Resources and coping styles utilized by Warsaw adolescents

The aim of the study was to establish relationships between perceived psychosocial resources and styles of coping with stress utilized by adolescents. A total of 1326 students (aged 15-20, mean age 17.0 years) of 16 randomly selected secondary schools were examined using a set of self-report questionnaires. Personal resources (sense of coherence and optimism), environmental resources (family affluence, family strengths, support from parents, teachers and peers), and styles of coping with stress were measured. Two groups differing significantly in their perceived resources were distinguished. The group with high resources (HR) consisted of 502, while the low-resource group (LR) - of 570 adolescents. The level of perceived resources (high vs. low) turned out to be associated with utilization of specific coping styles. High-resource adolescents as compared to their low-resource counterparts more often utilized task-oriented coping and seeking interpersonal contacts, at the same time less often using emotion- and distraction-oriented coping styles.