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Handbook of Behavioral Medicine pp 197–208Cite as

Coping and Health

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Abstract

This chapter addresses the topic of coping and health. Several extensive literatures have built up around the ways in which these two concepts intersect. Given this wealth of information, this chapter is limited to serving as an introduction to some of the ideas and themes of this topic rather than being a comprehensive review. The chapter is organized along the logical flow of the experiences under examination. Before we can understand the functions of coping and its role in promoting or impeding health, we must first consider why coping happens. Thus we begin with the concept of stress. Then we turn to coping, considering several distinctions in how coping is conceptualized. Finally, we consider the broad implications of these diverse ways of coping with stress for well-being, focusing on physical well-being.

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Acknowledgments

Preparation of this chapter was facilitated by grants from the National Cancer Institute (CA64710) and the National Science Foundation (BCS0544617).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL, 33124-0751, USA

    Charles S. Carver (Professor of Psychology)

  2. Department of Psychology and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL, 33124-0751, USA

    Sara Vargas (Graduate Student)

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  1. Charles S. Carver
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Correspondence to Charles S. Carver .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. St Georges Hospital Medical School, Dept. Psychology, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, United Kingdom

    A. Steptoe

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Carver, C.S., Vargas, S. (2010). Coping and Health. In: Steptoe, A. (eds) Handbook of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09488-5_15

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