Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced – Brief-COPE
A 28-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure effective and ineffective ways to cope with a stressful life event.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced – Brief-COPE was developed by Charles S. Carver (1997). It is designed to measure Coping strategies. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 28 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Problem-Focused Coping, Emotion-Focused Coping, Avoidant Coping.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Problem-Focused Coping | 2,7,10,12,14,17,23,25 | 8 |
| Emotion-Focused Coping | 5,9,13,15,18,20,21,22,24,26,27,28 | 12 |
| Avoidant Coping | 1,3,4,6,8,11,16,19 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = I haven't been doing this at all, 2 = A little bit, 3 = A medium amount, 4 = I’ve been doing this a lot.
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 Varies by subscale.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.