Examination of the effects of stress coping on later affect using daily diary methods

Abstract

In response to recent calls in the literature for within-person examination of coping processes over time, this study used daily diary methods to investigate the relationships between daily events, coping, and daily affects. Every day for two weeks, 62 undergraduates recorded their perceived interpersonal stress, most troublesome events, how they coped, positive events, and positive and negative affect. A hierarchical linear model was used to examine the relations between these variables. The results suggested that both positive and negative events made significantly influenced current-day positive and negative affect. In addition, avoidance thinking was associated with within-level adjustment, while emotional sharing with others, distancing and positive reappraisal were associated with within-level maladjustment.