The purpose of this study was to identify how internal and external coping resources influenced active coping in the process of stress-coping. The model was established theoretically by comparing and integrating the following theories : Stress-Coping, Self-Care, and Resourcefulness. The subjects consisted of sixty eight patients undergoing chemotherapy(experimental group 34, control group 34) at two general hospitals from January to July, 1995. The results were as follows : After self-care education, the active coping score of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. The active coping score of the high resourcefulness group was significantly higher than that of the low resourcefulness group. The interaction effect between self-care education and resourcfulness was not significant statistically. Specifically as to such scores of seeking social support, problem-oriented strategy and self care behavior, there were significantly higher in the experimental group and high resourcefulness group than in each of the other groups. Considering them both, self-care education and resourcefulness are effective nursing strategies to promote active coping including self-care. Consequently, the synthesis and testing of theories of stress-coping, self-care, and resourcefulness in this study are mostly proven to enhance the explanation and prediction of the change of active coping including self-care. Therefore the result of this study will contribute in the development of practice theory of nursing. A further study is necessary to reevaluate the interaction effect between self-care education and resourcefulness and to identify the difference between resourcefulness and self-efficacy.