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Background and Purpose: To establish the psychometric soundness for Coping and Adaptation Processing Scale (CAPS) using the Roy adaptation model as theoretical framework. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of 199 nurses working in different acute health care facilities in California. The internal consistency of the multifactor CAPS questionnaire was explored using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Factors correlation was examined using Pearson product moment correlation. The factor structure was studied using confirmatory factor analyses. Results: In the confirmatory factor analysis, the indices of fitness highly supported these results. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total score was .81 and varied between .31 and .78 in the 5 domains. A positive and significant correlation emerged between CAPS factors and total scores (r = .91, p < .01) ranging from .17 to .81. CAPS showed acceptable validity and reliability for measuring the coping of nurses in acute setting. Future studies using the scale might lead to the improvement of the subscales measurement. Conclusion: The psychometric data suggests that CAPS is a highly suitable instrument to measure coping processes.
Keywords: Roy adaptation model; coping; CAPS; adaptation; psychometric properties; confirmatory factor analysis
In a systematic review for conceptualization and measurement of coping conducted by Garcia (2010), it was concluded that the empirical weaknesses in coping assessment significantly challenged and limited the applicability and relevance of coping data. Moreover, there were gaps that exist between the acknowledged need for identifying indi- vidual ways of coping, subtypes of coping behaviors, and development of measures that can distinguish these subtypes. Skinner, Edge, Altman, and Sherwood (2003) completed an evaluation of 100 coping assessment tools used in different studies. They identified more than 400 ways of coping that were measured in these tools, demonstrating the breadth and depth of coping measurement and the resultant challenges in interpreting, generalizing, and acting on coping data.
In early conceptualization, coping was identified as an indicator of ego maturity; therefore, coping was assessed by clinicians using extensive interviews. As it became separated from ego psychology, coping was seen as a manifestation of personality traits; hence, dispositional coping styles were assessed by questionnaires that tapped on one or two dimensions of coping (Skinner, 2007). Various self-report measures have been developed to assess coping behaviors. Within...