Relationships between coping style and psychological functioning were examined in a heterogeneous community sample (N = 168). Psychological functioning was categorized with the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991). Subjects were assigned to PA1 configural profile clusters, using T-scores from PA1 clinical scales. Three PA1 clusters were prominent in this sample: normal, anxious, and eccentric. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that these clusters differed significantly in coping style, as measured by the dispositional format of the COPE Inventory (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989). Normals coped through avoidance significantly less than anxious or eccentric subjects. Also, normals engaged in seeking social support and venting more than eccentric but less than anxious subjects. Gender differences also were noted, with women more likely to cope by seeking social support and men more likely to cope through hedonistic escapism. 0 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The relationship between coping style and psychological functioning has received considerable attention in past research. An early study (Pearlin & Schooler, 1978) found that using adaptive coping strategies, such as self-reliance or positive comparisons, affected emotional well-being by reducing stress. Pearlin and Schooler (1978) concluded that effective coping was predictive of good psychological health.
Other studies also have supported the premise that adaptive coping was negatively associated with psychopathology (e.g.,