Changes in stress perception and coping during adolescence: the role of situational and personal factors.
The present study investigated the interplay between developmental changes in stress and coping during early and late adolescence. Using a longitudinal design, stress perception and coping styles of 200 adolescents in 7 different stressful situations were investigated. Multilevel piecewise latent growth curve models showed that stress perception decreased during late adolescence, whereas active and internal coping increased continuously from ages 12 to 19. Adolescents' high levels of perceived stress in a particular situation were associated with a high level of active coping but a low level of internal coping in that same situation. Withdrawal was associated with high levels of perceived stress, independent of situation. Developmental changes in individual adolescents' stress perception and coping were in most cases situation specific.
Seiffge-Krenke
Inge
I
Department of Psychology, University of Mainz, Germany. seiffge@uni-mainz.de
Aunola
Kaisa
K
Nurmi
Jari-Erik
JE
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001143:Arousal; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010379:Peer Group; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011340:Problem Solving; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011594:Psychometrics; D011627:Puberty / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*