Stress and Coping: College Students\u27 Perceptions of Coping

Mental health continues to be a major issue in contemporary society. Aspects of stress and coping are studied by a range of disciplines. The present research adopts a framework from the perspective of the sociology of emotions, using perception and emotion norms. Utilizing quantitative survey methods, the study collects data concerning stress, coping behavior, and perception of coping in different social contexts from two small Midwestern college student populations. The data were analyzed using a 2x2 anova statistical test and a Pearson’s correlation. Despite findings concerning connections between coping behaviors that were insignificant, results from two vignettes delving into perceptions of coping responses to different stressors highlighted the importance of emotion norms in the context of stress and coping. Rather than a simple cost-benefit analysis, insight into the complexity of normative behavior and perception is revealed when aspects of identity and culture are applied. By understanding how emotion norms function in stress and coping behavior, literature surrounding mental health can better discern how these mechanisms exist and work within broader society