With active coping, children recognize that while they can't control parental choices, they can control the way they look at them. No one gets hurt and they both still very much love me. When using avoidance coping, a child tries to block out the problem and pretends that there is nothing wrong. Sandler's research suggests that this strategy often leads to high rates of depression and anxiety. He believes that may be because problems often rattle around in the child's subconscious mind, where they never get resolved.
Abstraction is the third coping strategy.
Abstraction involves continuing to do things you like to do, such as playing videos, reading, and riding bikes. This strategy seems to be effective when combined with an active coping strategy. Support seeking is the fourth strategy. Support seeking involves finding someone to listen, empathize, and validate. While support seeking can be beneficial, Sandler says that simply talking to someone doesn't necessarily guarantee positive mental health outcomes.