A revised Coping Circumplex Model integrating coping and emotion regulation constructs

Abstract While numerous coping and emotion regulation constructs have been proposed in the literature, there is a lack of consensus as to how to organize them. The aim of this study is to introduce and empirically validate the revised Coping Circumplex Model (CCM), which extends the original model’s applicability by not only integrating various coping constructs but also systematizing different categories of emotion regulation. The CCM is composed of eight coping styles forming a circumplex: Positive focus, Optimistic action, Problem solving, Preoccupation with the problem, Negative focus, Pessimistic passivity, Problem avoidance, and Hedonic disengagement. Empirical verification of the model was conducted on the basis of its operationalization, i.e., the Coping Circumplex Inventory– Revised, administered to two Polish samples ( N = 518 and N = 483). The verification included testing the circumplex structure and its relationships with external scales of coping, emotion regulation and mental health. The circumplex structure of coping styles was fully confirmed across both studies. The vast majority of external coping and emotion regulation constructs were meaningfully located within the CCM. The revised CCM constitutes a matrix organizing in a theoretically meaningful manner a variety of coping and emotion regulation constructs. Furthermore, it offers a nuanced perspective on the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that are over- or underutilized across different psychopathological symptoms, thereby informing interventions aimed at reducing maladaptive patterns and strengthening adaptive strategies.