Psychometric Properties of the Brief COPE Inventory on a Student Sample.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Coping strategies are crucial for student well-being.
• Existing instruments may require adaptation for specific populations.
• The Brief COPE inventory measures problem-focused and emotion-focused coping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) inventory in a Russian student sample.
• To adapt and validate a modified 25-item version of the Brief COPE.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the adapted inventory for use in Russian educational settings.

Main Methods:

• Data collected online from 670 Russian university students (first-fourth year).
• Participants completed the modified Brief COPE, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ-10).
• Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to assess factor structure, reliability (Cronbach's α), and validity.

Main Results:

• PCA and CFA supported a six-factor structure after removing seven items, resulting in a 25-item inventory.
• Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) ranged from 0.65 to 0.91, indicating good reliability.
• External validity showed weak but significant correlations between Brief COPE scales and other measures (0.067–0.364).

Conclusions:

• The 25-item Brief COPE is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing coping strategies among Russian students.
• The adapted inventory is suitable for large-scale studies and psychological screening in educational contexts.
• This validated tool offers practical applications for understanding and supporting student coping mechanisms in Russia.