Question

How are interpersonal stressors different from other stressors? Why are interpersonal stressors often so concerning compared to stress related to things?

Answer 1

According to Kato (2014), interpersonal stressors is “stressful episodes between two or more people that involve quarrels, arguments, negative attitudes or behavior, an uncomfortable atmosphere during a conversation or activity, and concern about hurting others' feelings” (p. 100). This type of stress is distinct from other stressors in that it can be found in almost all walks of life and is not under the control of the individual. When it comes to stress related to things, one can adopt a problem focused coping strategy. Problem-focused coping targets the causes of stress in practical ways by directly removing or reducing the cause of the stressor. However, this cannot be applied to relationships and people. For interpersonal stressors, one needs to be adept that emotion focussed coping strategies. Here, one attempts to reduce or remove negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, aggression, depression, humiliation by various methods of coping.