Which coping style focuses on changing one's perceptions or thoughts about the stressor?

• A. Problem-Focused Coping
• B. Emotion-Focused Coping
• C. Social Support
• D. Cognitive Restructuring

Answer: (B)

When you aim to reduce emotional distress by changing how you think about the stressor, you’re using emotion-focused coping. This approach focuses on regulating your emotional response rather than altering the stressor itself. Techniques like reframing the situation, reinterpreting its meaning, or accepting what can’t be changed help lessen the emotional impact you feel. This differs from problem-focused coping, which would involve taking action to change the stressor itself (like solving the problem or changing the environment). It also differs from seeking social support, which centers on getting help from others. Cognitive restructuring is a specific method that changes beliefs about the stressor and is often used within emotion-focused coping to shift how you feel; as a coping style, the broader category described here is emotion-focused coping.