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Does Believing in Fate Facilitate Active or Avoidant Coping? The Effects of Fate Control on Coping Strategies and Mental Well-Being

Author

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  • Wesley C. H. Wu

    (Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
    These authors share first authorship on this work.)

  • Sylvia Xiaohua Chen

    (Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
    These authors share first authorship on this work.)

  • Jacky C. K. Ng

    (Department of Counselling & Psychology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

The development of control-related constructs has involved different approaches over time, and yet internal and external locus of control are conceptualized as dichotomous factors influencing active versus avoidant coping strategies. While external control is associated with avoidance, a similar belief construct fate control, which denotes that life events are pre-determined and influenced by external forces but predictable and alterable, challenges the assumption of incompatibility between fate and agency. To develop a dynamic model of control, we suggest that external control would affect avoidant coping, which in turn would affect psychological distress, whereas fate control would affect both active and avoidant coping when dealing with stress. The model was supported among Hong Kong Chinese using a cross-sectional approach in Study 1 ( n = 251) and hypothetical stressful scenarios in Study 2 ( n = 294). The moderating effect of perceived controllability was observed in coping behaviors using a diary approach in Study 3 ( n = 188). Our findings offer an alternative perspective to the dichotomous view of control and provide implications for coping strategies and mental well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Wesley C. H. Wu & Sylvia Xiaohua Chen & Jacky C. K. Ng, 2020. "Does Believing in Fate Facilitate Active or Avoidant Coping? The Effects of Fate Control on Coping Strategies and Mental Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-20, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:17:p:6383-:d:407573
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hyeongmin (Christian) Kim & Katina Kulow & Thomas Kramer, 2014. "The Interactive Effect of Beliefs in Malleable Fate and Fateful Predictions on Choice," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 40(6), pages 1139-1148.
    2. Sonja Lyubomirsky & Heidi Lepper, 1999. "A Measure of Subjective Happiness: Preliminary Reliability and Construct Validation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 137-155, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuchi Zhang & Chengpei Xu & Hanyue Dai & Xiaoyu Jia, 2021. "Psychological Distress and Adolescents’ Cyberbullying under Floods and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Parent–Child Relationships and Negotiable Fate as Moderators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Emma Motrico & Jose A. Salinas-Perez & Maria Luisa Rodero-Cosano & Sonia Conejo-Cerón, 2021. "Editors’ Comments on the Special Issue “Social Determinants of Mental Health”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-9, April.

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