SEEKING PERSON-RELATED PREDICTORS OF COPING - EXPLORATORY ANALYSES

Studies using person-related variables to predict the nature of coping responses have had only limited success. However, besides often using measures of unknown reliability, such studies have not recognized tha t consistency or variability of response may itself be dispositional. Current analyses of archival, community-based data selected only psych ometrically sound indices and segregated consistent from flexible cope rs. Demographic predictors were found to have considerably greater exp lanatory power within the consistent groups, those variables tapping i nformational or material resources proving particularly germane to the choice between instrumental and avoidant strategies. These results su ggest that person-related influences on coping may currently be undere stimated; implications for the future study of such influences are dis cussed.