping styles being a risk factor for depressive symptoms. A significant interaction between aggressive coping style and stress in relation to depressive symptoms was found. We were also able to show that school-related stress at T(1) predicted depressive symptoms at T(2).

Coping responses and problem appraisal in Spanish adolescents

This study uses Moos's Coping Responses Inventory (Youth Form, 1993) to examine coping behavior in Spanish adolescents. 1362 adolescents were recruited from the metropolitan area of Barcelona, Spain. All subjects were in high school and ages 12 to 16 years. The socio-economic status was primarily middle class. Adolescents' coping behaviors were examined by sex and age, and the relationship between problem appraisal and choice of coping strategy was analyzed. Girls used more approach, avoidance, and behavioral responses than boys, especially Logical Analysis, Seeking Guidance and Support, and Emotional Discharge strategies. At older ages, Logical Analysis and Emotional Discharge became more frequent in girls and Cognitive Avoidance less frequent in boys. The results also suggest that problem appraisal has only a limited effect on the selection of coping strategies and that only few strategies are related to the problems' outcomes.