coping

Meaning: Coping is the effort to manage demands that a person appraises as taxing. In the appraisal model of stress (Lazarus and Folkman), primary appraisal judges whether an event is irrelevant, benign-positive, or stressful. Secondary appraisal judges whether one has the resources to deal with it. Coping follows. Problem-focused coping targets the source, such as making a study plan or asking for an extension. Emotion-focused coping targets the feelings, such as relaxation, venting, reframing, or seeking comfort.

On the MCAT: A passage describes someone facing a stressor, and you classify the strategy or predict which one fits. Problem-focused coping typically suits controllable stressors, such as an upcoming exam. Emotion-focused coping is often more useful when the stressor cannot be changed, such as a loss. Questions may also link coping to social support or to health outcomes of chronic stress.

Common confusion: Students often treat emotion-focused coping as avoidance or as a defense mechanism. Coping is usually a conscious, deliberate effort, while defense mechanisms in psychodynamic theory typically operate unconsciously. Seeking social support can be either type. To classify it, ask what the goal is: changing the situation (problem-focused) or changing the feelings about it (emotion-focused).