Based on the Transactional Theory, coping is the constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to control certain external and internal demands appraised as demanding or exceeding the person’s resources. Coping is not an automated response to a stressor but an effortful process that develops and reflects the changing nature of the person-environment encounter. Two ways of coping are highlighted within the Transactional Theory: emotion- and problem-focused coping. Emotion-focused coping is the coping strategy that is planned to regulate the emotional responses to the stressor. In contrast, problem-focused coping strategies impact or alter the stressor itself. A third category of coping is considered to be meaning-focused coping. This is where stressors continue even through the activation of problem- and emotion-focused coping. Such coping includes using beliefs, values, and existential goals to help find meaning in stressful situations and encourage coping efforts.