Studies of natural coping with psychotic and other symptoms
Authors n Sample Method Results
Cohen and Berk
(1985)
86 Outpatients Semi-structured
interview
Strategies grouped into nine categories. For psychotic symptoms,
fighting back was most frequent category, then acceptance.
Carr and Katsikitis
(1987)
200 Community
residing
Self-report
questionnaire
Similar frequencies of use of coping strategies observed
across the range of symptoms. Arousal reduction most common.
Tarrier (1987) 25 Community
residing
Semi-structured
interview
72% identified a coping strategy. Cognitive and behavioural
strategies were more commonly reported.
Thurm and Haefner
(1987)
37 Community
residing
Semi-structured
interview
Strategy groups: ask for help; intrapsychic coping; take extra
medication; behavioural change. Asking for help was most frequent.
Kumar, Thara, and
Rajkumar (1989)
30 Outpatients Semi-structured
interview
Most common strategies: internal dialogue (43%);
talk to relative/friend (23%); adjust medication (13%)
Dittman and
Schuttler (1990)
50 Mainly inpatients
(92%)
Semi-structured
interview
86% described a strategy. Withdrawal was the most frequent “helpful”
strategy. 14% gave symptomatic behaviour as the most helpful strategy
McNally and
Goldberg (1997)
10 Community
residing
Grounded theory
interviews
19 coping categories identified: 14 X cognitive (incl. 9 effective forms of
self-talk); 4 X “medical, social and interpersonal”; 1 X behavioural
Boschi et al. (2000) 95 Community residing,
early psychosis
Structured interview Mean of 9.75 strategies endorsed. Active-behavioural strategies claimed
as most helpful, but active-cognitive strategies were more frequently used.
Bak et al. (2001) 21 Community residing Structured interview Mean of two strategies endorsed per symptom group. Five clusters
of coping: active problem-solving; passive illness behaviour; active
problem-avoiding; passive problem-avoiding; symptomatic behaviour.
Latter was most frequent.