Amnie Asrat G
Health Education Unit, Department of Education, Eugenio María de Hostos Community College, The City University of New York, Bronx, NY, USA.
SAGE Open Med. 2018 Jun 20;6:2050312118782545. doi: 10.1177/2050312118782545. eCollection 2018.
Adults with adverse childhood experiences and exposure to adverse life events experience a diverse array of physical, mental, and social health problems across their lifespan. Adult exposure to emotional trauma, physical injury, or other adverse life events may result in the development of post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. Understanding individuals' response to stress and their coping strategies is as important as the stimulus or the causes of the stress for effective stress management interventions.
This is a mixed quantitative and qualitative online survey study which explores the coping strategies to stress in adults with adverse childhood experiences and exposure to adverse life events through analysis of emerging themes from survey questionnaire responses of study participants.
Participants who respond to stress through adaptive coping focused either on problem-solving, 17.6% (32 out of 188), or on emotion-focused coping, 45.2% (85 out of 188). Participants engaged in problem-solving mainly through therapy such as counseling and other professional stress management, whereas those who chose emotion-focused coping used diverse strategies including practicing mindfulness, meditation, and yoga; using humor and jokes; seeking higher power or religious pursuits; engaging in physical or breathing exercises; and seeking social support. Participants who practiced maladaptive coping styles constituted 37.2% (70 out of 188) of respondents and resorted to avoidance of the stressful condition, withdrawal from a stressful environment, disengagement from stressful relationships, and use and abuse of drugs and/or alcohol.
An understanding of emerging themes in coping strategies calls for collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches in the design, implementation, and execution of health education and promotion programs tailored to meet the diverse needs of priority populations. Stress management educators need to take into account the vulnerabilities of individuals who resort to maladaptive coping and institute evidence-based behavioral and social service intervention strategies, including life skills training, to prevent the consequences of maladaptive coping and to enhance the self-efficacy of individuals to cope more effectively with stress and stressful life events.
有童年不良经历且遭遇过不良生活事件的成年人在其一生中会经历各种各样的身体、心理和社会健康问题。成年人遭受情感创伤、身体伤害或其他不良生活事件可能会导致创伤后应激反应和创伤后应激障碍的发生。对于有效的压力管理干预措施而言，了解个体对压力的反应及其应对策略与压力的刺激因素或原因同样重要。
这是一项混合了定量和定性的在线调查研究，通过分析研究参与者调查问卷回复中出现的主题，探讨有童年不良经历且遭遇过不良生活事件的成年人应对压力的策略。
通过适应性应对方式应对压力的参与者中，17.6%（188人中有32人）侧重于解决问题，45.2%（188人中有85人）侧重于情绪聚焦应对。采取解决问题方式的参与者主要通过咨询等治疗方法以及其他专业压力管理手段，而选择情绪聚焦应对的参与者则采用了多种策略，包括练习正念、冥想和瑜伽；使用幽默和笑话；寻求更高力量或进行宗教追求；进行体育锻炼或呼吸练习；以及寻求社会支持。采用适应不良应对方式的参与者占受访者的37.2%（188人中有70人），他们采取的方式包括回避压力状况、从压力环境中退出、脱离压力关系以及使用和滥用药物及/或酒精。
了解应对策略中出现的主题需要在设计、实施和执行健康教育与促进项目时采用协作性和多学科方法，以满足重点人群的多样化需求。压力管理教育工作者需要考虑到采用适应不良应对方式的个体的脆弱性，并制定基于证据的行为和社会服务干预策略，包括生活技能培训，以预防适应不良应对的后果，并提高个体更有效应对压力和压力性生活事件的自我效能。
