Stress, coping and problem solving

This paper outlines the developing consensus on the nature of stress. It offers a definition of stress as a psychological state derived from the person's appraisal of their ability to cope with the demands which are made of them. The paper then examines the concept of coping and explores its role in stress theory. It contrasts two different approaches to the study of coping: the classification of coping strategies, and the investigation of the process of coping—coping as ‘problem solving’. The paper focuses on the latter and in doing so it describes the nature of rational models of problem solving, considering their utility and application to stress management.