Jill Maloney

Defense Date

10-17-2008

Graduation Date

2008

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Counselor Education and Supervision (ExCES)

School

School of Education

Committee Chair

Joe Maola

Committee Member

Emma Mosley

Committee Member

James Henderson

Keywords

Coping responses, stress, graduate students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference in coping responses to stress among students in a Master's level counselor education program. The study was an investigation of the difference between three nonequivalent groups: Group A- Beginning counseling students, Group B- Practicum counseling students, and Group C- Graduating counseling students. Data was obtained through a demographic sheet developed by the examiner and a self report measure. The COPE inventory was administered to 65 graduate counselor education students to assess 15 different coping styles. The study had 15 hypotheses based on the 15 scales of the COPE Inventory. The data analyzed showed significant differences in two of the hypotheses. Hypothesis 12 about substance use coping was rejected due to a significant difference among the three groups. The results indicated that practicum students used substances significantly more often to deal with stressors than beginning students. Hypothesis 14 concerning the coping skill about suppression of competing activities was also rejected due to a significant difference among the three groups. The results further indicated that graduating students were able to suppress competing activities more often than beginning and practicum students. No significant differences were found among the following 13 coping strategies: positive reinterpretation and growth, mental disengagement, active coping, planning, restraint coping, seeking instrumental social support, seeking emotional support, religious coping, denial, and behavioral disengagement.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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