Factor structure of the Youth Coping In Traumatic Times (YCITT) scale.
The objective of the present study is to determine if a brief measure of coping strategies administered to children and adolescents after a mass traumatic event - Youth Coping In Traumatic Times (YCITT) - has a factor structure similar to that of a lengthier, widely used scale, the How I Coped Under Pressure Scale (HICUPS). The YCITT was developed for the New York City - Board of Education WTC Study, conducted 6 months after 9/11. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were performed in two randomly selected sub-samples of youth in grades 6-12 (sub-sample 1, n=2249; sub-sample 2, n=2315). In sub-sample 1, CFA indicated acceptable fit of a four-factor solution based on the HICUPS (distraction, active coping, support seeking and avoidance) and EFA yielded a nearly identical solution. In sub-sample 2, CFA indicated that the fit of the HICUPS-based factor solution and the solution derived from the EFA in sub-sample 1 were very similar, with both indicating acceptable model fit. In conclusion, the brief YCITT has a factor structure, which is similar to that of the HICUPS. When used in large-scale assessments of future mass traumatic events, the measure can provide relevant information about youth coping strategies across four key coping domains.
Division of Child Psychiatry, Columbia University-NYSPI, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Maria E
ME
Paasivirta
Cristiane S
CS
Duarte
Ping
P
Wu
Fan
F
Bin
Robin F
RF
Goodman
Elissa J
EJ
Brown
Howard F
HF
Andrews
Christina W
CW
Hoven
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D004190:Disasters; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult