Coping scale for children and youth: Scale development and validation

Abstract

A new self-report measure of children's coping is described. Scale development began with a compilation of 44 coping behaviors culled from previous research. These items were administered in small-group format to 498 children in sixth and eighth grades. Subjects were asked to rate how often they used each coping behavior in their efforts to deal with a self-identified stressor. Factor analysis of the data produced four discrete coping categories: assistance seeking, cognitive-behavioral problem solving, cognitive avoidance, and behavioral avoidance. The factor pattern was the same across grade and sex of subject. Test-retest reliability and internal reliability for the four subscales were moderate to high. Data on grade and sex differences in coping are presented, as are data on the construct validity of the scale. Implications of the development studies and an assessment of the attributes of the new scale are discussed.