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.
Total scores range from 1 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low usage of coping style: 1 – 2
- Medium usage of coping style: 2 – 3
- High usage of coping style: 3 – 4
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.