Self-Report Coping Measure – Child Version (SRCS)
Measures coping strategies used by children when dealing with interpersonal conflict.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Self-Report Coping Measure – Child Version (SRCS) was developed by Causey, D. L., & Dubow, E. F. (1992). It is designed to measure Coping strategies. The scale is intended for use with Children (elementary school).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 34 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Problem solving, Seeking social support, Internalizing, Externalizing, Distancing.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Problem solving | 2,6,10,14,18,23,27,33 | 8 |
| Seeking social support | 1,5,9,13,17,22,31,34 | 8 |
| Internalizing | 7,8,12,16,19,25,32 | 7 |
| Externalizing | 4,21,26,30 | 4 |
| Distancing | 3,11,15,20,24,28,29 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Hardly ever, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Most of the time, 5 = Always.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Problem solving (.86), Seeking social support (.85), Internalizing (.72), Externalizing (.74), Distancing (.76).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.