Coping

Coping in general is seen as behaviours aimed at mediating stress. However, the function of coping can be either adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive coping is more than merely dealing with stress in that a person copes in such a way that over time adverse effects are mediated and positive development is fostered (Skinner & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2011). Adaptive coping involves the effective use of coping resources (Kuo, 2012). In the instance where coping behaviour promotes positive development, coping becomes an important variable that could promote resilience (Cicchetti & Rogosh, 2009). Educational or therapeutic support aimed at fostering reliance will focus on strengthening existing adaptive coping behaviours and/or establishing new adaptive coping behaviours.

Coping behaviours might not always be healthy. When coping behaviours relieve stress but do not reduce or eliminate the adversity causing the stress, the coping behaviour’s function is considered as maladaptive. Maladaptive coping will hinder positive development and not promote resilience. Examples of maladaptive coping within the learning context might be a learner who avoids going to a certain class because they experience too much anxiety in that specific class. The aforementioned behaviour might reduce stress but only temporarily and could increase adversity in the long run.