Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations.
The purpose of this study was to analyze the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) scale and provide item-level psychometric properties. A short form of the COPE (n = 12) demonstrated a unidimensional measurement construct and valid item-level psychometric properties. Clinicians would be able to precisely measure clients' stress levels using the valid outcome measure.
Primary Author and Speaker: Nam Sanghun
Additional Authors and Speakers: Ickpyo Hong, Heesu Choi, and Mi Jung Lee
PURPOSE: Stress is a leading cause of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and lung disease (Choi et al., 2011). Stress is also continuous and cumulative experiences that negatively affect an individual's social, emotional, and physical well-being (Min & Yoo, 1998). Quantifying the degree of stress using an accurate outcome measure would be the first step to develop therapeutic interventions in occupational therapy. While the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) Scale has shown its clinical usability of evaluating stress coping skills in occupational therapy (Carver et al., 1989), its item-level psychometrics have not been validated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the COPE using the Rasch measurement model.
DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study design. The study data were extracted from a data archive supported by the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR #33641). The study sample was collected in Los Angeles, California, from 2004 to 2008. We utilized a random sample of 200 subjects from a total sample of 1,601 in the ICPSR data. The majority of the sample was female (n = 131, 65.5%), with the mean age of 74.1 years old (SD = 8.0 years). The race of the sample was non-Hispanic white (n = 84, 42.0%), non-Hispanic black (n = 63, 31.5%), Hispanic/Latino (n = 41, 20.5%), Asian (n = 7, 3.5%), and other (n = 5, 2.5%).
METHODS: The COPE consists of 12 test items with a 4-point rating scale (1 = I usually didn't do this at all, 2 = I usually did this a little bit, 3 = I usually did this a medium amount, 4 = I usually did this a lot). A higher score of the COPE indicates having a better behavior strategy for dealing with stressful events. The rating scale model was used to examine the item-level psychometric properties of the COPE. The unidimensionality assumption was tested using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with a one-factor solution. The model fit criteria for CFA includes Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA < 0.08), Comparative Fit Index (CFI > 0.95), and Tucker Lewis index (TLI > 0.95). Item fit was examined using infit (information weighted) mean-square (0.6 < MnSq < 1.4) and standardized fit statistics (-2.0 < ZSTD < 2.0). Person strata (> 3.0) was used to examine the precision of the COPE. Also, the construct validity was tested by examining the item difficulty hierarchy from easiest to hardest. Mplus version 8.4 was used for the factor analyses, Winsteps version 4.4.5 was used for Rasch analysis, and SAS version 9.4 was used for the data management.
RESULTS: The CFA demonstrated that the 12 COPE items met the unidimensionality assumption (RMSEA = .076, CFI = 0.969, TLI = 0.096). The Rasch item difficulty calibrations of the 12 items were matched with a conceptual item difficulty hierarchy. None of the test items misfitted the Rasch model. The person strata value was 3, which is equivalent to a reliability index value of .80.
CONCLUSION: The COPE demonstrated adequate item-level psychometric properties. The findings indicate that COPE can accurately and precisely measure stress coping skills.
IMPACT STATEMENT: The item-level psychometrics could guide clinicians to select appropriate test items for their clients. Since the full version of the COPE consists of 60 test items, the short form could reduce administrative burden in their clinical settings. Also, the good psychometric properties of the 12 COPE items support its use in occupational therapy.
References
Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Weintraub, J. K. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: a theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2), 267. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.56.2.267
Min, H. Y., & Yoo, A. J. (1998). Development of a daliy hassles scale for school age children. Korean Journal of Child Studies, 19(2), 77-96.
Choi, K. M., Shin, W. S., Yeoun, P. S., & Cho, Y. M. (2011). The influence of forest walking exercise on human, stress and fatigue. Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation, 15(1), 61-66. https://doi.org/10.34272/forest.2011.15.1.007
