29th Annual Student Research Conference
Predictive Validity of Two Popular Coping Measures
Zachary M. Meehan*, Bailey Holm, and Emily Kinkade
Dr. Jeffrey Vittengl, Faculty Mentor
The purpose of this study was to measure the Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) and Brief COPE's predictive validity, predicting mood and mood recovery (changes in daily mood) from structured daily mood reports. Past research of coping scales focused on cross-sectional data, whereas the current study used longitudinal data. Participants included 164 undergraduate students, 129 women and 35 men, with a mean age of 20.1 years. Participants completed the Brief COPE scale and the CSI at baseline as well as a mood measure, daily, for 2 weeks. Hierarchical linear regression modeled the scales' ability to predict mood and mood recovery. Most coping scales predicted daily mood significantly; prediction of daily mood was more robust than mood recovery. Negative mood related more strongly to the coping scales than did positive mood. Two popular coping measures have strong validity for average mood but are relatively weak predictors to responses to stressful life events.
Keywords: Mood Measure, Coping Strategies Inventory, Brief COPE
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 11-10
Location: GEO-SUB
Time: 3:30