Development of the coping health inventory for children

This report describes the development of the Coping Health Inventory for Children (CHIC), an instrument designed to provide a systematic assessment of coping behaviors of chronically ill school-aged children. Using a hierarchical approach to the organization of behavior, 45 specific coping behaviors used by chronically ill children were identified and then combined into five conceptually distinct patterns of coping: Develops Competence and Optimism; Feels Different and Withdraws; Is Irritable, Moody, and Acts Out; Complies With Treatment; and Seeks Support. Results of confirmatory factor analysis and predicted relationships with child adaptation measures provide support for construct validity. Good internal consistency and stability reliabilities were also found.