An individual will engage in adaptive coping strategies when he or she knows of and is confident that they are able to execute the required actions to overcome the stressor (high perceived response efficacy and high perceived self-efficacy).

From the perspective of agricultural farmers, some examples of adaptive coping strategies are modifying the structure of their homes, water management, planting a variety of crops, altering the growing seasons of the crops, diversifying their sources of income, and/ or purchasing insurance. These adaptive coping strategies will vary across different regions.

Another factor that can prevent one from adopting adaptive coping strategies is subjective norms. Subjective norms refer to the belief of whether other people approve of them performing that particular behaviour. This concept determines whether the individual is influenced by their peers to carry out or not to carry out the adaptive coping strategies.