The relationship between coping styles and gender, age, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and desirability of control among Indian college students

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between coping styles and gender, age, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and desirability of control of Indian college students. Lazarus and Folkman's concept of stress appraisal and coping style formed the theoretical basis for the study. The research was based on the premise that stress perception is going to be influenced by cultural background and personality variables.;A total of 444 Indian college students responded to self-report measures of coping, self-efficacy self-esteem, and desirability of control. Six revised scales derived from the Ways of Coping Questionnaire served as the dependent variables. The responses from the self-efficacy, self-esteem, and desirability of control measures formed the independent and predictor variables.;Multivariate analysis of variance and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results showed gender and age differences in the selection of coping styles. Women selected "wishful thinking and passive acceptance" and "distancing" more often than men, while younger participants selected "wishful thinking and passive acceptance" more often than older participants.;Multiple regression procedures identified gender as a significant predictor of variation in "positive and action focused coping" "wishful thinking and positive acceptance", "positive reappraisal", and "distancing" coping styles. Age was a significant predictor of variation in "wishful thinking and passive acceptance" and "escape-avoidance" coping styles. Self-efficacy was a significant predictor of variation in "positive and action focused coping", "positive reappraisal", and "escape-avoidance" coping styles. Desirability of control turned out to be a significant predictor of variation in "wishful thinking and passive acceptance" coping style.;Follow-up gender specific regression analyses for women indicated that self-efficacy was positively associated with "positive and action focused coping" and "positive reappraisal", and inversely associated with "escape-avoidance". Furthermore, "wishful thinking and passive acceptance" was positively related to desirability of control and inversely related to age. For men, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and age were inversely related to "Escape-avoidance" coping style.;Results were discussed in light of cultural differences. Limitations of the study were addressed and recommendations for future investigations were offered.