Coping with daily events and short-term mood changes: An unexpected failure to observe effects of coping

This study examined the relationship between coping efforts and stress-rela ted mood changes. Men and women with high levels of work or marital stress reported stress and coping efforts approximately once an hour for 2 days us ing an electronic diary. Stress episodes were identified as a stress-free t ime followed by a stressor at the next time point. Analyses examined how ap praisals and coping influenced pre- to poststress mood change and how probl em appraisal were related to coping efforts. Greater mood changes were asso ciated with appraisals of high stress and high disruptiveness. Appraisals o f high control and high desirability were associated with more planning, di rect action, and fewer acceptance coping efforts. Coping failed to predict any pre- to poststressor mood changes. Possible explanations for the overal l failure of coping to predict momentary mood changes are discussed.