The effectiveness of coping meta-strategies: Perceived efficiency, emotional correlates and cognitive performance

The present research used subjective and objective measures in the investigation of the effectiveness of dispositional coping strategies. In Study 1, 42 community participants rated the everyday use and efficiency of coping options included in the Hebrew version of the 60-item COPE scale (Carver, Scheier & Weintraub, 1989). Two coping meta-strategies termed Problem/accommodation (PA) and Support/emotion (SA) were judged as higher than Avoidance/disengagement (AD) on both use and efficiency ratings. In Study 2, 90 students filled-in the COPE scale, scales of anxiety, curiosity and anger measured as states or traits, stable depressive mood, and bodily symptoms; they also made choices in multiple alternative decision problems. The use of the AD meta-strategy was related to negative emotional traits and states and faulty decision making, while the PA meta-strategy was negatively correlated with negative traits and faulty decision making. These results suggest that dispositional coping meta-strategies are differentially effective when stable as well as current emotional patterns and cognitive functioning are involved.