ABSTRACT
Coping skills development is impacted by a host of factors such as temperament, environmental context, physiological determinants, social relationships and personal experiences. There are numerous ways to learn to cope. Nevertheless, there are resources over and above coping skills, such as teacher and parent support that remain important, particularly for certain populations. The coping strategies identified by adolescents as most productive include solving problems, seeking relaxing diversions, working hard, focusing on the positive, seeking the support of friends and the use of physical recreation. The findings showed that a change in coping style over time was observed in all three groups, suggesting that an intervention made an impact on the overall coping strategies for adolescents. Adolescents need guidance in understanding and evaluating the efficacy of their own coping styles, and they need support in using productive strategies and in resisting the temptation to use non-productive strategies.
