Coping with stress in adolescents with self-harm and suicidal behavior

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the study of coping specifics in adolescents at risk of self-injurious and suicidal behavior (N=174). We hypothesized that profiles of coping depended on the types of actual stress. We took into consideration the following types of stressful circumstances: parental divorce, death of relatives or loved ones, conflict with parents, serious somatic disease, academic failure and school problems, unrequited love, other, no actual stress. We discovered both common and stress-specific coping strategies. One of the common coping strategies is avoidance that is used more often in all stressful situations. Moreover, the sample was distinguished by increasing low-level strategies, rather than decreasing high-level strategies (such as planning or reappraisal). Applications to prevention measures are discussed.