PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CONTROL AMONG CHILDREN UNDERGOING MEDICAL PROCEDURES - ADJUSTMENT AS A FUNCTION OF COPING STYLE

The literature suggests that optimal adjustment to relatively uncontro llable stressors may require adjusting oneself to the stressors rather than trying to alter them. This possibility was explored, for low-con trollabiiity stressors (e.g., painful medical procedures) associated w ith leukemia. Children's reports of coping strategies and goals were c lassified as primary control coping (attempts to alter objective condi tions), secondary control coping (attempts to adjust oneself to object ive conditions), or relinquished control (no attempt to cope). Seconda ry control coping was positively associated with (a) general behaviora l adjustment assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist and (b) illness- specific adjustment assessed bv children's own distress ratings and by behavioral observations during painful procedures. All significant gr oup differences showed better adjustment among secondary control child ren than among the primary or reiinquished groups.