LE3 .A278 2009

2009

Holmberg, Diane

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Psychology

Psychology

The present study examined how stressor severity and adult attachment styles predicted both the use and sequencing of coping strategies. In a on-line component, 151 participants completed questionnaires assessing adult attachment styles and general coping behaviours. Participants were also asked to recall either a minor or major stressor they had experienced within the last six months. In a laboratory component, 75 participants were asked to elaborate on strategies used in order to cope with their target stressor, and complete a card-sorting task to indicate the order in which the various coping strategies had been employed. As predicted, consistent results confirmed avoidant individuals employing distancing strategies earlier, as well as emotion-focused strategies appearing earlier for anxious individuals. However, the remaining strategies did not vary by stressor type (i.e., general versus target stressor) and severity (i.e., major versus minor).

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