According to the Cleveland Clinic, coping “involves adjusting to or tolerating negative events or realities while you try to keep your positive self-image and emotional equilibrium” and “occurs in the context of life changes that are perceived to be stressful.” Stressful events in a person’s life may include losing a loved one, losing a job, getting married, having a child, being in a natural disaster, or buying a home. Managing the symptoms of disability or caring for a person with a disability can also be considered stressful.

Coping strategies are used by people with and without disabilities, and may include asking for help or assistance, engaging in problem solving, maintaining emotionally supportive relationships, engaging in stress-reducing activities, taking responsibility for the situation, maintaining emotional composure, or expressing distressing emotions, among others. Each person will have their own style of coping or may prefer to use certain coping strategies over others.

People may be born with a disability, develop a disability due to an illness or injury, or age into a disability. People with disabilities face the same stressful events as their peers without disabilities.  They may also face discrimination, barriers, and other challenging events. People with disabilities may use the strategies mentioned earlier. They may also use various coping strategies that include support groups related to their specific disability, speaking with a mental health professional, being their own advocate or joining an advocacy group, volunteering with a Center for Independent Living or other organization, and finding ways to give back to their communities, among other strategies. To manage their stress levels, people with disabilities may exercise, eat well to optimize their energy and vitality, prioritize their sleep, may practice relaxation techniques, and learn other healthy coping strategies, among others.

NARIC’s information specialists searched REHABDATA and found over 570 articles from the research community on coping strategies, which include 68 NIDILRR-funded articles on coping strategies for people with disabilities. NARIC’s information specialists also searched the international collection and found over 340 articles on coping strategies from the international research community.

To learn more about coping strategies or for assistance in finding help during a stressful event, contact NARIC’s information specialists via phone, email, or chat.