EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND COPING: CONCEPTUAL APPROACH AND STRATEGIES

The term coping refers to the diverse efforts we make to free ourselves from negative emotional experiences. However, the term emotional regulation is broader, since it refers not only to negative emotions, but to positive ones also. Many more classifications have been proposed for different coping strategies than for emotional regulation strategies. However, even today no definitive classification exists in either case. It is likely that no form of emotional regulation or coping can be considered either intrinsically positive or intrinsically negative, since this will depend on the individual, the situation or the goals one sets oneself in any given situation. However, it is clear that, in general, some forms of emotional regulation and coping are more appropriate than others.