Coping with mastectomy.

Emotional disturbances in mastectomy patients are hypothesized as the consequences of 4 physical stages that these patients experience, from finding the physical anomaly with its accompanying anxiety, through diagnostic testing with its accompanying anxiety, rage, anguish, and despair, to biopsy and mastectomy with accompanying dependency, compliancy, and depression. The emotions in each stage are recast as a model of homeostatic response to physical conditions, the emotions permitting the woman to center in on the illness, adjust to its outcome, and restructure her life around it. Suggestions are offered to rehabilitation personnel on methods of handling the emotional responses of women at each of the stages. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with dropouts.

Discusses the deleterious clinical and administrative effects of the high dropout rate among psychotherapy outpatients. The dropout literature is reviewed, and it is suggested that discrepant expectations of clients and therapists regarding the duration and goals of treatment could account for much of the dropout rate and associated problems. Many clients expect to attend few sessions, want interventions to focus on the resolution of immediate emotional upset as opposed to changing basic personality or behavioral patterns, and may be willing to settle for a modest level of improvement. Two approaches for coping with the dropout problem are presented: (a) procedures designed to increase the duration of treatment, and (b) use of treatments designed for short duration—that is, for crisis therapy. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with job transitions.

Job transitions are increasingly common stressors, and consulting psychologists are frequently called on to assist with these transitions. The prevalence of corporate transitions and their impact on both the corporation and individuals are discussed. The role of the consulting psychologist in assisting corporations and individuals is outlined. Coping with job transitions is discussed, and issues in the assessment of the coping process are outlined. Job transition intervention programs are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with rheumatoid arthritis.

Argues that despite the widespread assumption that psychological processes play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and despite the recent intense activity in health psychology, RA has been ignored by psychological researchers. Questions concerning the extent and variability of dysfunction resulting from RA and the coping mechanisms that may mediate functional capacity are raised. The background literature to address these questions is reviewed, including information concerning diagnostic problems and approaches, adjustment to RA, and methodological problems in studies to date. It is suggested that the literature is clouded by diagnostic inconsistencies and neglect of the variety of areas of adjustment that may be affected by the disease, including employment and financial, physical (including pain), social, self-concept, and emotional. A project underway at the University of Saskatchewan, in which RA patients are being studied for coping behaviors that may contribute to their adaptation and functional capacity, is introduced as one means of addressing some of the outstanding issues in the area. (French abstract) (63 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with increased literature.

Comments on W. Thorngate's (see record 1991-03036-001) contention that the growth of psychological literature will lead to disintegration of the discipline and that there should be a reduction in publication. Thorngate has inappropriately used a model of individual attention, rather than empirically exploring responses to the increased literature. Strategies such as computerized literature searches and meta-analyses can be used to cope effectively with the increased volume. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping styles predict change in personality disorders

The present follow-up study is the first to investigate whether dispositional coping styles prospectively influence change in the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-II) personality disorders. The sample consisted of 155 psychiatric outpatients who where investigated twice--namely six and seven years after their admission to the clinic. Coping styles prospectively predicted change in most of the MCMI-II personality disorders, whereas sex and age did not affect the outcome. The use of problem-focused coping and the seeking of social support improved the patient levels on the MCMI-II personality disorder scores. Dysfunctional coping styles such as selfdistraction, disengagement, use of alcohol or drugs, and venting of emotions, however, aggravated the patient MCMI-II personality disorders. Furthermore, the effects of coping patterns tended to be specific for single personality disorders.     

Accreditation surveys. Coping with the worst-case scenario

Survey scheduled? Feeling out of control? An administrator from a small Texas hospital shares her worst-case experience-five surveys in 3 months.     

Coping with temptations to smoke.

Explored the effectiveness of coping responses reported to a hotline by ex-smokers dealing with temptations to smoke. Earlier findings on the effectiveness of cognitive and behavioral responses for 183 smokers were cross-validated on 75 new Ss. The number of coping responses had no effect, but combining cognitive and behavioral responses enhanced effectiveness. Formal smoking cessation treatment resulted in more behavioral coping, especially relaxation and physical activity, but had no effect on coping effectiveness. Seven types of behavioral coping were equally effective: Each was significantly more effective than no coping response and equal to other behavioral responses in preventing relapse. A similar pattern held for 8 types of cognitive coping, except that the use of willpower was significantly inferior to other cognitive responses, and self-punitive thoughts were entirely ineffective. The implications of these findings for the coping skill model of self-control and for clinical practice are discussed. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with mastectomy: Another view.

Responds to T. Silverman-Dresner and L. C. Restaino's (1979) article on feelings commonly experienced by women undergoing mastectomy. Contrary to Silverman-Dresner and Restiano, the author contends that it is not the presence of a lump that generates anxiety, but fear of the unknown, anticipation of pain, disfigurement, and death itself that generates anxiety. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with a death from cancer.

Suggests that because of such factors as prevalence, public awareness, known risks, uncertainty of outcome, intensive treatments, economic burdens, and debilitating chronicity, a cancer-related death carries some special meanings. Intense stresses accumulate and affect both the dying family member and the bereaved survivors. However, the nature of cancer also offers potential opportunities for psychologically beneficial interventions that may not exist for other causes of death. The adaptation to a cancer death is considered in terms of anticipatory grief, the duration of mourning, the importance of intrafamilial support and open communication, and the value of home care. Children's understanding of death and coping processes are described from a developmental perspective. Other issues considered include how a death from cancer differs from a similar loss under other circumstances, why rigorous research in this area is complicated, and what opportunities exist in the cancer context for psychological interventions. (72 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

Examined the relation between coping and depression in 38 women and 12 men (aged 21–58 yrs) recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). A semistructured interview was used to assess how Ss coped with the onset of disabling illness, and to assess depressive symptomatology. According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III-Revised (DSM-III-R) criteria, 18 Ss were diagnosed with major depression, 11 Ss were diagnosed with adjustment disorder with depressed mood, and 21 Ss did not satisfy the criteria for any affective disorder. Interview results indicate that nondepressed Ss were more likely to use present focus and avoidance/denial strategies to deal with illness onset than Ss with major depression or adjustment disorder. Discussion addresses why these strategies may be an adaptive means of dealing with the onset of MS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with stress during childhood and adolescence.

In this article, research on how children and adolescents cope with stress and coping's role in reducing the adverse psychological states associated with stress is reviewed. Child and adolescent coping is reflected in seven different lines of research—infants' responses to maternal separation, social support, interpersonal cognitive problem-solving, coping in achievement contexts, Type A behavior pattern in children, repression–sensitization, and resilience to stress. A variety of different coping resources, styles, and specific strategies are important in successfully adapting to stress, including efforts that focus directly on the problem, as well as attempts to deal with adverse emotions associated with stress. Directions for future research are identified, emphasizing the need for more systematic comparisons of coping across different types of stress and over time in response to a single stressful episode. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping with job stress and burnout in the human services.

Conducted a mail survey of 141 human service workers (aged 25–65 yrs) to investigate the effects of coping on psychological strain and burnout produced by job stress. The survey assessed job stressors and coping strategies with open-ended questions and measured strain using closed-ended alienation, satisfaction, and symptom scales. Because previous research suggested that individual coping responses do not alleviate strain produced by job stress, the survey elicited information on group coping (social support) and on coping strategies initiated by agencies. Job stress was associated with high levels of strain, and group coping with low levels, but individual responses had little effect. Although Ss identified many strategies that agencies could use to reduce stress and strain, actual use of such strategies was slight. Because men and women worked in the same jobs, no sex differences in individual coping were predicted and none were found; women, however, reported more social support than men. There was no evidence for moderating (interaction) effects of stress and coping on strain. Results suggest that social service agencies should take actions to reduce stress among employees. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)