Synergy between molecular and contextual views of coping among four ethnic groups of older adults.

The coping styles of four ethnic groups of older adults in response to negative life events were analyzed in a population-based study of 1118 residents of Brooklyn, New York. Using a molecular approach, data regarding the context of events and the corresponding coping responses was obtained. Open-ended semi-structured interviews allowed participants to describe recent negative life events and explain how they coped.