How do we cope when we believe we can? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on coping and negative mood regulation expectancies

Negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE) are individuals' beliefs about their ability to alleviate a negative mood. The literature on the relations between NMRE and coping often reports ambiguous results. The current review aims to integrate and summarize evidence on the associations between NMRE and coping. We searched the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), PsycInfo, PsycArticles, Scopus and Web of Science databases and found 19 articles for a systematic review and 17 articles for a meta-analysis. There was a medium significant effect size for active coping (r = .31, 95% confidence interval [CI] [.26; .36]), and a small significant effect for avoidant coping (r = -.14, 95% CI [-.22; -.06]). Moderate to high levels of significant heterogeneity were observed, indicating differences in relationships between NMRE and coping across studies. Method of measuring coping was a significant moderator of its relationship to NMRE. Given the solid evidence of the positive relationship between NMRE and active coping, both variables should be considered in research and in psychological interventions. Further directions for the development of theory and for future research are suggested.