Approach, avoidance, and coping with stress.

Abstract

The study of stress and coping points to two concepts central to an understanding of the response to trauma: approach and avoidance.This pair of concepts refers to two basic modes of coping with stress.Approach and avoidance are simply metaphors for cognitive and emotional activity that is oriented either toward or away from threat.An approach-avoidance model of coping is presented in the context of contemporary theoretical approaches to coping.The research literature on coping effectiveness, including evidence from our laboratory, is discussed, and speculations are made about the implications for future research.