Psychological and physical variables as predictors of coping strategies

26 women and 17 men between the ages of 26 and 62 yr. of age and diagnosed as having chronic illnesses were administered four questionnaires to assess physical and psychological variables and coping strategies: the Sickness Impact Profile, the Time Reference Inventory, and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control. The Jaloweic Coping Scale assessed coping strategies. Canonical correlation indicated a single-factor link (Wilks' lambda) between scores on the first 3 tests, and the subscales of the coping scale. A significant but small correlation of .31 between the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control subscale, Powerful Others, and the coping subscale of Emotion-focused strategies was observed, that with the subscale Chance and the coping subscale confrontive strategies was negative. A second canonical correlation deleting the Time Reference Inventory score of age extension and including the three Sickness Impact Profile subscales was significant and positive for the Composite score and the subscale Palliative of the Jaloweic Coping Scale. Such data suggest that individuals who have a locus of control orientation of Powerful Others respond to chronic illness with emotionally based behaviors. In addition, chronically ill individuals who are physically dysfunctional tend to respond with palliative coping strategies.