title: Assessment of coping: a new french four-factor structure of the brief COPE inventory.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE) inventory is the most usual measure to identify the nature of coping strategies implemented by individuals and explore 14 coping strategies. The availability of a structure with fewer factors rather than the initial 14-factor structure may be of interest for both healthcare professionals and researchers. We report the validation process of a 4-factor structure of the French version of the Brief COPE in a French sample of individuals facing a singular life event, such as cancer, including patients and their caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study included cancer patients and their caregivers. Self-administered data were collected including: socio-demographic (age, gender, marital status, employment status, and education level), coping strategies using the French version of the Brief COPE, quality of life (QoL) using the French version of the short form health survey questionnaire (SF36). Construct validity, internal consistency, reliability, and external validity were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample included 398 individuals. The principal component factor analysis identified a 4-factor structure. The dimensions were labeled according to their constitutive items: social support (8 items), problem solving (4), avoidance (10), and positive thinking (6). The 4-factor structure was supported by different theoretical models of coping and showed satisfactory psychometric properties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 4-factor structure of the French version of the Brief COPE, validated in a sample of individuals facing a singular stressful event, including cancer patients and their caregivers, makes the instrument easier to use both in clinical practice and clinical research.
authors.affiliation: EA 3279, Self-perceived Health Assessment Research Unit, School of Medicine, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 bd Jean Moulin, Marseille cedex 05, Marseille, 13385, France. karine.baumstarck@univ-amu.fr.|National Clinical research Quality of Life in Oncology Platform, Marseille, France. karine.baumstarck@univ-amu.fr.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baumstarck
authors.affiliation: EA 3279, Self-perceived Health Assessment Research Unit, School of Medicine, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 bd Jean Moulin, Marseille cedex 05, Marseille, 13385, France.
authors.forename: Marine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.affiliation: EA 3279, Self-perceived Health Assessment Research Unit, School of Medicine, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 bd Jean Moulin, Marseille cedex 05, Marseille, 13385, France.|National Clinical research Quality of Life in Oncology Platform, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hamidou
authors.affiliation: EA 3279, Self-perceived Health Assessment Research Unit, School of Medicine, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 bd Jean Moulin, Marseille cedex 05, Marseille, 13385, France.|National Clinical research Quality of Life in Oncology Platform, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Auquier
authors.affiliation: National Clinical research Quality of Life in Oncology Platform, Marseille, France.|Social Psychology Research Group (GRePS EA 4163), Université Lumière Lyon 2, Bron, France.
authors.forename: Tanguy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.affiliation: EA 3279, Self-perceived Health Assessment Research Unit, School of Medicine, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 bd Jean Moulin, Marseille cedex 05, Marseille, 13385, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boyer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014177:Translations