The Effect of Initial Coping on Subsequent Coping, and the Role of Neuroticism

Abstract

This research studied how initial coping of stress affected subsequent expected coping strategies, and whether neuroticism moderated this effect. The mediating effects of subsequent expected coping strategies on initial coping and both negative affect and problem-solving self-efficacy were also explored. Ninety-three undergraduate students participated in the experiment. Participants read a scenario that elicited negative emotions and were instructed to use specific initial coping strategy, either cognitive writing (writing down their positive thoughts) or emotional writing (writing down their emotions), to cope with the negative event. They were then asked to report their subsequent expected coping strategies, and both their negative affect and problem-solving self-efficacy were assessed.

Results showed that the initial use of emotional writing, versus the initial use of cognitive writing, was related to the higher use of problem-focused coping as subsequent expected coping strategy, and the effect was especially seen in the high neuroticism group. However, neuroticism did not significantly moderate the relationship of emotional writing and subsequent expected coping strategies. In addition, problem focused coping as subsequent expected coping strategies mediate the effect of initial coping and problem-solving self-efficacy. Active coping, under the cluster of problem-focused coping was specifically found to mediate the relationship of initial coping and both negative affect and problem-solving self-efficacy. The implications of these findings were discussed.