Lawrence Cohen

Department of Psychology
Phone: (302) 831-8724: Office

Office: Room 204 Wolf Hall: 831-8188: Lab (302) 831-3645: Fax

Research Interests

Current research interests include the role of personality and psychopathology in the daily stress and coping process.  We have conducted several studies in which participants complete a packet of questionnaires every night for 7-14 consecutive days.  We have examined the role of initial personality (e.g., neuroticism) in the relations between end-of-day mood and daily events, appraisals, and coping strategies.  These data have been analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM).  At the present time, we are collaborating with the Beck Institute, in Bala Cynwyd, PA, a major training and service site for cognitive therapy.  The study is examining the role of initial depression and anxiety in the daily stress and coping process, and how cognitive therapy affects this process over time.

I have also studied stress-related growth (positive outcomes from negative life events).  Our research group has developed a questionnaire to assess stress-related growth (the Stress-Related Growth Scale), and we have conducted a number of studies to determine the personality and contextual predictors of growth.  Participants have included college students and adults.
 
 

Recent Publications

• Cimbolic, K., Cohen, L., & Armeli, S. (in press).  The role of neuroticism in the daily stress and coping process.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
• Cohen, L., Hettler, T., & Pane, N. (1998).  Assessment of posttraumatic growth.  In R. Tedeschi et al. (Eds.), Posttraumatic growth:  Theory and research on change in the aftermath of crisis.  Mahwah, NJ:  Erlbaum.
• Hettler, T., & Cohen, L. (1998).  Intrinsic religiousness as a stress-moderator for adult Protestant churchgoers.  Journal of Community Psychology, 26, 597-609.
• Cohen, L., Pane, N., & Smith, H. (1997).  Complexity of the interpersonal self and affective reactions to interpersonal stressors in life and in the laboratory.  Cognitive Therapy and Research, 21, 387-407.
• Park, C., Cohen, L., & Murch, R. (1996). Assessment and prediction of stress-related growth. Journal of Personality, 64, 71-105.

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