Relationship Between Stress, Coping, and Depression - Term Paper Example

? Relationship between Stress, Coping and Depression Due to concern over the effect of stress on physical and psychological well-being of persons affected, some studies have tried to investigate variables that have effect on distressful situations. Coping being one of those variables has been evaluated to bring out a comprehensive view of the relationship it has on such situations. This paper will focus on the relationship between stress, coping and depression. Relationship between Stress, Coping and Depression Introduction In the past decades, there has been concern over the effect of stress on physical and psychological well-being of persons affected. In this regard, some studies have found it necessary to examine variables that have a considerable effect on the nature of stressful occurrences. Coping as one of these variables has received an attention regarding its role of mediating stressful events and their impacts on both psychological and physical well-being. Coping assessment In the past decades, it has been argued that coping concept has piloted the development of various coping measures. However, there has not been a dimension measure of coping behavior. The two coping approaches are the active vs. passive coping. Active coping emphasizes coping as having management of the problem and regulation of emotion (Blalock & Joiner, 2000). Passive coping classifies coping in terms of people’s orientation to the problem and the type of action taken to counter the stressor (Blalock & Joiner, 2000). In order first to indentify application of coping in depressed and stressed persons, it is necessary to identify the origin of these two. Stress and depression are mood disorders, which vary from one individual to another. It is believed that the origin of these disorders involves differences in temperament. However, temperament is a more general characteristic but functions in various ways. It increases chances of developing a disorder. However, temperament acts as a mediator between stress and coping efforts. Depressive disorders pose significant mental health problems. Studies have indicated that women are significantly prone to depressive disorders than men (Coyne & Aldwin, 1981). However, depression is also associated with other disorders, with over 50% of depression disorders having cases of anxiety disorders and other internalizing disorders. For depressed persons to develop coping strategies, a number of factors determine their ability to cope with depressing situations. For example, the ways depressed persons interact with their environments greatly determine the type of coping strategy to use or develop (Coyne & Aldwin, 1981). A study conducted by Weissman and Pykel (1974) found out that distressed women were found to be more distressed about their various social roles than they were essentially impaired. Nevertheless they tended to be moderately impaired under the capacities of wives and mothers. According to the study, poor communication and hostility characterized their coping strategies. Interaction with the environment enables individuals to develop resource for managing distressing situations (Coyne & Aldwin, 1981). In fact, the degree to which individual encounters psychological and other distressing situations is determined by the problem at hand and the availability of coping resources at the time of experiencing these distresses. Coping in this case refers to the ability to manage internal and external conflicts affecting an individual that surpasses that person’s capability (Blalock & Joiner, 2000). Problem-focused coping is one of the coping strategies, which involves efforts to counter the source of stress, either by changing coping behavior or by changing environmental situation. Emotional-focused coping forms another coping strategy which involves and aims at reducing emotional distress (Blalock & Joiner, 2000). However, some distressing situations call for application of both coping functions. At the same time, coping process changes with change in demand and strategies of the person as events unfolds. Although coping strategies responds to stress appraisals, coping strategies may affect the relationship between the individual and the environment, or by modifying the persons feelings and thought about it (Coyne & Aldwin, 1981). Coping, thus, can be argued to have emotional-regulating and a problem function. On the other hand, according to Compas, Smith, & Jaser, (2004), temperament tends to explain emotional and behavioral differences that determine an individual’s ability to develop coping strategies to counter distressing situations. Temperament is presumed to have a biological concept. Neurobiological systems have connections on the role of the brain and its function in depression. Temperamental characteristics help understand depression in children and adolescents. They influence individual behavior on various situations including those that are not stressful (Compas, Smith, & Jaser, 2004). Positive emotionality mirrors the extent to which individuals are open to reward, and vigorously involved with their environment (Compas, Smith, & Jaser, 2004). Negative emotionality involves a propensity toward fear, comfort, and anger. Anxiety is specifically linked to behavioral inhibition system. Negative affect is linked to both depression and anxiety, while low positive affect is associated specifically to depression (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). Studies indicate that the temperamental trait of negative emotionality is positively related to depression and other emotional problems. Positive emotionality is negatively related to depression, as it protects depressive symptoms. Both positive emotionality and negative emotionality controls emotions and behaviors (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). Constraint is related to emotionality and includes mechanisms of self-control. It is also related to the idea ego resiliency, which mirrors the ability of an individual to control self-control in order to match to the environmental demands (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). Compas, Smith, & Jaser, (2004) noted that even though the temperamental trait of constraint is commonly associated with externalizing disorders, interactions with other temperament traits may help in understanding depression. For example, self regulation may act as a protective function, thus, reducing the risks associated with negative emotionality. Temperament is related to depression in a number of ways. Behavioral withdrawal, which is a component of temperament, is characterized in depression (Coyne & Aldwin, 1981). Lack of attention is not a specific symptom in psychology but is incorporated as a symptom of depression. Therefore, it is apparent that these temperament traits play a role in development of depression (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). The relationship between temperaments and depression can also be viewed from the perspective of interactions between temperaments and the environment, or even interaction between different temperamental traits (Compas, Smith, & Jaser, 2004). Socialization theory is argued to offer a model that conceptualizes relationships among stress, coping, gender, and depression (Blalock & Joiner, 2000). The theory hypothesizes that women have greater vulnerability to stress due to the socialization process that have taught them to rely more than men, passive coping strategies (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). On the other hand, men are perceived to be better because they use active problem-focused strategies. It is believed that passive and emotional-focused strategies are less functional as coping strategies than problem-focused strategies (Blalock & Joiner, 2000). In fact, longitudinal studies have pointed out that characteristic of coping strategies such as avoidance and distancing fuels depression. On the other hand, use of coping strategies characterized by efforts to tackle the stressor lowers the level of depression. In the effort to determine gender differences in coping, it has been found out that men make use of behavioral approach (dealing with the stressor directly) and cognitive approach (logically analysing the situation to find out solutions) than women (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). On the other hand, women use behavioral avoidance by use of relaxation and self-care while men would resort to use alcohol and drugs as a kind of behavioral avoidance. Cognitive avoidance strategy tends to create more problems to women. This is true because cognitive avoidance mirrors negative appraisal on the individual’s ability to counter stressful situations (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). Avoidant coping magnifies a stressful situation and making it uncontrollable. Depression in children is related to psychological, biological and social factors of risk. Exposure to stressful life situations increases chances of developing depression. Blalock & Joiner, (2000) also noted that development of coping strategies starts from childhood. These strategies come in forms of automatic and controlled responses. Automatic responses are characterized by either involving engagement or disengagement from the causes of stress. Automatic responses involve psychological arousal, biases in attention, and impulsive responses among others. On the other hand, controlled responses involve both primary and secondary control. Automatic stress responses are triggered in response to situations that are challenging or pose a threat. Controlled coping responses are also instigated by temperament traits (Blalock & Joiner, 2000). Temperaments and depression are connected through effects of automatic and controlled responses (Compas, Smith, & Jaser, 2004). Different features of temperaments may affect the level and kind of responses. Temperamental characteristics are triggered by coping and stress responses especially when the situation is considered to be of high risk. However, individual differences in temperamental characteristics influence automatic processes of reaction. They facilitate and restrain controlled endeavors to cope with stress. Conclusion Temperamental characteristics of both negative and positive emotionality relates to depressive symptoms. The relations between depression and temperament are restrained and arbitrated cognitive appraisals. The ways depressed persons interact with their environments greatly determine the type of coping strategy to use or develop. Interaction with the environment enables individuals to develop resource for managing distressing situations. Temperamental negative affect are associated with avoidance coping. Coping refers to the ability to manage internal and external conflicts affecting an individual that surpasses that person’s capability. Cognitive avoidance coping is associated with women. Studies have indicated that women are significantly prone to depressive disorders than men. On the other hand, men use active problem-focused strategies. Negative affect is linked to both depression and anxiety, while low positive affect is associated specifically to depression. Characteristic of coping strategies such as avoidance and distancing influences depression. Exposure to stressful life situations increases chances of developing depression. However, the degree to which individual encounters psychological and other distressing situations is determined by the problem at hand and the availability of coping resources available at the time of experiencing these distresses. Some distressing situations call for application of both problem coping and emotional coping functions. References: Compas, E. Bruce; Smith, C. Jennifer & Jaser, S. Sarah. (2004). Temperament, Stress Reactivity, and Coping: Implications for depression in childhood and Adolescence. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33, 1: 21-31. Blalock, A. Janice & Joiner, E. Thomas. (2000). Interaction of Cognitive Avoidance Coping and Stress in Predicting Depression/Anxiety. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 24, 1: 47-65. Lazarus, S. Richard & Folkman, S. (1987). Transactional theory and research on emotions and coping. European Journal of Personality, 1: 141-169. Coyne, C. James & Aldwin, C. (1981). Depression and Coping in Stressful Episodes. California: University of California, Berkeley University of California, San Francisco, Richard S. Lazarus. Read More