Strategies of coping with stress in adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this work was to determine the strategies mostly used by adolescents in coping with stress and then to compare the found groups by sex. The examination was carried out in Zadar secondary (three and four years) schools and the pupils in all classes participated. It was ascertained by research that problem solving (different opinions and behaviors directed towards problem solving they are coping with) was mostly used mechanism of coping with stress and the adolescents were the most satisfied with that. Secondly most used mechanism is distraction (behavioral efforts in avoiding the problem situation), the next one is avoidance (cognitive efforts helping in avoidance of thinking about stress situation) and then cognitive remodeling (thinking about stress situation in a different, more optimistic way). The next used mechanisms are the support of friends and family support. Most rarely used strategy, but the one the pupils are satisfied least, is emotional reactivity (different ways of "emptying" and expressing the anger). Taking into consideration the comparison by sex, the statistically significant differences wereestablished in almost all strategies and the tendency that the girls used them more often was showed. The only exception was distraction with no significant difference.