Abstract
Whether chronic stress stems from persistent relationship difficulties, shared adversities, or personal problems, the hardships associated with it rarely stop at one person’s doorstep. Most often, chronic stress exerts widespread effects on the lives of entire families and other close intimates (Flor, Turk, & Scholz, 1987; Gottlieb, 1987; Stephens, Crowther, Hobfoll, & Tennenbaum, 1990). For many months or even years at a time, all those affected must find ways to cope. The consequences of one person’s coping generally reverberate far beyond the confines of the individual (Pearlin, 1991). The coping of one family member may facilitate, constrict, or interfere with the coping efforts of loved ones. In turn, the expectations, emotional reactions, and coping actions of loved ones may influence the individual’s appraisals and attempts to cope. Family members labor not only with their own distress but also with the distress of their loved ones. Finding ways to maintain personal well-being while simultaneously trying to address the needs of loved ones is one of the supreme challenges that people face when coping with chronic stress (Coyne & Smith, 1991; DeLongis & O’Brien, 1990).
Keywords
- Coping Strategy
- Chronic Stress
- Marital Conflict
- Personal Distress
- Coping Process
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O’Brien, T.B., DeLongis, A. (1997). Coping with Chronic Stress. In: Gottlieb, B.H. (eds) Coping with Chronic Stress. The Springer Series on Stress and Coping. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9862-3_6
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