Ways of Coping Questionnaire – WCQ
Measures the specific cognitive and behavioral strategies individuals use to cope with a particular stressful encounter.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Ways of Coping Questionnaire – WCQ was developed by Susan Folkman & Richard S. Lazarus (1985). It is designed to measure Coping strategies. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 50 items organized into 8 factors/subscales: Confrontive coping, Distancing, Self-controlling, Seeking social support, Accepting responsibility, Escape-Avoidance, Planful problem-solving, Positive reappraisal.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Confrontive coping | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | 6 |
| Distancing | 7,8,9,10,11,12 | 6 |
| Self-controlling | 13,14,15,16,17,18,19 | 7 |
| Seeking social support | 20,21,22,23,24,25 | 6 |
| Accepting responsibility | 26,27,28,29 | 4 |
| Escape-Avoidance | 30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 | 8 |
| Planful problem-solving | 38,39,40,41,42,43 | 6 |
| Positive reappraisal | 44,45,46,47,48,49,50 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Does not apply and/or not used, 1 = Used somewhat, 2 = Used quite a bit, 3 = Used a great deal.
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 Cronbach's alphas range from .61 to .79 across subscales.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.