Dual process model of coping

Hey there! Do you ever feel sad, angry, or scared? Maybe you had a bad day at school, or you lost your favorite toy. Those feelings are called "stress," and everyone gets stressed sometimes.

Now, when you feel stressed, your brain tries to help you feel better. It has two ways of doing that. The first way is called the "emotion-focused" way. That means your brain tries to change how you feel by changing what you're thinking about. So, if you're sad, your brain might try to distract you by thinking about something happy.

The second way is called the "problem-focused" way. This means your brain tries to change the situation that's making you stressed. For example, if you lost your toy, your brain might suggest looking for it or asking your parents to help you find it.

Scientists call these two ways of coping the "dual process model of coping." "Dual" means "two," and "process" means "way of doing something." So, the idea is that when you're stressed, your brain tries to help you feel better by using one of these two ways.

Sometimes the problem-focused way is better. That's because it can actually solve the problem that's making you stressed. But sometimes the emotion-focused way is better. That's because sometimes you can't solve the problem right away, and distracting yourself can help you feel better in the meantime.

So, next time you feel stressed, try to think about which way of coping might work best for you. It might even help to talk to a grown-up or friend about it!