The relationship between problem-solving efficacy and coping amongst Australian adolescents/ created by Erica Frydenberg and Ramon Lewis

Research with adults over the last 20 years indicates that people who see themselves as less efficient problem-solvers use more maladaptive coping strategies. This study of two independent data sets totalling almost 2000 adolescents examined this possibility by correlating adolescents’ self-perceived efficacy at problem-solving with their usage of productive and non-productive coping styles. It was found that the results for adolescents and adults differed. Adolescents’ perceptions of problem-solving efficacy were primarily associated with the use of productive strategies. Low efficacy was independent of the use of non-productive strategies for boys and had only a moderate, although statistically significant relationship for girls. These findings show that in conjunction with the teaching of coping skills, which is often done in a counselling context, we need to teach young people to be efficacious problem-solvers so that they may adequately increase their resilience in adulthood.