Sense of personal control, stress and coping style: a cross‐cultural study

Abstract The relationship between personal control, stress, and psychological health is well documented, but these associations may represent a Western bias—a sense of personal control may only reflect individualistic Western values—distinct from Eastern collectivist values. This study examined the relationship between sense of personal control, stress, coping and psychological distress in a Japanese and British sample. Japanese respondents were found to have a significantly lower sense of personal control, report higher perceived stress and negative mood compared to British respondents. Cultural differences in coping styles were also identified: Japanese respondents were found to employ significantly more emotion‐focused strategies (i.e. escape–avoidance and positive reappraisal) when faced with stressful encounters compared to the British sample. No differences were found for problem‐focused coping. Sense of personal control was only associated with stress, psychological distress and coping style in the British sample—providing support for the notion of a Western bias. The results are discussed within the context of cross‐cultural stress and coping research and implications for future investigations are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.