The importance of the repressive coping style: findings from 30 years of research

Abstract

During the last three decades there has been substantial research exploring the repressive coping style as defined by Weinberger, Schwartz, and Davidson. As “repressors,” who score low on trait anxiety and high on defensiveness, account for up to 50% of certain populations, they are an essential group for psychologists to study. However, there are methodological issues in identifying repressors as well as considerable evidence that repressors avoid negative self-relevant information. Possible methods of addressing these difficulties are discussed in this review. Importantly, there is a body of evidence linking repressive coping and poor physical health, including heart disease and cancer. However, some preliminary findings suggest that repressors compared to non-repressors may be better at health behaviors that they perceive as under their personal control. This needs more extensive investigation as such behaviors are only one aspect of health and other factors may contribute to repressors’ poor physical health. Possible future directions of research are discussed including: the need for systematic empirical research of a new theory of repressive coping – the Vigilance–Avoidance Theory – more longitudinal health studies, and an in-depth exploration of the physiological mechanisms which may underlie repressive coping.

Keywords:

• repressive coping style
• avoidance of negative affect
• physical health
• self-care behavior
• vigilance–avoidance theory
• cross-cultural differences

Acknowledgements

I thank Naz Derakshan for her continual support and enthusiasm for repressive coping research.

Notes

*This article was invited by the editors following Professor Myers’ keynote address at the 29th meeting of the Stress and Anxiety Research Society (STAR) in July 2008 in London, United Kingdom