4/23/2020 Organizational Behaviour Self-Assessment Exercises

Understanding Your Scores on the Stress Coping Preference Scale

People cope in various ways with stress and various challenges in life. While the preferred coping strategy
depends to some degree on the source of the stress, people also have a natural preference for some types of
coping strategies more than others. Coping strategies also change over different stages of one's life.
The Stress Coping Preference Scale estimates your current preference to use four sets of coping
strategies: problem solving, social support, avoidance, and blaming others. These do not represent the full set
of ways that people cope with life's challenges, but they are common tactics. Moreover, they are identified as
helpful or dysfunctional approaches to stress management.

Problem Solving
Low Average High
0 to 6 7 to 11 12 to 16
0 16

Your score was 8. The range of possible scores is from 0 to 16.

Problem Solving

People with high scores on this subscale tend to deal with stress by actively attempting to remove the
stressor by changing the situation. This coping strategy is associated with higher resilience and usually
improves your ability to manage stress. Scores on this subscale range from 0 to 16. The average score in
similar measures of coping is between 8 and 9.

Social Support
Low Average High
0 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 16
0 16

Your score was 10. The range of possible scores is from 0 to 16.

Social Support

People with high scores on this subscale tend to deal with stress by actively seeking emotional support,
information, or guidance from others. This coping strategy is part of the "tend and befriend" response that
some research suggests is more common among women than among men. Generally, coping through social
support has a beneficial effect and is identified as a favorable approach to stress management. Scores on this
subscale range from 0 to 16. The average score in similar measures of coping is slightly less than 8.

Avoidance
Low Average High
0 to 4 5 to 9 10 to 16
0 16

Your score was 5. The range of possible scores is from 0 to 16.

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Avoidance

People with high scores on this subscale tend to deal with stress by cognitively and/or behaviourally acting
in ways that prevent the person from coming to terms with and resolving the source of stress. While
avoidance may be effective when the problem is short-lived and beyond one's control, research concludes
that this coping strategy is usually an ineffective approach to stress management. In fact, it significantly
differentiates people with high and low resilience. Scores on this subscale range from 0 to 16. The average
score in similar measures of coping is around 6.

Blame Others
Low Average High
0 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 16
0 16

Your score was 10. The range of possible scores is from 0 to 16.

Blaming Others

People with high scores on this subscale tend to deal with stress by directing their energy to identify and seek
justice against those perceived as the source of the stressor. This form of coping may include exhibiting
emotions or engaging in behaviours that get back at the alleged perpetrators. Blaming others is generally
considered a maladaptive response to stress because it redirects energy away from productive approaches to
deal with the stressor. Furthermore, this strategy can potentially alienate others, which reduces opportunities
for social support. Scores on this subscale range from 0 to 16. The average score in similar measures of
coping is around 7.

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