What coping strategy involves appraising a situation as changeable and deciding how to address difficulties?

The correct answer is problem-centered coping. This strategy focuses on identifying and addressing the source of stress in a constructive manner. When individuals engage in problem-centered coping, they actively assess a situation to determine what can be changed and how best to tackle the challenges they face. This involves analyzing the problem, generating potential solutions, and implementing those solutions effectively.

In contrast, emotion-centered coping is primarily about managing emotional responses to stress without necessarily addressing the underlying issue. Appraisal-centered coping is concerned with changing the way an individual perceives a stressful situation, often through cognitive restructuring, but does not actively involve taking steps to deal with the issue itself. Detached concern refers to maintaining a level of emotional distance to manage stress, which may not directly involve addressing the problem at hand.

Thus, problem-centered coping is characterized by a proactive approach that focuses on overcoming difficulties by changing the situation itself, making it the most fitting choice in this context.