Coping
Coping (from the verb to cope, meaning “to manage” or “to deal with”) refers to the conscious behavioral, cognitive, and emotional strategies people use to handle stress and challenging life circumstances. The term is also used in the expression coping behavior.
In psychology, coping strategies are commonly grouped into three broad categories:
- Adaptive (constructive): Strategies aimed at solving a problem, such as planning, seeking support, and analyzing the situation.
- Relatively adaptive: Strategies that help a person temporarily disengage from stress or reframe the situation, such as self-regulation and psychological distancing.
- Maladaptive (destructive): Strategies that avoid or suppress the problem, such as withdrawal, aggression, or emotional suppression.
People can identify their typical responses to stress and explore healthier ways of managing it through evidence-informed self-help techniques, psychological assessments, and educational resources focused on mental health and personal development.