ABSTRACT
The skills and resources that adolescents bring to bear on trying to cope with the stressors they face are important determinants of the course of their psychological adjustment during adolescence and adulthood. Efforts to alter stressful conditions, strategies for managing negative emotions experienced under stress, and support received from family and friends will further contribute to successful resolution of stress. The studies presented so far provided some guidelines for understanding adaptive coping with stress during adolescence. Adaptive coping or functional coping, as it is termed here, appears to involve matching one's appraisal of stress with the use of active support-seeking and internal reflection of possible solutions. Maladaptive or dysfunctional coping may be characterized at least in part by the use of withdrawal and problem avoidance and a focus on reducing negative affects. In addition, the appraisal of stress is distorted. Study 5 (see chap. 7) shows that certain aspects of perceived family climate covary with a more dysfunctional, less adaptive coping style among adolescents. Concerning internal resources, Study 4 (chap. 6) provided substantial evidence that adolescents with depressive personality structure are more prone to dysfunctional coping styles.
