Poverty, Stressful Life Events, and Coping Strategies

• Published in: The Spanish journal of psychology 2008-05, Vol.11 (1), p.228-249
• Main Author: Lever, Joaquina Palomar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; Comparative analysis; Emotions; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Life Change Events; Male; Mental illness; Mental stress; Middle Aged; Motivation; Personality disorders; Personality. Affectivity; Poverty; Poverty - psychology; Problem Solving; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Socioeconomic status; Spain; Stress; Stress (Psychology); Surveys; Survival strategy
• ISSN: 1138-7416; 1988-2904
• DOI: 10.1017/S1138741600004273

It was hypothesized that individuals of low socioeconomic status are exposed to a greater number of stressful events and therefore have a higher incidence of psychological disorders. However, the way they interpret, evaluate and cope with these stressful situations may either cause them to maintain, intensify or eliminate their overall stress. Past research indicates that the poorest individuals tend most frequently to falsely minimize or avoid stressful situations, which lowers the probability of resolving their problems. The objective of this study is to discover and compare the situations that have produced a high level of stress in subjects of three different socioeconomic groups over the last three months, as well as the strategies they used to cope, and their perceived effectiveness. The sample included 900 subjects of both sexes living in Mexico City. Among them, 346 were extremely poor, 260 were moderately poor and 312 were not poor. The results indicate that socioeconomic status is related to the frequency with which subjects report certain kinds of stressful situations. It was also found that non-poor subjects use problem-focused coping methods more than the other groups, while the poor use more emotionally-focused coping strategies. This article analyzes the strategies used by each group in each type of stressful situation reported. Se ha hipotetizado que las personas de los niveles socioeconómicos más bajos están expuestas a un mayor número de eventos estresantes y por tanto presentan mayores índices de trastornos psicológicos; sin embargo, la manera como sienten, evalúan y afrontan las situaciones, permite mantener, intensificar o eliminar la tensión que experimentan. De acuerdo con la literatura los individuos más pobres tienden a minimizar y evadir con mayor frecuencia las situaciones estresantes, lo que hace menos probable resolver de manera satisfactoria los problemas. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue conocer y comparar el tipo de situaciones que sujetos de tres niveles socioeconómicos reportan haberles producido un alto nivel de estrés en los últimos tres meses; así como conocer las estrategias que utilizan para afrontarlos y el nivel de efectividad percibido. La muestra se constituyo de 900 sujetos de ambos sexos, que vivían en la Ciudad de México. De estos 346 eran pobres extremos, 260 pobres moderados y 312 no pobres. Los resultados permitieron observar que el estrato socioeconómico esta relacionado con la frecuencia con la