Measuring coping strategies in an educational intervention for individuals with psychiatric disabilities

Coping is a critical theoretical concept believed to be a mediator for successful outcomes produced through a variety of different social work interventions. This article describes an approach used to measure coping with stressors and was designed specifically for an intervention, the Michigan Supported Education Research Project, aimed at providing support for people with psychiatric disabilities to pursue college or vocational education. Hypothetical scenarios were developed that matched the content of material covered in the program. Open-ended responses were elicited from program participants as part of an in-person interview. Key findings included a participation effect on the number of positive coping strategies of participants and a significant relationship among some coping strategies and later outcomes. Implications for social work practice and research are identified.