Ritika and Arjun, both Class 12 students in Pune, did badly in their first pre-board test. Arjun was sure he would fail the board examination too. He stopped studying and dropped his plan of applying to engineering colleges. Ritika told herself she could still turn things around. She made a revision timetable and asked her teacher to go over her weak topics. Arjun has more than 200 friends from coaching classes and social media, and he spends hours each day keeping up with them. Ritika is close to her parents and two friends, and she is sure they care about her and value her.
People who react to a setback the way Arjun did are also likely to use which of the following ways of dealing with stress?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Denying that the stress exists
Option (1) Seeking advice and help from others — Incorrect. Seeking advice and help from others is what optimists do. Arjun expected to fail and gave up his plan, which is how a pessimist reacts, so this does not fit him.
Option (2) Using more problem-focused coping strategies — Incorrect. Problem-focused coping means acting on the problem itself, like Ritika's revision timetable. Optimists use more of it, while a pessimist turns away from the problem.
Option (3) Denying that the stress exists — Correct. Arjun expected the worst and dropped his goal, the way a pessimist reacts. Pessimists also ignore the problem or deny that stress exists, besides giving up the goal that stress is getting in the way of.
Option (4) Accepting the blame for their failure — Incorrect. Taking credit for success and accepting blame for failure is one of the factors behind a positive attitude. It shows a sense of responsibility, which is the opposite of avoiding the problem as Arjun did.
NCERT (2026-27): “Life Skills … |