Coping strategies in relation to personality disorders

Dysfunctional coping strategies can be expected to be among the criteria distinguishing personality disorders from normal personality functioning. In the present study the relationship between the basic coping modes problem-solving, social support seeking and avoidance was investigated in a sample of 137 psychiatric in-patients, using both a dimensional and a categorical approach. The general pattern of association found was that of a lack of social support seeking, together with an excess of avoidant coping.