Abstract
With a good number of literature suggesting coping styles to be one of the major factors that happen to be the cause of vulnerability during the Adolescent period, it becomes important to study the types and gender differences in coping styles that the Adolescents indulge in. This study thus considered seven different types of coping styles upon which adolescents were assessed and it was seen that there exists a gender difference in the way they exhibit these coping behaviors. Certain influencing factors like culture, societal roles and socio-economic status (the middle class income group-as considered in this study) which happen to create a versatile amount of stress in the life of adolescents formed the background of this study. A total sample of sixty adolescents (mean age=15years) were chosen with boys (n=30) and girls (n=30) belonging to the middle class income group. Data was collected with the help of Coping Checklist (CCL-1). Data was analyzed on SPSS by conducting simple independent t-test. The results that were obtained, suggested that girls indulge in more of Blame/Denial type of Coping whereas boys tend to engage more in Emotion Focused way of Coping. In the other styles of Coping (Problem Focused, Social Support, Acceptance/Redefinition, Destruction Negative and Religion/Faith) they do not show a significant difference. This remained beneficial for parents, educators, facilitators and all the support groups that cater to adolescent needs. Understanding the specifications of coping owing to their gender has helped these facilitators bridge the gap. In future, parents and teachers will be able to perceive situations in reference to the study and help better. Also as have been mentioned in the literature that have been reviewed, adolescents’ issues of alcohol and substance dependence can be dealt with more efficacy. Therefore this study has a fair amount of worthy implication in the larger society.