Using the Proactive Coping Inventory to measure Southern African university students’ coping styles

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the various coping styles used by university students in Southern Africa, with a specific focus on proactive coping. It investigated whether demographic variables influence students' uses of differing coping styles, as well as whether students studying in South Africa make use of the same coping styles compared to those studying in Botswana and Namibia. The Proactive Coping Inventory was completed electronically by 622 students in three universities, one each in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. A small practically significant gender difference occurred for emotional support seeking, and older students were found to employ proactive coping more than younger students. A small practically significant difference was discovered between international and local students' uses of instrumental support seeking, and university differences were found for reflective coping and two forms of support seeking. Recommendations include developing universities into positive socialising systems so that students are equipped with coping resources.

Teachers’ Personality, Perfectionism, and Self-Efficacy as Predictors for Coping Strategies Based on Personal Resources

“…Openness to experience is linked to open-minded and intellectual curiosity, behavioral flexibility ( Costa and McCrae, 1992 ), and coping planning ( Watson and Hubbard, 1996 ). All of these are attributes that can help future teachers to anticipate and identify stressors related to the teaching profession (i.e., preventive coping), to be prepared to deal with them ( Greenglass et al, 1999 ; Renard and Snelgar, 2015 ). When change occurs, people with a high level of conscientiousness focus their attention and effort on understanding the situation and finding new ways of doing things.…”

“…However, self-efficacy was not a predictor of preventive coping strategies. One possible explanation could be that, through the preventive coping strategies, people try, based on their previous knowledge and experience, to anticipate a potentially stressful event to be prepared to deal with it ( Greenglass et al, 1999 ; Renard and Snelgar, 2015 ). So, having strong efficacy beliefs about their capacity to succeed in specific situations, teachers appraise stressful events as challenging not as threatening, which can influence their choices, effort, and time invested in facing obstacles ( Bandura, 2000 ).…”

“…Coping involves “efforts to control harmful, threatening, or challenging conditions that occur when a routine or habitual response is not readily available” ( Renard and Snelgar, 2015 , p. 169). It is essential to understand how people face difficult situations and how they manage their cognitive and behavioral resources to adapt to stressful circumstances ( Lazarus and Folkman, 1984 ; Renard and Snelgar, 2015 ). Folkman and Lazarus (1980) made the distinction between two kinds of coping responses: problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping.…”

Music students’ experienced workload in higher education: A systematic review and recommendations for good practice

“…Previous research on students' health and well-being also gives recommendations for supporting students to manage their studies through orientation or induction and counseling, and stress-, life-, and time-management techniques (e.g., Bernhard, 2010;Kausar, 2010;Renard & Snelgar, 2015). For instance, Renard and Snelgar (2015) recommend that students use both proactive coping styles and stress management techniques, such as "avoiding overloading, spending time on things of importance, avoiding interruptions and procrastination, keeping a diary, being assertive, and developing a problem-solving mode of thinking" (p. 180). Norton (2016) emphasizes the complexities of the relationship between music teachers and students, which is typically highly influential on the latter.…”

“…Kember (2004) argued that higher education institutions should pay attention to what is taught, and how, if students are to be supported to cope successfully with their workloads. Previous research on students’ health and well-being also gives recommendations for supporting students to manage their studies through orientation or induction and counseling, and stress-, life-, and time-management techniques (e.g., Bernhard, 2010; Kausar, 2010; Renard & Snelgar, 2015). For instance, Renard and Snelgar (2015) recommend that students use both proactive coping styles and stress management techniques, such as “avoiding overloading, spending time on things of importance, avoiding interruptions and procrastination, keeping a diary, being assertive, and developing a problem-solving mode of thinking” (p. 180).…”