abstract: This study examined whether the New Beginnings Program (NBP), a preventive parenting intervention, led to changes in coping strategies and coping efficacy in emerging adults whose families had participated in the program 15 years earlier. Gender and baseline risk were examined as moderators of these relations. Participants (M = 25.6 years; 50% female) were from 240 families that had participated in an experimental trial (NBP [mother-only, mother-child] vs. literature control). Data from the pretest and 15-year follow-up were used. Multiple regression analyses revealed that pretest risk interacted with program participation in the mother-only condition of the NBP such that offspring entering the program with higher pretest risk reported significantly less avoidant coping 15 years later. There was a marginal effect of participation in the NBP on problem-focused coping; emerging adults who had participated in the NBP had marginally higher levels of problem-focused coping. There were no significant main effects nor interactive program by risk or program by gender effects on support coping or coping efficacy. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for implementation of preventive interventions and research on pathways of coping. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2019

A recent review suggested that self-compassion promotes use of adaptive rather than maladaptive coping. Less is known about how self-compassion is linked to stress and coping in the context of a chronic stressor. Across two primarily female chronic illness samples, inflammatory bowel disease (N = 155) and arthritis (N = 164), a model linking self-compassion to lower stress through coping styles and coping efficacy was tested. Path analyses revealed significant indirect effects for adaptive coping styles (active, positive reframing, and acceptance), and negatively for maladaptive coping styles (behavioral disengagement and self-blame) in both samples. Findings suggest that the relative balance of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies used by self-compassionate people is associated with better coping outcomes in the context of chronic illness.

abstract: Using a sample of children from divorced homes, the current study assesses the effects of family relationship variables on romantic outcomes in young adulthood, through the influence of several individual-level variables. In particular, children's coping efficacy and peer competence are examined as mediators of the effects of parenting and interparental conflict on children's later romantic involvement and relationship quality. Assessments occurred during childhood, when children were between the ages of nine and 12, in adolescence, when children were ages 15 to 18, and in young adulthood, when children were ages 24 to 27, spanning a period of 15 years. Childhood and adolescent variables were measured using child- and mother-report data and young adult measures were completed by the young adults and their romantic partners. One model was tested using all participants in the sample, regardless of whether they were romantically involved in young adulthood, and revealed that maternal warmth in childhood was linked with children's coping efficacy six years later, which was marginally related to an increased likelihood of being romantically involved and to decreased romantic attachment at the 15-year follow-up. A model with only the participants who were romantically involved in young adulthood also revealed a link between childhood maternal warmth and coping efficacy in adolescence, which was then marginally related to increased romantic satisfaction and to confidence in the romantic relationship in young adulthood. Marginal mediation was also found for several of the proposed paths, and there was little evidence to support path differences between males and females. Implications of the present findings for research with children from divorced families and the development of preventive interventions are discussed. In particular, parenting, interparental conflict, peer competence, and coping efficacy are examined as modifiable targets for change and existing preventive interventions employing these targets are described. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Psychology 2012

No description available.

Objective: Psychological thriving reflects a trajectory of growth over time as opposed to scaling back expectations. Whether thriving is a product, precursor, or process of coping with arthritis-related limitations is unclear. We examined associations between thriving, coping efficacy, and expectations for future growth in individuals with arthritis, and the relations of thriving to depressive symptoms and retrospective perceptions of personal growth over a six-month period. Methods: A sample of 423 people with arthritis completed measures of thriving, coping efficacy, depressive symptoms, and expectations for future growth; 168 individuals completed a six-month follow-up survey. Structural equation modeling analyses compared three possible models of psychological thriving, controlling for disease-related variables. Hierarchical regression analyses of the cross-lagged associations of thriving with retrospective perceptions of positive personal change and depressive symptoms were also conducted. Results: Structural equation analyses suggest that the process model in which thriving and coping efficacy jointly predicted expectations for future growth best fit the data. Baseline thriving was also associated with retrospective perceptions of personal growth at follow-up and fewer depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up, after controlling for disease-related variables. Conclusion: Overall, these findings suggest that psychological thriving is synergistically related to coping efficacy, and to expectations for future growth and less depression, in people with arthritis. Importantly, our findings support the notion that psychological thriving is more than scaling back expectations, and that thriving may be an important quality to cultivate to address the burden of depression in people with arthritis.

No description available.

Aims. To prospectively examine whether negative life events (NLE) and low perceived coping efficacy (CE) increase the risk for the onset of various forms of psychopathology and low CE mediates the associations between NLE and incident mental disorders. Methods. A representative community sample of adolescents and young adults (N = 3017, aged 14–24 at baseline) was prospectively followed up in up to three assessment waves over 10 years. Anxiety, depressive and substance use disorders were assessed at each wave using the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. NLE and CE were assessed at baseline with the Munich Event List and the Scale for Self-Control and Coping Skills. Associations (odds ratios, OR) of NLE and CE at baseline with incident mental disorders at follow-up were estimated using logistic regressions adjusted for sex and age. Results. NLE at baseline predicted the onset of any disorder, any anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalised anxiety disorder, any depression, major depressive episodes, dysthymia, any substance use disorder, nicotine dependence and abuse/dependence of illicit drugs at follow-up (OR 1.02–1.09 per one NLE more). When adjusting for any other lifetime disorder prior to baseline, merely the associations of NLE with any anxiety disorder, any depression, major depressive episodes, dysthymia and any substance use disorder remained significant (OR 1.02–1.07). Low CE at baseline predicted the onset of any disorder, any anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, generalised anxiety disorder, any depression, major depressive episodes, dysthymia, any substance use disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, nicotine dependence and abuse/dependence of illicit drugs at follow-up (OR 1.16–1.72 per standard deviation). When adjusting for any other lifetime disorder prior to baseline, only the associations of low CE with any depression, major depressive episodes, dysthymia, any substance use disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, nicotine dependence and abuse/dependence of illicit drugs remained significant (OR 1.15–1.64). Low CE explained 9.46, 13.39, 12.65 and 17.31% of the associations between NLE and any disorder, any depression, major depressive episodes and dysthymia, respectively. When adjusting for any other lifetime disorder prior to baseline, the reductions in associations for any depression (9.77%) and major depressive episodes (9.40%) remained significant, while the reduction in association for dysthymia was attenuated to non-significance ( p-value > 0.05). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that NLE and low perceived CE elevate the risk for various incident mental disorders and that low CE partially mediates the association between NLE and incident depression. Subjects with NLE might thus profit from targeted early interventions strengthening CE to prevent the onset of depression.

This study examines the impact of gender on the coping mechanisms employed to manage work-related stress. The aim of the investigation was to determine whether male and female professionals differ in terms of the coping mechanisms that they employ in managing work-related stress. In order to achieve this aim an assessment battery containing a Biographical Checklist, the Coping Checklist, the Hassles Scale and the Daily Uplifts Scale was distributed to a sample of professional men and women. The fmdings indicate that male and female professionals differ significantly in only two of the six coping mechanisms measured, namely social support and symptom management; that men and women do not differ significantly in terms of coping repertoire; and that women cope more effectively than their male counterparts with work-related· stress. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

This study examines the impact of gender on the coping mechanisms employed to manage work-related stress. The aim of the investigation was to determine whether male and female professionals differ in terms of the coping mechanisms that they employ in managing work-related stress. In order to achieve this aim an assessment battery containing a Biographical Checklist, the Coping Checklist, the Hassles Scale and the Daily Uplifts Scale was distributed to a sample of professional men and women. The fmdings indicate that male and female professionals differ significantly in only two of the six coping mechanisms measured, namely social support and symptom management; that men and women do not differ significantly in terms of coping repertoire; and that women cope more effectively than their male counterparts with work-related· stress. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

No description available.