This study longitudinally examines the intensive and effective ways of coping in a cohort of 63 stroke patients (aged 38 - 85 yrs.). The coping activities of the stroke patients are investigated with the "Freiburg Questionnaire of Coping with Illness (FQCI)". In the acute phase (t1), especially the compliance-focused coping strategies are very often used, whereas the problem-focused, self-constructive strategies leading to a quest for sense are only used quite often. Three months later (t2), compliance- and problem-focused coping strategies are employed with less intensity, the self-constructive ones, however, in a more intensive way. The strategies leading to a quest for sense are hardly employed in an intensive way any longer. A subjective estimation made by the examined stroke patients shows that the most effective coping strategies in the acute phase (t1) are problem- and compliance-focused. Self-constructive coping strategies come second and strategies with regard to a quest for sense only third in view of their effectiveness. Three months later (t2), the effective coping strategies are still problem-focused but only to a very small degree, while the effectiveness of compliance-focused strategies is lost completely. The self-constructive coping behaviour will now become the most effective one, a behaviour which proves to be even more inclined to a quest for sense than in the acute phase.

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