No abstract

This article reviews previous studies with the Coping Resources Inventory for Stress (CRIS) and reports the results of a recent convergent/divergent study on six CRIS scales. CRIS scales have high internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities and appear to be useful in predicting illness, emotional distress, personality type, drug dependency, occupational choice, and life satisfaction. The convergent/divergent sample consisted of 68 graduate student volunteers in a southeastern urban university. Each of the CRIS scales converged with its validating test and diverged from a test that measures a different construct. Results offer considerable support for the construct validity of CRIS scales and suggest that it may be a promising research and clinical instrument for the study of stress coping.

A follow-up study of 263 volunteers who had completed a national smoking cessation program was conducted to measure the relative contribution of stress coping resources, smoking history, loci, for health control, and certain demographic factors to the maintenance of smoking cessation. Stress coping resources and smoking history variables proved to be more predictive of the maintenance of abstinence than either perceived locus of control or demographic variables. Coping resources in the forms of perceived confidence, physical health, physical fitness, problem solving, self-directedness, and tension control were useful in predicting abstinence maintenance. Contrary to some earlier studies, no gender differences in relapse rates were found, and smoking a greater number of cigarettes daily and smoking cigarettes with a higher tar content were related to greater success in maintaining smoking abstinence. As was found in previous studies, the presence of other smokers in the household contributed to relapse.

Global satisfaction with life across three age groups (18 to 40 years, 41 to 65 years, and 66 years and above) was investigated. Multiple regressions were computed to examine the separate and joint effects of perceived stress and coping resource availability upon life satisfaction across the three age groups (N = 189). Age differences in perceived stress, coping resource availability, and life satisfaction, were also investigated. Results of this cross-sectional investigation indicated that self-appraisal measures of perceived stress and coping resource effectiveness served as moderate predictors of global life satisfaction, and that for the total sample the combined effects of perceived stress and coping resource effectiveness were better predictors of life satisfaction than either variable considered separately. Perceived stress was found to be a better predictor of life satisfaction for younger adults, and coping resource effectiveness was a better predictor of satisfaction with life for middle-aged and older adults. Significant age differences in life satisfaction, perceived stress, and coping resources were also found. The assessment of perceived stress and coping has important implications for life satisfaction among all age groups, and has particular significance to older adults. By identifying age differences in variables associated with satisfaction with life, more effective efforts can be made to promote physical and psychological well-being in late adulthood.

This study investigated the relationship between working alliance and problem resolution, among other variables, from the perspective of 102 coaches with psychology or counseling backgrounds. Results of the analyses suggested that coaches' perceptions of the working alliance were positively associated with problem resolution in both face-to-face and distance (e.g., phone) coaching. No significant differences were found in working alliance or problem resolution between the face-to-face and distance coaching conditions. The findings offer tentative evidence that distance coaching may be as effective face-to face coaching.