[Coping in the aged--results and problems of psychological studies of coping behavior in the elderly]

Abstract

Recent research in the psychology of aging places increasing emphasis on the coping concept as a means of explaining the psychological consequences of stresses and demands at old age. Nevertheless, only a few empirical studies on the coping behavior of aging people have been made. These studies show the following: (a) coping varies with age, as well as with sex differences, (b) coping strategies differ according to the actual characteristics of daily hassles, critical life events, and persistent life-strains, (c) coping strategies differ also according to the subjective appraisal of these events, (d) there is no evidence for the protective function of coping behavior in general, but only for specific coping strategies. Although there is some speculation about the "growth" and "regression" hypotheses, there are, as yet, no studies on this question. The author concludes by considering some theoretical and methodical problems of coping research in gerontology.