ABSTRACT
At first glance, the questions that are asked about coping, when it is viewed from a life-span perspective, appear to differ from those that are asked about coping when it is viewed only at specific ages such as infancy, adolescence, or middle age. Research about coping over the life span is motivated by interest in changes in coping and the factors that influence such change. Research about coping at various ages is motivated largely by an interest in the influence or effect coping has on the relationship between stress, both chronic and acute, and outcomes such as behavior, psychological well-being, and physical health.
