Examination of role of personality and the effects of stress coping in stress process as within process

Abstract

This study used daily diary methods to investigate if fear of interpersonal stress in daily affect could be explained by coping strategies, and if daily affect and coping would vary randomly across personality traits. Every day for one week, 103 undergraduates recorded their daily events, perceived interpersonal stress, cognitive appraisal, coping strategies, positive events, and positive and negative affect twice a day. A hierarchical linear model and multilevel structural equation modeling were used to examine the relationships between variables. Results suggest that problem-focused coping was associated with within-level maladjustment, while positive reappraisal was associated with within-level adjustment. In addition, neuroticism appeared to moderate the relationship between coping and daily affect. Furthermore, there is evidence that higher fear of interpersonal stress predicts greater active coping, and positive affect.