Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T01:44:40.968Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Coping Strategies: Gender Differences and Development throughout Life Span

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Juan Carlos Meléndez ,
Teresa Mayordomo ,
Patricia Sancho  and
José Manuel Tomás
Juan Carlos Meléndez*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
Teresa Mayordomo
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
Patricia Sancho
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
José Manuel Tomás
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Juan Carlos Meléndez Moral. Dpto. de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 - Valencia (Spain). E-mail: melendez@uv.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Development during life-span implies to cope with stressful events, and this coping may be done with several strategies. It could be useful to know if these coping strategies differ as a consequence of personal characteristics. This work uses the Coping with Stress Questionnaire with this aim using a sample of 400 participants. Specifically, the effects of gender and age group (young people, middle age and elderly), as well as its interaction on coping strategies is studied. With regard to age, on one hand, it is hypothesised a decrement in the use of coping strategies centred in problem solving and social support seeking as age increases. On the other hand, the use of emotional coping is hypothesised to increase with age. With respect to gender, it is hypothesised a larger use of emotional coping and social support seeking within women, and a larger use of problem solving within men. A MANOVA found significant effects for the two main effects (gender and age) as well as several interactions. Separate ANOVAs allowed us to test for potential differences in each of the coping strategies measured in the CAE. These results partially supported the hypotheses. Results are discussed in relation to scientific literature on coping, age and gender.

El desarrollo a lo largo del ciclo vital implica afrontar situaciones estresantes, lo que puede hacerse mediante diversas estrategias de afrontamiento. Los tipos de estrategias empleadas pueden diferir en función de características personales. Este trabajo estudia estas potenciales diferencias en algunas de estas características empleando como medida de afrontamiento el CAE. Específicamente se han probado los efectos de la edad, del género y de su interacción en las estrategias empleadas por una muestra de 400 adultos españoles. En relación a la edad, se hipotetiza que habrá una disminución en la aplicación de las centradas en la solución de problemas y búsqueda de apoyo social al aumentar la edad y un aumento de las centradas en la emoción. En relación al género, se hipotetiza que los hombres usarán más frecuentemente estrategias de solución de problemas, y las mujeres de las centradas en la emoción y búsqueda de apoyo social. Se empleó MANOVA para evaluar estos tanto los efectos principales como los de interacción. Los ANOVAs de continuación permitieron contrastar las potenciales diferencias en cada una de las distintas estrategias de afrontamiento, que apoyaban parcialmente las hipótesis planteadas. Se discuten los resultados encontrados relacionándolos con la literatura científica.

Keywords

coping strategiesyoung peoplemiddle ageelderlygenderestrategi as de afrontamientojóvenesadultosancianosgénero
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , November 2012 , pp. 1089 - 1098
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aldwin, C. M. (1991). Does age affect the stress and coping process? Implications of age differences in perceived control. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 46, 174–180.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aldwin, C. M., Sutton, K. J., Chiara, G., & Spiro, A. (1996). Age differences in stress, coping, and appraisal: Findings from the normative aging study. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 51, 179–188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geronb/51B.4.P179CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aldwin, C. M., & Revenson, T. A. (1987). Does coping help? A reexamination of the relationship between coping and mental health. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 337–348. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.2.337CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Azhar, M. Z., & Varma, S. L. (1995). Religious psychotherapy as management of bereavement. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 91, 233–235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1995.tb09774.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman.Google Scholar
Billings, A. G., & Moos, R. H. (1981). The role of coping responses and social resources in attenuating the stress of life events. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4, 139–157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00844267CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Billings, A. G., & Moos, R. H. (1984). Coping, stress, and social resources among adults with unipolar depression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 877–891. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.46.4.877CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brandtstädter, J., & Renner, G. (1990). Tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment: Explication and age-related analysis of assimilative and accommodative strategies of coping. Psychology and Aging, 5, 58–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.5.1.58CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Charles, S., & Carstensen, L. (2009). Social and emotional aging. Annual Review of Psychology, 61, 383–409. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.22.2.300CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carver, C. S., & Connor-Smith, J. (2010). Personality and coping. Annual Review of Psychology, 61, 679–704. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.100352CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Weintraub, J. K. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 267–283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.56.2.267CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chiriboga, D. A., & Cutler, L. (1980). Stress and adaptation: Life span perspectives. In Poon, L. (Ed.), Aging in the 1980 (pp. 347–362). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/10050-025Google Scholar
Emslie, C., Fuhrer, R., Hunt, K., Macintyre, S., Shipley, M., & Stansfeld, S. (2002). Gender differences in mental health: Evidence from three organizations. Social Science & Medicine, 54, 621–624. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(01)00056-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Felsten, G. (1998). Gender and coping: Use of distinct strategies and associations with stress and depression. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 11, 289–309. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10615809808248316CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1980). An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21, 219–239. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2136617CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R., Pimley, S., & Novacek, J. (1987). Age differences in stress and coping processes. Psychology and Aging, 2, 171–184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.2.2.171CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frey, J. (2000). Gender differences in coping styles and coping effectiveness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease groups. Heart and Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care, 29, 367–377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1067/mhl.2000.108789CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldberg, E. G., & Comstock, G. W. (1980). Epidemiology of life events: Frequency in general populations. American Journal of Epidemiology, 111, 736–752.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gutmann, D. L. (1974). The country of old men: Cross-cultural studies in the psychology of later life. In Levine, R. L. (Ed), Culture and personality: Contemporary readings (pp. 95–121). Chicago, IL: Aldine.Google Scholar
Havighurst, R. J. (1963). Successful aging. In William, R., Tibbits, C., & Donahue, W. (Eds.), Processes of aging (Vol. 1, pp. 299–320). New York, NY: Atherton Press.Google Scholar
Heckhausen, J., Wrosch, C., & Schulz, R. (2010). A motivational theory of life-span development. Psychological Review, 117, 32–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0017668CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kirchner, T., Forns, M., Muñoz, D., & Pereda, N. (2008). Psychometric properties and dimensional structure of the Spanish version of the Coping Responses Inventory-Adult Form. Psicothema, 20, 902–909.Google ScholarPubMed
LaChapelle, D. L., & Hadjistavropoulos, T. (2005). Age-related differences in coping with pain: Evaluation of a developmental life-context model. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 37, 123–137. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0087250CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lazarus, R. S., & DeLongis, A. (1983). Psychological stress and coping in aging. American Psychologist, 38, 245–254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.38.3.245CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress appraisal and coping. New York, NY: Springer.Google Scholar
Lindqvist, R., Carlsson, M., & Sjoden, P. O. (1998). Coping strategies and quality of life among patients on hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 12, 223–230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02839319850162832CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Martin, P., Kliegel, M., Rott, C., Poon, L. W., & Johnson, M. A. (2008). Age differences and changes of coping behavior in three age groups: Findings from the Georgia Centenarian Study. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 66, 97–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/AG.66.2.aCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mataud, M. P. (2004). Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 1401–1415. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.01.010CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meléndez, J. C., Tomás, J. M., & Navarro, E. (2007). Análisis de las redes sociales en la vejez a través de la entrevista Manheim [Analyses of the social networks for the elderly through the Manheim interview]. Salud Pública de México, 49, 408–416. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-36342007000600007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Menaghan, E. (1982). Measuring coping effectiveness: A panel of analysis of marital problems and coping efforts. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 23, 220–234. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2136631CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moos, R. H., & Billing, A. G. (1982). Conceptualizing and measuring coping resources and process. In Goldberger, C. & Breznitz, S. (Eds.), Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 212–230). New York, NY: Free Press.Google Scholar
Moos, R. H. (1988). Life stressors and coping resources influence health and well being. Evaluación Psicológica, 4, 133–158.Google Scholar
Moos, R. H., & Schaefer, J. A. (1993). Coping resources and processes: Current concepts and measures. In Goldberger, L. & Breznitz, S. (Eds.), Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 234–257). New York, NY: Free Press.Google Scholar
Morling, B., & Evered, S. (2006). Secondary control reviewed and defined. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 269–296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.2.269CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nelson, P. B. (1990). Intrinsic/extrinsic religious orientation of the elderly: Relationship to depression and self-esteem. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 16, 29–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2000). The role of rumination in depressive disorders and mixed anxiety/depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109, 504–511. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0021-843X.109.3.504CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Aldao, A. (2011). Gender and age differences in emotion regulation strategies and their relationship to depressive symptoms. Personality and Individual Differences, 51, 704–708. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.06.012CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Davis, C. G. (1999). “Thanks for sharing that”: Ruminators and their social support networks. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 801–814. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.77.4.801CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Larson, J., & Grayson, C. (1999). Explaining the gender difference in depressive symptoms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 1061–1077. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.77.5.1061CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patton, W. A., & Goddard, R. (2006). Coping with stress in the Australian job network: Gender differences. Journal of Employment Counseling, 43, 135–144. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1920.2006.tb00013.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pearlin, L. I., & Schooler, C. (1978). The structure of coping. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 19, 2–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2136319CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pearlin, L. I., & Skaff, M. M. (1995) Stressors in adaptation in late life. In Gatz, M. (Ed.), Emerging issues in mental health and aging (pp. 97–123). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/10179-004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pfeiffer, E. (1977). Psychopathology and social pathology. In Birren, J. E., & Schaie, K. W. (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of aging (pp. 650–671). New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold.Google Scholar
Phelps, A. C., Maciejewski, P. K., Nilsson, M., Balboni, T. A., Wright, A. A., Paulk, M. E., … Prigerson, H. G. (2009). Religious coping and use of intensive life-prolonging care near death in patients with advanced cancer. Journal of American Medical Association, 301, 1140–1147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.341CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poloma, M. M., & Pendleton, B. F. (1991). The effects of prayer and prayer experiences on measures of general well-being. Journal of Psychology & Theology, 19, 71–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ptacek, J. T., Smith, R. E., & Zanas, J. (1992). Gender, appraisal, and coping: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Personality, 60, 747–770. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1992.tb00272.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodin, J. (1986). Aging and health: Effects of the sense of control. Science, 233, 1271–1276. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.3749877CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rose, A. J., & Rudolph, K. D. (2006). A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 98–131. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.1.98CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rosik, C. H. (1989). The impact of religious orientation in conjugal bereavement among older adults. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 28, 251–260. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/37H9-UDP5-UQRC-QHTTCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roth, S., & Cohen, L. J. (1986). Approach, avoidance, and coping with stress. American Psychologist, 41, 813–819. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.41.7.813CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rudolph, K. D., Dennig, M. D., & Weisz, J. R. (1995). Determinants and consequences of children's coping in the medical setting: Conceptualization, review, and critique. Psychological Bulletin, 118, 328–357. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.118.3.328CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keyes, L. M., Shmotkin, D., & Ryff, C. D., (2002). Optimizing well-being: The empirical encounter of two traditions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 1007–1022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.82.6.1007CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sáez Narro, N., Meléndez, J. C., & Aleixandre, M. (1994). Los estereotipos en los ancianos: Un estudio empírico y sus resultados [Stereotypes of the elderly: An empirical study and results]. Revista de Psicología de la Educación, 14, 75–89.Google Scholar
Sandín, B., & Chorot, P. (2003). Cuestionario de Afrontamiento del Estrés (CAE): Desarrollo y validación preliminar [The Coping Strategies Questionnaire: Development and preliminary validation]. Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica, 8, 39–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Skinner, E. A., Edge, K., Altman, J., & Sherwood, H. (2003). Searching for the structure of coping: A review and critique of category systems for classifying ways of coping. Psychological Bulletin, 129, 216–269. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.2.216CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stanton, A. L., & Franz, R. (1999). Focusing on emotion: An adaptive coping strategy? In Synder, C. R. (Ed.), Coping: The psychology of what works (pp. 90–118). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Tamres, L. K., Janicki, D., & Helgeson, V. S. (2002). Sex differences in coping behavior:Ameta-analytic review and an examination of relative coping. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6, 2–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15327957PSPR0601_1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tobin, D. L., Holroyd, K. A., Reynolds, R. V., & Wigal, J. K. (1989). The hierarchical factor structure of the Coping Strategies Inventory. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 13, 343–361. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01173478CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vingerhoets, A. J., & Van Heck, G. L. (1990). Gender, coping and psychosomatic symptoms. Psychological Medicine, 20, 125–135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291700013301CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yeh, S. J., Huang, C., Chou, H., & Wan, T. T. H. (2009). Gender differences in stress and coping among elderly patients on hemodialysis. Sex Roles, 60, 44–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9515-2CrossRefGoogle Scholar