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Title: Experiences and Coping Mechanisms to Deal with Difficult Emotions among Women in Early Adulthood: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Sahrish Fatima Ali, Muhammad Umar Khan, Qasir Abbas
Journal: Journal of Professional & Applied Psychology
Publisher: Institute of Psychological Research.
Country: Pakistan
Year: 2023
Volume: 4
Issue: 3
Language: English
Keywords: WomenThematic analysisqualitative researchFearcopingInterviewsGriefGuiltAdulthoodAngerDifficult EmotionsSadness
Difficult emotions are defined as the emotions that are considered to have negative connotations. Researches showed that there are some significant differences in the way difficult emotions are dealt with among genders. This study explored these emotions in women and also focused on finding out strategies that women use to effectively deal with these emotions. A qualitative exploratory research design was used in this study. The sampling technique used in this research study was convenient sampling. The participants included seven female early adults in their 20’s (Age range 21-29; M=25, SD=1.3). Semi-structured, in-depth interviews of almost 60 minutes long were conducted. The collected data was then analyzed through thematic analysis method. Codes, themes, super-themes and clusters were generated after conducting thematic analysis. The results of the study include 5 clusters i.e. “the difficult emotion of sadness”, “the difficult emotion of anger”, “the difficult emotion of fear”, “the difficult emotion of guilt” and “the difficult emotion of grief”. Along with this, after analysis 10 super themes were generated i.e. “causes of sadness”, “coping strategies for sadness”, “causes of anger”, “coping strategies for anger’, “causes of fear”, “coping strategies of fear”, “causes of guilt”, “coping strategies of guilt”, “causes of grief” and “coping strategies of grief”. Two of the themes among all the themes generated in the current study i.e. “challenging thoughts” and “using religious strategies” were found to be common coping strategies among women to deal with all the difficult emotions explored in the current study. Quantitative studies should be conducted and experimental studies should also be done to further provide pieces of evidence for the level of effectiveness of each coping technique, to get more objective results and how much of a long-term effect these strategies have on the individual. Similar studies should also be done with men.
To explore how women in early adulthood experience difficult emotions (sadness, anger, fear, guilt, and grief) and to identify the coping strategies they find effective.
Qualitative exploratory research design using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with seven female early adults (aged 21-29). Data was analyzed through thematic analysis, generating codes, themes, super-themes, and clusters.
graph TD
A[Recruitment of Participants] --> B[Conduct Semi-structured Interviews];
B --> C[Transcribe Interviews];
C --> D[Thematic Analysis];
D --> E[Identify Codes, Themes, Super-themes, Clusters];
E --> F[Analyze and Interpret Findings];
F --> G[Formulate Conclusions and Recommendations];
The study highlights that difficult emotions in women are often triggered by failed expectations, life problems, negative self-talk, interpersonal differences, perceived genetic predispositions, interruptions, past actions, and the fear of death, failure, or others' opinions. Effective coping strategies include cognitive reframing, social support, religious practices, communication, journaling, and self-care activities.
Five clusters of difficult emotions were identified: sadness, anger, fear, guilt, and grief. Ten super-themes emerged, detailing the causes and coping strategies for each emotion. "Challenging thoughts" and "using religious strategies" were found to be common coping strategies across all explored difficult emotions.
The study provides insights into the experiences of difficult emotions among young adult women and identifies effective coping mechanisms. It suggests the need for further quantitative and experimental studies to validate the effectiveness of these strategies and to explore these experiences in other genders.
1. Sample Size: The study included seven female early adults.
2. Age Range: Participants were in their 20s, with an age range of 21-29.
3. Interview Duration: Semi-structured interviews were approximately 60 minutes long.
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