Stress Mastery: The Art of Coping Gracefully

Stress Hardiness Attitudes

Kobasa discovered three attitudes that these people all shared and that appeared to make them resistant to the negative effects of stress. She called these three attitudes stress hardiness attitudes because individuals who possess them appear to be “stress-hardy,” that is, capable of dealing effectively with stressors. These three attitudes are control, commitment, and challenge. They are also referred to as the three C's of stress hardiness (Kobasa, 1979).

Control

Let's take a look at the first attitude, control. Stress-hardy individuals believe that they are in control of their lives, rather than that stressors have control over them. They recognize that they have resources and options that allow them to influence ...