The Relationship between Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Kim, Jang Woo; Koh, Kyung Bong

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived stress and coping strategies in 138 patients with coronary artery diseases.
METHODS
Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale and perceived stress response inventory(PSRI) were used to measure perception for stressors and stress responses. Coping scale was used to measure coping strategies.
RESULTS
Scores of perceived stress related to work, job, interpersonal area, changes in relationship, sickness or injury, financial area, and overall global areas showed significant positive correlations with escape-avoidance. Also scores of perceived stress related to sickness or injury, financial problems, overall global areas showed significant correlations with accepting responsibility. Scores related to financial area showed significant positive correlation with planful problem solving and positive reappraisal. Escape-avoidance had a significantly positive correlation with negative emotional response, lowered cognitive function and general negative thinking, self-depreciative thinking, impulsiveaggressive thinking, general somatic symptoms, specific somatic symptoms, passive-responsive careless behavior and impulsive-aggressive behavior. Distancing had a significantly positive correlation with negative emotional response, lowered cognitive function and general negative thinking, general somatic symptoms and passive-responsive careless behavior. Confrontive coping, self-control, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, planful problem solving, and positive reappraisal were more frequently used in men than in women. Education had a significantly positive correlation with confrontive coping, self-control, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, planful problem solving, and positive reappraisal.
CONCLUSION
The above results suggest that coping strategies of patients with coronary artery disease may be affected by types of perceived stressors, sex, and level of education, and that escapeavoidance and distancing may be the most ineffective coping strategies used in these patients.