Browsing by Subject "coping"
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Item An Examination of Coping Processes within the Context of Water-based Recreation(2012-07-16) Yoon, Jee InMany outdoor recreation settings present stressful situations that directly influence the quality of one's leisure experience. Some recreationists are able to maintain their enjoyment by adopting various coping strategies. In conditions that induce stress, recreationists can select from a combination of behavioral coping strategies (e.g., substitution of recreational setting or activity) and/or cognitive coping strategies (e.g., rationalization). Previous coping research has indicated that the key to understanding the stress -- coping process is how one appraises the stressors. In spite of the acknowledged importance of individual appraisals, however, there is scant empirical evidence available documenting this mediating effect. To explore the role of appraisal in the stress - coping relationship, I drew upon Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress and coping. Using data collected from recreationists boating in Texas and Korea, I tested a model where the relationship between stress and coping was hypothesized to be mediated by individual's appraisals within the context of water-based recreational activities. Data were collected from recreationists residing near Lake Granbury in Texas (n=186) and recreationists at Lake Chung-pyung in South Korea (n=462). Initial testing of the model illustrated poor fit. I then tested the model independently for the two groups. For Korean respondents, results showed that one's evaluative process (appraisal) mediated the relationship between stress level and selected coping strategies. Further, the degree of involvement with a recreational activity, attachment to a setting, and self-construal moderated the stress -- appraisal -- coping relationship. Model testing for American respondents showed that the factor structure deviated from what was originally hypothesized. Subsequent testing produced an alternate factor structure; direct action, disengagement, temporal substitution, and cognitive coping. However, there was no mediating role of appraisal in the relationship between stress and coping for this group. Moreover, there was no moderating effect of place attachment, leisure activity involvement, and self-construal for American respondents. In short, the results of this study partially supported the transactional theory of stress and coping. For both groups, positive appraisal was more strongly related to behavioral coping, while cognitive coping (rationalization) was influenced by respondents' negative appraisal of the boating conditions. Even under potentially stressful conditions, some recreationists consider the situation controllable. Future investigations should also consider exploring and comparing the coping processes of different user groups, across age cohorts, and among recreationists within similar contexts.Item Creative coping: a description of experiences of families coping with chronic illness in a child(Texas A&M University, 2006-08-16) McGough, MarniqueChronic illness impacts numerous families in the United States. Children are increasingly among those affected by a chronic illness. The families undergo trials and experiences that tax their coping skills and require extensive coping strategies. This research project explored how families cope with chronic illness in one of the children in the family. The objective of the research project was to use the method of case study to examine the everyday lives, perceptions, and coping strategies of the family members as they deal with the realities of the effects of a child??s illness on a daily basis. Three families were studied using the case study format. Through interviews, observations, and investigation of data, the researcher gathered pertinent information about the participants?? lives and experiences. Emergent themes were identified from the facts gathered. These themes included information and suggestions that various participants offered. Included among the emergent themes were the following titles: alarming environment, redefined realities, relational requests, valuable individual, coping concoctions, as well as awareness and advocacy. The study??s emergent themes were divided into numerous subcategories. The multiple realities that the family members face is evidenced in the number of issues and themes that emerged from the study. This research project gives additional insight into the reality of the lives of families experiencing chronic illness in one of the children. Suggestions and observations by the participants could be useful for family, friends, medical professionals, educational systems, and support groups that interact with families facing similar trials. The descriptive style of the study lends itself to the vicarious interaction of the reader to the circumstances of the participants. This format allows the reader to transfer knowledge to his or her own experiences. The study could further be useful by offering detail to the existing knowledge base, in addition to aiding in the development of theory.Item Examining the Relationship Between Racial Identity Status and Race-Related Stress in African Americans(2012-02-14) Hurst, MorganRace-related stress has been found to impact the mental health of African Americans in literature. Three manuscripts were developed for this dissertation. The first is a critical literature review identifying the multiple pathways by which racism can affect mental health, and the current research addressing this problem is presented. Second, a quantitative study looking at what type of coping mechanisms African Americans use when dealing with race-related stress and how racial identity statuses impact these coping mechanisms?; The third manuscript addresses the research question, among the identified coping mechanisms, is there a relationship with psychological distress? The first manuscript is a critical literature review which discusses racism, race-related stress, and coping resources. The aim of the paper is to identify the multiple pathways by which racism can affect mental health and the current research addressing this problem. Initially, views of racism and race-related stress will be identified; theories for use of stress will be examined, and how racial identity status influences the perception of racism. In addition, individual strategies for coping with racism will be discussed, as well as major approaches to coping that have received sufficient research with regard to their effectiveness for mental and physical outcomes. The purpose of the first quantitative study was to examine the relationships among race-related stress, racial identity status, and coping resources in African Americans in a sample of 294 African American adults. Results indicated that avoidance coping and seeking social support predicted higher levels of race-related stress. Problem solving coping did not predict race-related stress. In addition, racial identity status (pre-encounter and immersion-emersion) predicted avoidance coping where racial identity status (internalization) predicted more problem solving coping behavior. The findings emphasize the need to recognize how racial identity status influence styles of coping in African Americans. Implications for mental health providers are discussed. The purpose of the second study was to examine the relationships between race-related stress, coping resources, and mental health in African Americans in a sample of 294 African American adults. Results indicated they were a predictor of psychological distress and well-being in African Americans. Specifically, the avoidance coping mechanism led to participants in the study experiencing more psychological distress when using this coping resource. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the results, which confirmed our hypothesis that mal-adaptive coping strategies predicted psychological distress. The findings emphasize the need to recognize how coping styles influence mental health in African Americans. Implications for mental health providers are discussed.Item Protection Motivation Theory and Consumer Willingness-to-Pay, in the Case of Post-Harvest Processed Gulf Oysters(2012-10-19) Blunt, Emily AnnGulf oysters are harvested and consumed year-round, with more than 90% consumed in a raw, unprocessed state. A chief concern of policymakers in recent years is the incidence of Vibrio vulnificus infection following raw seafood consumption. V.vulnificus refers to a halophilic bacterium naturally occurring in brackish coastal waters, which concentrates in filter-feeding oysters. Proposed FDA legislation requiring processing of all raw Gulf oysters sold during warmer summer months threatens the Gulf oyster industry, as little to no research regarding demand for post-harvest processing (PHP) has preceded the potential mandate. This research endeavors to examine the relationship between oyster consumers' fears of V.vulnificus infection and their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for processing of an oyster meal. The psychological model of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) is employed alongside the economic framework of contingent valuation (CV) to result in an analysis of oyster processing demand with respect to threats and efficacy. A survey administered to 2,172 oyster consumers in six oyster producing states elicits projected consumption and PMT data. Principal Component Analysis is used to reduce the number of PMT variables to a smaller size, resulting in five individual principal components representing the PMT elements of source information, threat appraisal, coping appraisal, maladaptive coping, and protection motivation. Using survey data, the marginal willingness-to-pay (MWTP) for PHP per oyster meal is also calculated, and the five created PMT variables are regressed on this calculation using four separate OLS models. Results indicate significant correlation for four of the five created PMT variables. In addition, a mean MWTP for PHP of $0.31 per oyster meal is determined, contributing to the demand analysis for processing of Gulf oysters. The findings suggest a strong relationship between the fear elements and the demand for processing, and support arguments in favor of further research on specific PHP treatments and the necessity for a valid PMT survey instrument.Item Psychological characteristics of elite and non-elite level gymnasts(Texas A&M University, 2005-02-17) Waples, Steven BallardLiterature has indicated that there are psychological characteristics in elite athletes of various sports that are significantly different than those of non-elite level athletes. The purpose of this study was to discover the different psychological characteristics associated with elite level gymnasts, and contrast the results with psychological characteristics of competitive gymnasts of other levels using the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28. Participants in this study were 195 gymnasts from gymnastics training centers throughout the United States. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in the Personal Resources Score (PCR) between the elite gymnast and all other levels. Furthermore, a significant difference was demonstrated among four of the seven sub-scales making up the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28. The study supports the hypothesis that the psychological make-up of "elite" level gymnasts is different than that of other competitive gymnastics levels.Item Relationship among religious coping, psychosocial factors, and quality of life in individuals with type 2 diabetes(2009-06-02) Lager, Julia M.The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among religious coping, acceptance of diabetes, social support, diabetes management, and quality of life among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Religious coping, acceptance of diabetes, and social support were hypothesized to encourage adherence to self - management behaviors thus enhancing quality of life. A convenience sample of 247 T2DM patients was recruited from local churches, clinics, a diabetes support group, and a diabetes education class. Participants completed a 10-page survey comprising the following reliable and valid scales: Religious Problem Solving Scale-Short Form, Ideas About Diabetes-Revised Scale (IAD-R), the PRQ2000, the Religious Support Scale, Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities-Revised, and the Diabetes Quality of Life Measure. The mean age of the respondents was 54 years, with the majority being female (68%), Caucasian (53%), and of Protestant religious affiliation (58%). Gender and ethnic differences were found for religious coping, acceptance of diabetes, and selfmanagement behaviors. African Americans and women were more religious and used more religious coping. African Americans also felt more inhibited by diabetes and women were more likely to regularly examine their feet. Gender, general social support, and feeling less inhibited by diabetes (subscale of acceptance) were significant predictors of quality of life in the multivariate (regression) analysis (F (19, 219) = 7.777, p < .001; adjusted R2 = .351). Results of this study support past research indicating the influence of gender, social support, and feeling inhibited by diabetes on respondents' quality of life. Attention to patients' level of social support and diabetes education that teaches patients how to integrate the disease into their life may be critical to improving quality of life.Item Sociodemographic Factors and Coping with Pediatric Asthma(2016-12) Leija, Annette; Rodriguez, Erin M; Keith, Timothy ZThe purpose of this study was to examine the associations among sociodemographic factors (SES, parent language, race/ethnicity) and coping in children with asthma, and to examine if asthma-related stress accounts for this relationship. Correlational analyses were used to examine the association among SES variables, parent language, and coping, and t-tests were used to examine if coping differed by child race/ethnicity. Regression analyses examined if stress accounted for the associations between sociodemographic variables and coping. Results indicated that asthma-related stress explained the association between income and primary control coping, and between income and secondary control coping.