Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton
| dc.contributor.advisor | Wild, Lauren | |
| dc.contributor.author | Hlatshwayo, Busisiwe Sophie | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-09-15T15:10:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-09-15T15:10:48Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2025-08-15T07:22:39Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Coping strategies are significant in the prevention and development of mental problems in children and adolescents. Specific coping strategies within broad coping categories may be associated with symptoms of psychopathology differently. Yet, we lack comprehensive data on these associations in South Africa. The present cross-sectional study investigates specific coping strategies and their association with symptoms of anxiety and depression among 415 Etwatwa adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years. A quantitative, correlational research design was adopted, and data was collected in the form of self-report questionnaires. Female adolescents reported significantly more symptoms of anxiety and depression than male adolescents (p < .001). The only statistically significant gender difference in coping was that female adolescents used more behavioural disengagement (p = .001) than male adolescents. Using substances, behavioural disengagement and self-blame predicted more symptoms of both anxiety and depression among adolescents. Denial was associated with more symptoms of anxiety while venting was associated with more symptoms of depression. When the data set was split by gender, behavioural disengagement predicted anxiety in both female and male adolescents. Self-blame predicted both anxiety and depression in female adolescents and only anxiety in male adolescents. Venting predicted depression in female adolescents but not in male adolescents. While further research is recommended to determine the direction of effects, the findings of this study suggest that targeting the use of these strategies may help to prevent emotional distress among adolescents. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Hlatshwayo, B. S. (2025). <i>Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton</i>. (). Universiy of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41821 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Hlatshwayo, Busisiwe Sophie. <i>"Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton."</i> ., Universiy of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41821 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Hlatshwayo, B.S. 2025. Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton. . Universiy of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41821 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Hlatshwayo, Busisiwe AB - Coping strategies are significant in the prevention and development of mental problems in children and adolescents. Specific coping strategies within broad coping categories may be associated with symptoms of psychopathology differently. Yet, we lack comprehensive data on these associations in South Africa. The present cross-sectional study investigates specific coping strategies and their association with symptoms of anxiety and depression among 415 Etwatwa adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years. A quantitative, correlational research design was adopted, and data was collected in the form of self-report questionnaires. Female adolescents reported significantly more symptoms of anxiety and depression than male adolescents (p < .001). The only statistically significant gender difference in coping was that female adolescents used more behavioural disengagement (p = .001) than male adolescents. Using substances, behavioural disengagement and self-blame predicted more symptoms of both anxiety and depression among adolescents. Denial was associated with more symptoms of anxiety while venting was associated with more symptoms of depression. When the data set was split by gender, behavioural disengagement predicted anxiety in both female and male adolescents. Self-blame predicted both anxiety and depression in female adolescents and only anxiety in male adolescents. Venting predicted depression in female adolescents but not in male adolescents. While further research is recommended to determine the direction of effects, the findings of this study suggest that targeting the use of these strategies may help to prevent emotional distress among adolescents. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - adolescents; depression; anxiety; coping strategies; socioeconomic disadvantage; quantitative LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - Universiy of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton TI - Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41821 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41821 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Hlatshwayo BS. Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton. []. Universiy of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41821 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Department of Psychology | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Humanities | |
| dc.publisher.institution | Universiy of Cape Town | |
| dc.subject | adolescents | |
| dc.subject | depression | |
| dc.subject | anxiety | |
| dc.subject | coping strategies | |
| dc.subject | socioeconomic disadvantage | |
| dc.subject | quantitative | |
| dc.title | Coping and psychological well-being: Investigating the relations between specific coping strategies, anxiety, and depression among adolescents from Etwatwa, Daveyton | |
| dc.type | Thesis / Dissertation | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters |