title: Measuring coping behavior in patients with major burn injuries: a psychometric evaluation of the BCOPE.
abstract: Burn injuries involve significant physiological, psychological, and social challenges with which individuals must cope. Although the brief COPE (BCOPE) is frequently used, knowledge of its factor structure and construct validity is limited, thus limiting confidence with interpreting results. This study assessed psychometric properties of the BCOPE in hospitalized patients with burn injury. Participants had a major burn injury (n = 362). Measures assessed coping behavior and physical, psychological, and social functioning. Exploratory factorial analysis was conducted to evaluate patterns of coping strategies. To assess construct validity, the BCOPE scale scores were correlated with the distress measures across time points. Exploratory factorial analysis revealed seven factors accounting for 51% of total variance. The pattern matrix indicated four items loaded onto factor 1 (active coping = 0.47-0.80) and four onto factor 2 (avoidant coping = 0.59-0.73). The remaining factors were consistent with original scale assignments reported by Carver (Int J Behav Med 1997;4:92-100). Construct validity of BCOPE scales (active and avoidant) was demonstrated by their association with the Davidson trauma scale, short form-12, and satisfaction with appearance scale. The results indicate that the BCOPE is valid, reliable, and can be meaningfully interpreted. Research using these factors may improve knowledge about interrelationships among stress, coping, and outcome, thus building the evidence base for managing distress in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Amoyal
authors.forename: Shawn T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Neda F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.forename: Nida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Corry
authors.forename: Soad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahfouz
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barkey
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fauerbach
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002053:Burn Units; D002056:Burns / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011594:Psychometrics; D012042:Registries; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult