Generating positive emotions in stressful experiences
Abstract
The complexity inherent in socio-cultural reality frequently engenders numerous challenging and stress-inducing circumstances in the lives of both adults and children. These situations predominantly elicit negative emotions and distress. Susan Folkman and Judith Moskowitz emphasize the importance of nurturing positive emotions amidst such stress-laden interactions and their adaptive function within the context of the stress phenomenon. They assert that positive emotions can manifest amidst stressful scenarios through the pursuit and eventual discovery of positive meaning. The traditional stress model proposed by Richard S. Lazarus and Susan Folman, encompassing problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping, underwent augmentation by Susan Folkman and Judith Moskowitz, who introduced a third coping mechanism for stress, termed meaning-focused coping. This article undertakes an examination of the theoretical attributes pertaining to the aforementioned facets of stressful situations. This inquiry is substantiated by an illustrative excerpt from empirical research, delving into the experiences of younger school-aged children grappling with stressful situations and the strategies they employ to engender positive emotions within such contexts. The empirical investigation encompassed a cohort of 280 children in the third grade within the elementary school setting. This research drew upon the diagnostic survey method, in conjunction with interviews and questionnaires. The pursuit of identifying and discovering positive meanings within stress-inducing occurrences, along with the positive emotions associated with them, assumes pivotal significance. This importance extends beyond adaptive stress management, contributing significantly to the cultivation of an individual’s psychological resilience and, concurrently, mitigating challenges related to socialization disorders.
Keywords
stress transaction models; positive emotions in stress; meaning-focused coping; individual’s mental resilience
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Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3763-9655
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