Coping and Disability

Abstract Abstract Understanding coping—the behavioral and cognitive efforts one uses to manage the demands of stressful situations—in the context of disability and chronic illness is a nuanced and underresearched issue. The field of positive psychology emphasizes positive emotions and traits as they relate to an individual’s capacity for resilience and happiness. The aim of this chapter is to examine processes of coping from a positive psychology perspective, with special attention paid to how certain coping styles (e.g., problem- vs. emotion-focused), positive emotion-based coping strategies (e.g., benefit-finding and optimism), and related factors (e.g., self-esteem, individual differences, and social support networks) can positively impact the lives of people living with disabilities. The authors discuss these constructs in the context of empirical evidence and propose directions for future research.