Coping Motivational Theory is a recent developmental research designed to analyze the coping with stress related to the coping approach as a regulatory action. Any event may be perceived as stressful as it challenges or threatens the basic psychological needs of relationships, competence and autonomy. This theory proposes an analysis system based on the organization of coping strategies into 12 categories according to their probable adaptation outcome: (a) positive: self-confidence, search for support, problem resolution, search for information, accommodation and negotiation; and (b) negative: delegation, isolation, hopelessness, escape, submission and opposition. The use of this system in the analysis of children's coping allows us to identify patterns of coping related to age, as well as to evaluate the role of developmental changes in the use of specific strategies, thus contributing to the analysis of the evolution of coping throughout childhood.
Coping; Mental health; Stress