When people face adversity they can appraise the encounter as being challenging, threatening, or harmful before turning to coping strategies to alleviate the stress. Cognitive appraisal and coping represent two critical stages in the stress process. One's resources come into play at both stages. Resources can be material, social, health or personal assets that may be of use in the confrontation of difficult problems. But these resources represent only a potential. To be of service they have to be perceived by the individual. One has to identify the appropriate resources and to make use of them. For example, it is not enough to have a close social network one also has to mobilize it to receive actual social support in times of need. Believing in one's resources makes a difference initially when it comes to appraising the stressful encounter and it does so again later on when one copes with adversity. (Author/publisher)
Abstract