Stress and Coping

Course Description

In this course, we examine current issues, challenges, and questions in two related areas of psychology: stress and coping. We will cover classical approaches in addition to recent empirical research and theoretical development. Students are not expected to have prior familiarity with the topic areas. We will begin by reviewing definitions and major theoretical orientations. In subsequent weeks we will concentrate on issues relevant to stress, coping, and related topics such as social support, across a broad range of circumstances, rather than focusing on specific stressful contexts such as chronic illness or bereavement. For example, we will examine ways to define successful and maladaptive coping. We will also consider whether social support is better conceptualized as a commodity or as an individual perception. We will compare contradictory evidence about the benefits of perceived control, and we will discuss problems of generalizing research findings to different ethnic, cultural, and other groups. 3 credits Grading Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)

Code

PSY 556

Credits

3

Subject

PSY

Programs That Include This Course

• Doctoral Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology