Emotion-Focused Coping Essay

Emotion-Focused and Problem Focused Coping

Coping has two widely recognized major functions; regulating stressful emotions (emotion-focused coping) and altering the troubled person-environment relation causing the distress (problem-focused coping). (Lazarus, 1984).

The function of problem–focused coping is to change the troubled person-environment relationship by acting on the environment or oneself. The function of emotion – focused coping is to change either a) the way the stressful relationship with the environment is attended to (as in vigilance or avoidance) or b) the relational meaning of what is happening, which diminish the stress even though the actual conditions of the relationship have not changed. The latter involves a more kind

They evolve incompatible tendencies in us, such as tendencies to both approach and avoid some object or activity. Lastly, they are uncontrollable beyond our limits of control (Robert A. Baron, 1992).

Some proposed dimensions of coping found to be of significance here, as stated by Carver, Scheier and Weintraub (1989). They would involve both functional and some dysfunctional tendencies as well.

• Active coping is a process of taking active steps to try and remove the stressor. It’s similar to what Folkman and Lazarus (1984) and some others term as problem focused coping.

• Planning is thinking about how to cope with a stressor. It involves coming up with action strategies, thinking about what steps to take and how to best handle the situation. This again is problem focused.

• Suppression of competing activities means putting other projects aside and trying to avoid being distracted by other events and, or order to deal with the stressor.

• Restraint coping is waiting until an appropriate opportunity to act, presents it self. This is an active coping strategy.

• Social Support seeking is another method of problem is focused coping. People can seek social support for either two