Stressors in the lives of teenagers can include appearing for examinations, break-up with a friend, change in eating habits, illness of a family member, or an unexpected accident or trauma. These major life events disturb routine and cause upheaval, making it difficult to cope if several occur within a short period of time.

While the context does not explicitly differentiate stressors for girls and boys, it highlights that life poses challenges to all, such as thinking about a career or spending long nights in call centres. The degree of stress caused by these life events depends on how the challenge is viewed by the individual.

To cope with these stresses, teenagers can adopt strategies like expressing emotions openly and directly or discussing their worries with friends. Working towards personal goals and accepting situations that cannot be altered are also effective ways to manage stress.

Alternatively, some teenagers might use an avoidance-oriented strategy, which involves denying or minimising the seriousness of the situation. This includes conscious suppression of stressful thoughts and their replacement by self-protective thoughts. A higher score on coping measures indicates a better ability to cope with these life stresses.