Pathways Through Coping Strategies to Psychological Symptoms: Structural Equation Modeling That Highlights the Importance of Social Support

Abstract

Relevance. Engagement strategies (e.g., cognitive restructuring, problem solving, and social support) include an active effort to manage stressful situations, and disengagement strategies (e.g., self-criticism, wishful thinking, problem avoidance and emotional concealment) are characterized by behaviors and thoughts that do not intend to modify the situation. Several studies have shown that disengagement coping strategies have the largest effects on psychological symptoms. Goal. To identify which engagement strategies are most effective in reducing the probability of using disengagement strategies, the objective of the present study was to determine the causal relationships between the engagement und disengagement coping strategies and to relate them to psychological symptoms. Method. For the development of a structural equation model (SEM), an online data collection was performed in Germany (N = 295). Results. Self-criticism and emotional concealment stood out with a negative impact on other disengagement strategies and psychological symptoms. As far as engagement strategies were concerned, the role of problem solving and social support was emphasized. Cognitive restructuring had an ambiguous nature since it had negative effects on certain disengagement strategies but also a positive effect on problem avoidance. It was concluded that social support occupied a transcendental position because it had the most significant effect to reduce self-criticism and emotional concealment.