EFFECTS OF STRESS COPING STRATEGIES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES DURING SPEECHES IN JAPANESE AND ENGLISH

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between personal levels of active and passive coping through physiological and psychological responses during stressful tasks. Participants were 78 Japanese male and female undergraduate students. They were assigned to give 3-minute speeches in Japanese and English. Their ECG and EOG were measured, and their anxiety and nervousness were assessed. Before the experiment, each participant's tendency to use active or passive coping strategies was assessed by a questionnaire. The results showed that passive coping was related to blink rate, anxiety, and nervousness. Active coping was related to nervousness. Based on the median score for passive coping, participants were classified as high ( n =37) or low ( n =41). The high group had a significantly increased blink rate and anxiety level compared to the low group. Passive coping strategies increased nervousness; however, active coping strategies may have had a moderating effect on nervousness.