STRESS MANAGEMENT: BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE STRATEGIES

A. The Nature of Coping
1. Terminology and definitions
  a. Coping = efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate demands
  b. Coping episodes: response, goal and outcome
2. Problem-focused vs. emotion-focused coping
  a. Instrumental coping to change self-environment relationship
  b. Palliative coping to lessen emotional pain and distress
3. Coping Resources
  a. Personal assets
    (1) Personal traits: self-efficacy and optimism, self-esteem
    (2) Physical resources
  b. Social support
    (1) Indirect effects: buffering the effects of stress
    (2) Direct effects: taking action against stress
4. Coping Strategies
  a. Combative
  b. Preventive
  c. Effective strategies may have negative outcomes
5. Coping styles
  a. Behavioral
    (1) Reactive vs. proactive
    (2) Approachers vs. avoiders
  b. Cognitive
    (1) Levelers vs. sharpeners
    (2) Repressors vs. sensitizers
    (3) Attributional styles
  c. Relating different styles to outcomes
6. Building coping skills
  a. Assessment
    (1) Positive skills to be added
    (2) Negative behaviors to be eliminated
  b. Models of implementation
    (1) Self-help
    (2) Workshops and seminars
    (3) Professional counseling

B. Behavioral Strategies
1. Relaxation training (RT)
  a. Varieties of relaxation methods
  b. The promise and the logic of RT
    (1) How is it supposed to work?
    (2) Does it work?
  c. Cue-controlled application
2. Humor
3. Problem-solving
4. Social skills
  a. Communication
    (1) Self-disclosure
    (2) Ventilation and catharsis
  b. Assertiveness
5. Avoidance and withdrawal behavior
  a. Direct
  b. Indirect: self-medication

C. Cognitive Strategies
1. Cognitive restructuring
  a. Rational-emotive therapy (RET)
  b. Modifying self-statements
2. Meditation and autogenics
  a. What are they?
  b. Do they work?
3. Monitoring vs. diversions
4. Information seeking
5. Cognitive avoidance: defense mechanisms
  a. Denial
  b. Intellectualization
6. Desensitization
7. Stress inoculation training (SIT)
  a. What is it and how is it supposed to help?
  b. Does it help?

Copyright ©1998 Beverly J. Volicer and Steven F. Tello, UMass Lowell.  You may freely edit these pages  for use in a non-profit, educational setting.  Please include this copyright notice on all pages.