In this chapter, coping strategies will be explored from theoretical and empirical perspectives. As defined by Lazarus and Folkman (1980), coping strategies are defined as methods employed by people to deal with situations that require a tremendous investment of their resources such as time and effort. The following discussion will first offer a brief overview of the perspectives of coping theorists, with a special focus on Frydenberg and Lewis' (1996) classification of the three different types of coping strategies. Furthermore, previous studies about the coping experiences of families of children with disabilities and autism will be presented.
Coping theorists have generally categorized coping strategies under three groups: a) strategies focused on resolving the problem; b) strategies used to alleviate the emotions triggered by the situation; and c) strategies involving social support (Dalton & Pakenham, 2002). Apart from these three categories, theorists such as Billings and Moos (1981), along with Pearlin and Schooler (1978), have constructed alternative models by classifying the coping strategies in accordance with the approach-avoidance dichotomy.
At a more practical level, Frydenberg and Lewis' (1993, 1996) model offers an assessment of coping strategies by separating them into productive, nonproductive and reference to others groupings. Productive coping strategies entail "reflecting on and tackling the problem" (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1996, p. 234), somewhat similar to problem-focused strategies described by other theorists. In contrast, nonproductive coping strategies address the regulation of feelings, which are focused on the regulation of feelings, as in the case of the emotion-focused strategies (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1996, p. 234). The final category, reference to others coping strategies, involves enlisting the help of others, which are similar to the social support strategies. Reference to others strate...