Heidelberg Coping Scales for Delusions: psychometric evaluation of an expert rating instrument.
BACKGROUND
Coping is of substantial relevance in the treatment and course of psychiatric disorders. Standardized instruments to assess coping with psychotic symptoms, particularly delusions, are rare. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a new instrument to assess coping strategies in the context of delusional experiences: the Heidelberg Coping Scales for Delusions (HCSD).


METHODS
Two hundred and twelve inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and affective disorders currently experiencing delusions were interviewed with the HCSD and other coping assessment instruments. Psychometric properties and factor structure were analyzed.


RESULTS
The HCSD showed good inter-rater reliability and convergent validity. Factor analysis yielded an interpretable structure with five factors: resource-oriented coping, medical care, distraction, cognitive coping, and depressive coping. Symptomatic behavior, due to its particular characteristics, was considered apart.


CONCLUSIONS
The HCSD is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of coping strategies in patients with delusions. Further research is needed to evaluate coping changes over time and their influence on treatment and clinical outcomes.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. sarah.rueckl@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Sarah
S
Rückl
Liesa
L
Büche
Nana Christina
NC
Gentner
Judith
J
Heyne
Anique
A
von Bock
Andreas
A
Barthel
Helmut
H
Vedder
Martin
M
Bürgy
Klaus-Thomas
KT
Kronmüller
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003702:Delusions / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology