Scale Overview
The 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 14 factors/subscales: Self-Distraction, Active Coping, Denial, Substance Use, Use of Emotional Support, Behavioral Disengagement, Venting, Use of Instrumental Support, Positive Reframing, Planning, Humor, Acceptance, Religion, Self-blame.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Self-Distraction |
1,19 |
2 |
| Active Coping |
2,7 |
2 |
| Denial |
3,8 |
2 |
| Substance Use |
4,11 |
2 |
| Use of Emotional Support |
5,15 |
2 |
| Behavioral Disengagement |
6,16 |
2 |
| Venting |
9,21 |
2 |
| Use of Instrumental Support |
10,23 |
2 |
| Positive Reframing |
12,17 |
2 |
| Planning |
14,25 |
2 |
| Humor |
18,28 |
2 |
| Acceptance |
20,24 |
2 |
| Religion |
22,27 |
2 |
| Self-blame |
13,26 |
2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = I haven't been doing this at all, 2 = I've been doing this a little bit, 3 = I've been doing this 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.
Total scores range from 2 to 8. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low usage of the coping strategy: 2 – 4
- Moderate usage of the coping strategy: 5 – 6
- High usage of the coping strategy: 7 – 8
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Varies by subscale (typically Cronbach's alpha ranges from .50 to .90).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.