Which coping strategy aims to regulate emotions rather than change the stressor?

• A. Problem-focused Coping
• B. Cognitive Coping
• C. Emotion-focused Coping
• D. Behavioral Coping

Answer: (C)

Emotion-focused coping aims to regulate emotional responses to a stressor rather than changing the stressor itself. This approach is especially helpful when the situation cannot be altered or is beyond one’s control, because its main goal is to reduce emotional distress and maintain functioning. It includes strategies like reinterpreting the meaning of the event (cognitive reappraisal), accepting the reality of the situation, practicing relaxation or mindfulness, and seeking social support to vent and soothe emotions. By focusing on how we feel and respond emotionally, this style helps us cope in the moment even if the stressor remains the same. In contrast, methods that try to change the stressor—by solving the problem, gathering information, or taking specific actions to remove the source of stress—are problem-focused strategies. Behavioral coping involves actions to manage stress that can serve either purpose, but the defining feature of emotion-focused coping is the emphasis on regulating internal emotional states rather than altering the external situation.