Health Psychology, 2nd Edition

112 COPING RESOURCES

Search for support groups online (e.g. type ‘support group’ into Google). Pick three

support groups for physical or psychological disorders and evaluate them. What

kind of support do they offer? How likely is it to fit the needs of the target group?

See Kiesler and Kraut (1999) for a discussion of the value of such groups.

ACTIVITY 5.3

SUMMARY

Coping can be viewed both as a situational and dispositional variable. Researchers have
identified a wide range of coping strategies that are typically measured using standard
coping questionnaires. These have been used to explore coping in response to
particular situations and to examine dispositional tendencies to use particular coping
strategies. These strategies are often further grouped into overarching categories, e.g.
emotion-focused or problem-focused coping.
Repressive coping is a form of avoidant coping style that is linked to health
outcomes. The distinction between monitoring and blunting coping styles addresses
people’s information processing preferences and is useful in helping to design strategies
to communicate medical information to patients. General personality styles are also
linked to coping strategies. Coping strategies can be seen as mediators of the relationship
between personality and well-being outcomes.
A positive or optimistic approach to the experience of threat has coping benefits.
People typically report feeling positive affect (as well as negative affect) even in the
most stressful times. This is thought to provide respite and help build resources. Positive
affect and looking for benefits in stressful situations also benefits health. Positive
approaches to coping are also central to developing resilience.
Social support has been classified into functional and structural forms of support
and a distinction has also been made between perceived and received support. Types
of functional support have also been identified e.g. emotional, instrumental and
informational supports. Most types of support have been linked to positive health
outcomes. Having good social networks has been shown to be beneficial for health
and mortality but having one or two close confiding relationships may be more
important in a crisis. Both direct and stress-buffering effects have been found depending
on the type of support considered. However, there are also some instances when social
support may not be helpful. This may be particularly the case where social support is
damaging to the self-esteem of the recipient. In some circumstances it may also be
harmful to the support giver.
Recent developments in social support research discussed in this chapter include
research on loneliness and isolation and on the role of new technologies for the
provision of social support.