Coping skills worksheet for youth
By
HappierTherapy
Author bio
The Happier Therapy editorial team is made up of Masters and PhD counselling psychologists. Each worksheet is created by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The worksheet then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
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Coping is the conscious and unconscious efforts we put in to solve problems and reduce stress.
Coping skills or coping mechanisms are the conscious thoughts and behaviours used to deal with stressful situations or the adaptive tools we proactively administer to avoid burnout.
What Are The Theories Behind This Worksheet?
Coping theories can be divided into two different parameters:
- Focus-oriented theories
- Approach-oriented theories (micro-analytic and macro-analytic)
The focus-oriented theory recognizes an individual’s mental capacity for evaluating how well they can adapt to a situation.
The approach-oriented theory revolves around how concrete or abstract the coping mechanisms are (defence mechanisms as a method of coping).
There are four types of coping skills:
- Problem-focused
This coping skill is used to address the problem causing the distress.
Example: In a stressful situation at work, problem-focused coping skills will include looking for a new job or talking to your boss.
- Emotion-focused
This coping skill aims to reduce the negative emotions associated with the problem. This approach is useful when you want to calm down first before dealing with the problem.
Example: Exercising or practising mindfulness.
- Meaning-focused
This coping skill is used when an individual uses cognitive strategy to derive and manage the meaning of a situation.
Example: In a stressful situation at work, instead of looking for another job, you try to see the benefits of the stressful situation and what you can learn from it.
- Social coping (support-seeking)
This coping skill is used when an individual reduces stress by seeking support from individuals or the community.
Example: talking to a friend or seeking professional help.
How Will This Worksheet Help You?
Coping skills are developed or learned over time. They help people adjust to stressful events while helping them maintain their mental and emotional well-being.
People who are able to adjust to stressful or traumatic situations through productive coping skills are less likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.
How Should You Use This Worksheet?
This worksheet should be used at any time you’re in a stressful situation.
You can also use this worksheet when you’re dealing with uncomfortable emotions or daily stressors related to school, work or personal/ everyday life.
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References
1.-
National Library of Medicine. (© 2022). Coping Mechanisms. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559031/. [Accessed November 02, 2022]
2.-
Skills You Need. (© 2011-2022). Coping Skills. Available at: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/coping-skills.html. [Accessed November 02, 2022]
3.-
Positive Psychology: Resilience & Coping. (© 2022). What is Coping Theory? Available at: https://positivepsychology.com/coping-theory/. [Accessed November 17, 2022]
