Coping Strategy Indicator – CSI
A 33-item self-report instrument designed to assess three primary coping strategies: Problem Solving, Seeking Social Support, and Avoidance.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Coping Strategy Indicator – CSI was developed by James H. Amirkhan (1990). It is designed to measure Coping Strategies. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 33 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Problem Solving, Seeking Social Support, Avoidance.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Solving | 2,3,8,9,11,15,16,17,20,29,33 | 11 |
| Seeking Social Support | 1,5,7,12,14,19,23,24,25,31,32 | 11 |
| Avoidance | 4,6,10,13,18,21,22,26,27,28,30 | 11 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all, 2 = A little, 3 = A lot.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 11 to 33. Interpretation guidelines:
- Problem Solving: Very Low: 11 – 16
- Problem Solving: Low: 17 – 21
- Problem Solving: Average: 22 – 31
- Problem Solving: High / Very High: 32 – 33
- Seeking Social Support: Very Low: 11 – 12
- Seeking Social Support: Low: 13 – 18
- Seeking Social Support: Average: 19 – 28
- Seeking Social Support: High / Very High: 29 – 33
- Avoidance: Very Low: 11 – 11
- Avoidance: Low: 12 – 15
- Avoidance: Average: 16 – 23
- Avoidance: High: 24 – 27
- Avoidance: Very High: 28 – 33
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.