Rahul is not prepared for his exams so he decided to remain absent for his exams. Identify the coping strategy used by Rahul.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Avoidance oriented strategy
Option (1) Task oriented strategy — Incorrect. This strategy means obtaining information about the stressful situation, deciding priorities and acting to deal directly with it, for example scheduling one’s time better. Rahul would have planned his studies; he did the opposite.
Option (2) Emotion oriented strategy — Incorrect. This involves efforts to maintain hope and control one’s emotions, venting anger and frustration, or deciding that nothing can be done. Rahul is not working on his feelings; he is keeping away from the exam itself.
Option (3) Avoidance oriented strategy — Correct. This strategy involves denying or minimising the seriousness of the situation and consciously suppressing stressful thoughts. By staying away from the exams, Rahul escapes the stressful situation instead of facing it.
Option (4) Problem Focused strategy — Incorrect. In Lazarus and Folkman’s terms, problem-focused coping attacks the problem itself, with behaviours designed to gain information, to alter the event, and to alter belief and commitments. Preparing for the exam would be problem-focused; missing it is not.
NCERT (2025-26): “Coping with Stress … The three coping strategies given by Endler and Parker are: Task-oriented Strategy : This involves obtaining information about the stressful situation and about alternative courses of action and their probable outcome; it also involves deciding priorities and acting so as to deal directly with the stressful situation. For example, schedule my time better, or think about how I have solved similar problems.…” “Emotion-oriented Strategy : This can involve efforts to maintain hope and to control one’s emotions; it can also involve venting feelings of anger and frustration, or deciding that nothing can be done to change things. For example, tell myself that it is not really happening to me, or worry about what I am going to do.…” “Avoidance-oriented Strategy : This involves denying or minimising the seriousness of the situation;…” “Coping with Stress … Problem-focused strategies attack the problem itself, with behaviours designed to gain information, to alter the event, and to alter belief and commitments.…” |