Adaptive and maladaptive forms of disengagement coping in caregivers of children with chronic illnesses.

ABSTRACT: Caregivers of children with chronic illnesses experience elevated stress and reduced self-care. Although self-care can be beneficial, it is a form of disengagement coping, disengaging from the stressor to try and feel better, which has been characterized as a maladaptive coping strategy. In this study, we test the formulation that avoidance, avoiding the stressor and any thoughts related to it, is a maladaptive disengagement coping strategy, whereas distraction, taking a break from the stressor to do something pleasant, is an adaptive disengagement coping strategy. We assessed these strategies as well as psychosocial outcomes and trait predictors in caregivers of children with chronic illnesses. Results showed that those high in avoidance coping reported lower well-being, higher depression

SUBMITTER: Waugh CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9027057 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature