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This paper reviews the concept of avoidance coping (particularly the coping strategy of self-distraction), pointing out its adaptative value in coping with critical life-events during old age in women. Scientific literature considers that there is a relationship between coping strategies and adaptation to critical events. Some studies suggest that active coping strategies promote effective adaptation, but avoidant strategies are considered less effective. The coping strategy of self-distraction is a mental and behavioural disengagement which occurs via a wide variety of activities that serve to distract the person from thinking about the goal with which the stressor is interfering. Tactics that reflect disengagement include: using alternative activities to take one's mind off a problem (a tendency opposite to problem-focused coping or active coping), escaping through reading, cooking, visiting friends, studying, going out for a conference, or escape by immersion in television or in new projects. This paper discusses the empirical data obtained from a study on coping with critical life-events in female aging in a group of senior women in the city of Mar del Plata. By means of a quasi-experimental design using a pretest-postest technique and a control group, we evaluated coping strategies through the Brief-Cope Inventory, before and after a social learning program in a sample of 60 senior women who did not have any neurological symptomatology. The sample was divided into two groups: intervention group and control group. The intervention group consisted of 30 individuals, who participated in a social learning program at the Universidad de Adultos Mayores (Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata), and the control group, consisting of 30 individuals, did not do it. A comparative and quantitative analysis of data was done. Results of the study showed that critical life-events senior women have to cope with were loneliness, illness, widowhood, parental death or oncoming personal death, and social discrimination. There were significant differences in coping styles in both post-test groups. In general, the use of active and adaptative strategies (particularly the behavioural and cognitive coping style or type) increased in the intervention group; but the use of those evasive and emotional strategies decreased. Social learning was correlated positively and significantly with an active and adaptative coping style in the face of crisis in female aging. However, the use of self-distraction as a coping strategy also increased in the post-test intervention group. The data are discussed considering the theoretical framework and current evidence. Results allow for an alternative conceptualization about evasive coping to critical life-events in old age, particularly the self-distraction strategy, which is theoretically described as avoidant and non adaptative. Due to the nature of situations during aging, which have a low potential for control, the use of self-distraction as a strategy may be adaptative coping because it allows senior women to adjust and adapt to life changes, maintaining an active lifestyle and improving their quality of life. We suggest that self-distraction as a coping strategy be considered functional, which promotes an effective adaptation to situations during aging. Technically, there is no specific problem to solve, but rather changes, worries or critical life-events to be accepted by seniors. This study contributes to the cognitive and behavioural avoidance theory form a different angle, taking into account age and the nature of stressful events in the effectiveness and adjustment in coping. Finally, this paper suggests possible classification of critical life-events during aging that seniors face using coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowne and Marlowe (1960) developed the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS) that is a widely used scale to measure social desirability defined as "the need of subjects to obtain approval by responding in a culturally appropriate and acceptable manner" (p. 353). Several studies from Psychology and Medicine areas have included the MCSDS. The MCSDS is used both to asses and to control for response bias in a socially desirable manner as well as to measure psychological concepts, such as defensiveness or need for approval. Moreover, the MCSDS is the standard measurement to categorize the four coping styles from Weinberger, Schwartz, and Davidson model (1979). Since the MCSDS first appeared, investigators have proposed several changes such as, short forms, computerized administrations, translations and adaptations to diverse cultures. In this study of development of the Escala de Deseabilidad Social de Crowne y Marlowe (EDSCM) is described. The EDSCM Scale is an adaptation to the Argentinian culture of the original MCSDS full scale with a paper-and-pencil administration form. A pilot study with a sample of Psychology student volunteers was conducted to adapt the MCSDS to Argentinian culture. One hundred nineteen Psychology college students (93 women and 26 men (M = 28 years; SD = 9.6) from two universities of the Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires (Republica Argentina) volunteered to participate in reliability and validity studies of the EDSCM Scale. The student sample participants completed the EDSCM, the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDIII), and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). For this student sample, the EDSCM scores ranged from 0 to 27, with a mean of 14.13 (SD = 4.99). EDSCM scores were normally distributed with no outlier values. The internal scale reliability of the EDS CM measured with Cronbach's alpha was .76. No statistically significant mean difference between sexes was found for the EDSCM Scale. A statistically significant association between the L Scale of EPQ and the EDSCM, with a large correlation effect size, provided convergent validity evidence for the EDSCM Scale. With regard to the divergent validity of the EDSCM Scale, a small to medium correlation effect size between the BDI-II and the EDSCM provided evidence that the EDSCM is a social desirability scale independent from Psychopathology. A sub-sample of students (n = 52) who previously completed the EDSCM Scale, completed the EDSCM again with instructions to imagine being in a hiring process. Comparing the normal (M = 15.94; SD = 4.81) and the differential instruction condition (M = 28.67; SD = 4.67) a statistically significant increase in the EDSCM scores was detected. To provide known-groups validity, the EDSCM scores derived from an adult sample were compared with the EDSCM scores derived from an applicant sample. The adult sample included 120 participants (73 women and 47 men; M = 35.6 years; SD = 15.9) and the applicant sample included 134 people (61 women and 73 men; M = 28.9 years, SD = 3.4). Both for the adult sample and the applicant sample, there was not statistically significant sex difference for the EDSCM Scale. The applicant condition (M = 23.66; SD = 5.37; α = .75) showed statistically significant higher EDSCM scores than the normal condition (M = 16.09; SD = 5.18; α = .84). In this article, the validity and reliability of the EDSCM Scale have been analyzed, as indicated by the study of convergent and divergent validities, differential instructions technique, and known-groups technique, as well as internal consistency analyses. All considered, the findings presented appropriate psychometric properties of the Argentinian culture adaptation of the MCSDS. The use of EDSCM Scale is suggested for researches related to Psychology and Medicine areas in Argentinian samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]