{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,19]],"date-time":"2026-02-19T06:09:53Z","timestamp":1771481393436,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,17]],"date-time":"2026-02-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771286400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100005888","name":"Medical University of Lodz","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["503\/1-062-03\/503-11-001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["503\/1-062-03\/503-11-001"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100005888","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between anxiety levels, emotional intelligence, and stress coping strategies in individuals diagnosed with personality disorders. According to Lazarus and Folkman\u2019s transactional model of stress, the appraisal of stressors and available psychological resources determines the selection of coping strategies\u2014whether adaptive or maladaptive. Material and Methods: This observational case series study involved 30 individuals diagnosed with personality disorders (ICD-10 codes F60 and F61). Psychological assessments were conducted at two time points: upon admission to a day-care psychiatric unit and after three months of standard therapeutic intervention. The following standardized instruments were administered: the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (INTE), and the Mini-COPE Inventory for Coping with Stress. Results: Elevated levels of anxiety\u2014particularly trait anxiety\u2014were significantly associated with maladaptive coping strategies, including denial and self-blame. Conversely, higher emotional intelligence was positively correlated with the use of adaptive coping mechanisms, such as planning and proactive problem-solving. Conclusions: The findings support the hypothesis that both anxiety and emotional intelligence are significant predictors of stress coping styles in individuals with personality disorders. The results underscore the importance of considering these psychological variables in the design and implementation of therapeutic programs. Enhancing emotional intelligence may substantially improve treatment outcomes and overall psychological functioning in this clinical population. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15041583","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,18]],"date-time":"2026-02-18T07:50:30Z","timestamp":1771401030000},"page":"1583","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Anxiety and Emotional Intelligence as Predictors of Coping with Stress in Patients with Personality Disorders\u2014A Single-Arm Pre\u2013Post Observational Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Marta","family":"Furman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Specialized Psychiatric Health Care Center, J. Babi\u0144ski Hospital, 91-229 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Aleksandra","family":"Gradowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychological Research Methodology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9779-7057","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Bli\u017aniewska-Kowalska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Adult Psychiatry, Medical University of Lodz, 91-229 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0776-0489","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Justyna","family":"Kunikowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Adult Psychiatry, Medical University of Lodz, 91-229 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4312-5255","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ma\u0142gorzata","family":"Ga\u0142ecka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychotherapy, Medical University of Lodz, 91-229 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1751","DOI":"10.1177\/00332941221144603","article-title":"Analysis of the Effect of Emotional Intelligence and Coping Strategies on the Anxiety, Stress and Depression Levels of University Students","volume":"127","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychol. 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