ABSTRACT
In early research and theory on children’s coping, coping strategies were frequently confounded with the outcomes of coping. Coping was essentially synonymous with adaptive functioning (see Sandler, Wolchik, MacKinnon, Ayers, & Roosa, 1997; Skinner & Wellborn, 1994). Recent conceptualizations, however, recognize that individuals often engage in cognitive and behavioral strategies to reduce stress that may or may not be effective. These conceptualizations are the foundation for a growing body of research and theory involving coping processes in children and adolescents. Key issues within this literature include whether different coping strategies are more or less likely to lead to positive outcomes in differing contexts, whether there are consistent individual differences in coping styles, and the developmental antecedents and consequences of such individual differences. In this chapter we discuss these issues, focusing on research relevant to the question of whether coping can be considered an element of developmental well-being.
