Coping, emotion and perceived health following myocardial infarction: Concurrent and predictive associations

Objective. This paper examines concurrent and prospective relationships bet ween coping, emotion outcomes and perceived health among first-time myocard ial infarction (MI) patients over the first 6 months of adjustment. Method. A longitudinal design was employed. participants completed question naires at three time points; while in-patients (N = 128), at 2 months follo w-up (N = 100) and at 6, months follow-up (N = 74). The questionnaires incl uded measures of coping (COPE), positive and negative affect (Global Mood S cale), anxiety (State Anxiety Inventory) and perceived health (Health Compl aints Scale). Results. Both coping and outcomes tended to br stable across time. Signific ant concurrent relationships stressed the role of avoidant-, acceptance- an d social/emotion-focused coping. Prospectively, results emphasized the adap tive influence of problem-focused coping. Conclusions. Coping was both concurrently and predictively associated with outcomes post-MI. A clear distinction between concurrent and predictive ass ociations emerged. problems associated with relying on cross-sectional data to inform theory and practice are highlighted. The clinical implications o f the results for rehabilitation programmes are also outlined.