Which of the following terms best describes behaviors such as smoking, drinking, or using drugs as ways to cope with stress?

• A. Maladaptive coping strategies
• B. Resilience-building techniques
• C. Emotion-focused coping
• D. Problem-focused coping

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of coping strategies, which are methods people use to manage stress and difficult emotions.
2. Step 2: Recognize that coping strategies can be adaptive (helpful and constructive) or maladaptive (harmful or counterproductive).
3. Step 3: Identify that behaviors like smoking, drinking, or using drugs are examples of coping methods that may temporarily reduce stress but ultimately cause harm or do not solve the underlying problem.
4. Step 4: Note that such harmful behaviors are classified as maladaptive coping strategies because they do not effectively address the stressor and can lead to negative consequences.
5. Step 5: Differentiate maladaptive coping from other types such as emotion-focused coping (which aims to manage emotional responses), problem-focused coping (which aims to solve the problem causing stress), and resilience-building techniques (which strengthen the ability to handle stress).