Coping through emotional approach: Problems of conceptualizaton and confounding.

Abstract

Two studies supported hypotheses that (a) published scales tapping coping through processing and expressing emotion are confounded with psychopathology; (b) previously demonstrated relations between emotional approach coping (EAC) and maladjustment are partially spurious; and (c) EAC, when tapped by items uncontaminated by distress, is beneficial under specific conditions. In Study 1, 194 psychologists rated a majority of published items, but no author-constructed EAC item, as indicative of pathology. Study 2 assessed relations of confounded and unconfounded EAC scales to 171 young adults' adjustment during stressful events. Confounded items evidenced weaker discriminant validity with distress measures than did unconfounded items, and they were weaker predictors of later maladjustment when initial adjustment was controlled than when it was not. Unconfounded EAC predicted improved adjustment for women and poorer adjustment for men over time.

How optimism contributes to the adaptation of chronic illness. A prospective study into the enduring effects of optimism on adaptation moderated by the controllability of chronic illness

“…However, when unconfounded emotional approach coping (acceptance and dealing with emotions) was measured in healthy individuals, a negative relation also emerged between emotion oriented coping and mental health (Stanton et al, 1994), although this relation was less strong than in our study. Thus, even though the emotion-oriented coping scale of the CISS could be criticized and seems to measure approaching emotions without accepting them (disengagement), it appears to be a sufficiently adequate method of determining the role of optimism in adapting to chronic disease.…”

Searching for the structure of coping: A review and critique of category systems for classifying ways of coping.

“…However, many other higher order categories have been suggested that are not functionally homogeneous. For example, emotion-focused coping has been defined in ways that include both constructive emotional expression and explosive emotional discharge (Stanton, Danoff-Burg, Cameron, & Ellis, 1994). Because functionally different ways of coping can be triggered by different appraisals and have distinct (possibly opposite) consequences, categories that combine them are not useful for classifying ways of coping.…”

“…When it is used as a higher order label in systems, there is literally no agreement about which lower order categories it encompasses. For example, in some systems, active attempts to calm oneself are considered emotion focused, whereas in others, uncontrolled venting and panic are included 3 (Stanton et al, 1994). Second, the "categories" of problem focused versus emotion focused are not mutually exclusive: Most ways of coping can serve both functions and thus could fit into both categories.…”

“…More work on the analysis of the functions of emotion regulation in coping as well as further empirical examination of this family of coping is needed (Stanton et al, 1994).…”

Linkages between cigarette smoking outcome expectancies and negative emotional vulnerability

“…The Emotional Approach Coping Scale (EAC; Stanton, Danoff-Burg, Cameron, & Ellis, 1994) is an eight-item measure of coping that contains two 4-item subscales: emotional processing (e.g., "I take time to figure out what I'm really feeling") and emotional expression (e.g., "I take time to express my emotions"). Items are assessed on a four-point Likert-type scale (1 = "I usually don't do this at all"; 4 = "I usually do this a lot").…”