This meta-analysis examines the relationship between active coping and psychosocial health among youth. Results from 40 studies of coping with interpersonal stress were synthesized using a random-effects model. Four areas of psychosocial functioning were examined: externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, social competence, and academic performance. The magnitude of the relationship between active coping and psychosocial functioning was small, with correlations ranging from 0.02 for internalizing behavior to 0.12 for academic performance. Mean effects were moderated by stressor controllability: youth who used active coping in response to controllable stressors had fewer externalizing problems and higher social competence, as compared to those who used active coping in response to uncontrollable stressors. Implications for primary prevention programs and directions for future research on child and adolescent coping are discussed.
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The decision to include only real-life interpersonal stressors was based on evidence that the coping strategies children and adolescents exhibit in response to real-life stressors differ from the coping strategies that they anticipate using for upcoming events (Stevens, 1989) and from the strategies they would use in a hypothetical situation (Vitaro and Pelletier, 1991).
A manual review was conducted for the following journals: American Journal of Community Psychology (1980–2000), Child Abuse and Neglect (1980–2001), Child Development (1980–2001), Developmental Psychology (1980–2001), Development and Psychopathology (1989–2001), Health Psychology (1988–2001), Journal of Abnormal Psychology (1980–2001), Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (1980–2000), Journal of Adolescent Research (1988–2001), Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1980–2000), Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology (1980–2001), Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (and Allied Disciplines) (1980–1994), Journal of Clinical Child Psychology (1984–2001), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1980–2001), Journal of Pediatric Nursing (1987–2001), Journal of Pediatric Psychology (1988–2001), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (1980–2001), and Journal of Youth and Adolescence (1980–2001).
Programs from the following conventions and conferences were reviewed: the 1999 and 2000 meetings of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy; the 2000 and 2001 meetings of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, and the National Association of School Psychologists; and the 1999 and 2001 meetings of the Society for Community Research and Action and the Society for Research in Child Development. Programs were unavailable from the meetings of the Society for Research on Adolescence, the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, and the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.
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The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. This study is based on a doctoral dissertation completed by the author, who received her PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Primary research interest is behavioral health promotion for underserved, urban youth.
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Clarke, A.T. Coping with Interpersonal Stress and Psychosocial Health Among Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis. J Youth Adolescence 35, 10–23 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-9001-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-9001-x