title: Responses to stress in adolescence: measurement of coping and involuntary stress responses.
abstract: The development of a measure of coping and involuntary stress responses in adolescence is described. The Responses to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ) reflects a conceptual model that includes volitional coping efforts and involuntary responses to specific stressful events or specified domains of stress. The psychometric characteristics of the RSQ were examined across 4 domains of stress in 3 samples of adolescents and parent reports obtained in 2 samples. The factor structure of the RSQ was tested and replicated with an adequate degree of fit using confirmatory factor analysis across 3 stressors in 2 samples. Internal consistency and retest reliability for the 5 factors were adequate to excellent. Concurrent validity was established through correlations with another measure of coping, heart rate reactivity, and correlations of self- and parent-reports. Significant correlations with both adolescents' and parents' reports of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were consistent with hypotheses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington 05405, USA.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Connor-Smith
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Compas
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Wadsworth
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saltzman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001143:Arousal; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology