A process theory of coping developed largely by Robert F. Peck (one of the authors), a sentence completion instrument, and data concerning the manner in which college women cope are considered. Peck proposes that a person going through optimal coping confronts the problem, attempts one or several types of activities in order to resolve the situation, persists in obtaining a solution, and generally resolves the problem in an effective and self-satisfying manner. A semi-projective instrument consisting of 34 sentences that pose the following five types of problems was developed: achievement, interpersonal relations, authority, aggression, and anxiety. The instrument is scored by categorizing the responses according to dimensions such as overt problem solving, emotional expressiveness, aggressive response, and attempt to control affect. The categories are then evaluatively scaled on the dimensions of confrontation, engagement, and coping effectiveness. To assess coping in adults with this instrument, a group of college women, mostly junior and senior education majors, were asked to complete the instrument on two occasions five weeks apart, as well as to complete questionnaires about achievement motivation, personality characteristics, and their interpersonal interaction style. It was found that the instrument is reliable and has utility for the assessment of coping. Additionally, it was found that women who were pursuing a somewhat typical female occupational goal (elementary and secondary school teaching) demonstrate a broad range of coping, from highly adaptive problem solving to marginal adaptation, noncoping, or avoidance, denial. Good copers exhibited work values associated with high achievement, and personality characteristics such as internal locus of control. (SW)