Controlul primar si cel secundar ca modalitãti de coping la vârsta a treia

Each individual has several ways to cope with the difficulties he/she is being confronted with, ways which are basically meant either to change the external circumstances in order to correspond to the individual's needs (primary control), or to internally adjust his needs and desires in order to fit with the existing circumstances (secondary control). Age and gender have an influence on the pattern in which the two coping strategies are used: secondary control helps men, but not necessarily women, to adapt to age related changes, and it may seem to even preserve primary control.