Coping Strategies with Stressful Situations in Population of Individuals with Behavioral Disorders

4 Abstract The topic of this thesis is the strategy of coping with stressful situations in a population of individuals with behavioral disorders. The starting point of the thesis lies in the assumption that adolescents with behavioral disorders show greater difficulties in coping with stressful situations and react differently from their peers that have no behavioral disorders. The target group of respondents is represented by clients of juvenile correctional institutions, specifically boys between 15 and 19 years of age. Their answers are compared with a comparison group of students from secondary schools that have no behavioral disorders. The strategies of coping with stress are examined through the use of two methods, a questionnaire "Strategie zvládání stresu SVF 78" and the semiprojective Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Test. The results indicate that the group of adolescent boys placed in juvenile correctional institutions, shows the tendency to resign more frequently and the effort to gain control over stressful situations less often. Contrary to expectations, the predicted search for alternative activities to escape from stressful situations was not confirmed. Furthemore, neither the tendency for a behavior-oriented self defence nor ones` aggresive actions directed at the surroundings occured...