Module 8 Workbook Activity
The focus of this activity is around the COPE Inventory, which offers two key outcomes:
- An indicator of your own individual coping strategies/styles
- Greater awareness of the range of possible coping strategies
NOTE: a list of coping styles is described at the end of this activity
But first off…
Please provide a brief definition of stress, outlining both its positive and negative aspects:
ANSWER
As a follow-up question, how does anxiety differ to stress?
ANSWER:
Now for the COPE Inventory!
To complete this part of the activity, please first answer the questions from the COPE inventory posted on vUWS…
The Inventory has detailed instructions, but in brief:
- For each question in the inventory, give a number from 1-4
(1 = I don’t do this at all… 4 = I usually do this a lot) - At the end of the questionnaire, you will see a number of scales, and the inventory items that correspond to those scales. Add together the numbers you gave for each of the relevant questions. For example:
Positive reinterpretation and growth: Q1, Q29, Q38, Q59
My answers: 3, 2, 3, 3 = 11
- The higher the score for each scale, the more you use this type of coping.
- Once you complete the inventory, please answer the reflective discussion questions listed on the following page:
What did the COPE Inventory tell you about your coping strategies?
ANSWER:
To what extent were you aware that you used these coping strategies?
ANSWER:
- What do you like about your coping strategies?
ANSWER:
- Is there anything you would change about your coping strategies? Why?
ANSWER:
- Using your own example:
a) identify current coping strategy/ies you use
b) what strategy/ies might be more effective or constructive, and
c) why is that strategy/ies more effective than alternatives?
E.g., let’s say I have been experiencing some distress caused by conflict between colleagues at work. I have been using denial strategies a lot to deal with these experiences, but recognise that this really is not helpful for me in the long term as it enables the problematic situations to continue… To change my response, I could try using instrumental social support to get advice and identify if there are opportunities to change the situation, then I might employ planning and active coping to implement a strategy to make positive change. I have determined that these strategies are more effective than alternatives, like reframing, venting, emotional support or acceptance because those other strategies won’t actually change the situation causing me distress – although it might help me manage my emotions. If, for example, the people involved in the work conflict are in positions of power/authority over my role, I might not feel empowered to use a more pro-active coping strategy, and so dealing with the emotions could be a more realistic response…
(NOTE: You can delete this example when writing your own answers!)
ANSWER:
For reference, the COPE scales/strategies include:
- Active Coping
Taking action or exerting efforts to remove or circumvent the stressor - Planning
Thinking about how to confront the stressor, planning one’s active coping efforts - Seeking Instrumental Social Support
Seeking assistance, information, or advice about what to do - Seeking Emotional Social Support
Getting sympathy or emotional support from someone - Suppression of Competing Activities
Suppressing one’s attention to other activities in which one might engage in order to concentrate more completely on dealing with the stressor - Religion
Increased engagement in religious activities - Positive Reinterpretation and Growth
Making the best of the situation by growing from it or viewing it in a more favourable light - Restraint Coping
Coping passively by holding back one’s coping attempts until they can be of use - Resignation/Acceptance
Accepting the fact that the stressful event has occurred and is real - Focus on and Venting of Emotions
An increased awareness of one’s emotional distress, and a concomitant tendency to ventilate or discharge those feelings - Denial
An attempt to reject the reality of the stressful event - Mental Disengagement
Psychological disengagement from the goal with which the stressor is interfering, through daydreaming, sleep, or self-distraction - Behavioural Disengagement
Giving up, or withdrawing effort from, the attempt to attain the goal with which the stressor is interfering - Alcohol/Drug Use
Turning to the use of alcohol and other drugs as a way of disengaging from the stressor - Humour
Making jokes about the stressor
