Coping patterns in adolescent decision making: an Israeli-Australian comparison

The decision coping patterns of Israeli and Australian adolescents were compared in a cross-national study using two samples of 1028 Israeli and 428 Australian high-school students (age range 13.5-14.4 years). Both samples were administered a scale which measured self-reported level of confidence in decision making and tendencies to use various decision-coping patterns. Israeli adolescents scored higher than Australian adolescents on Self confidence as decision makers and Vigilance, and lower on evasive behavior in decision making (Cop out). In both samples, boys outscored girls on Self confidence as decision makers and on Complacency, and scored lower on Panicky behavior. For both samples, it was found that decision coping patterns reduce to two distinct clusters--a vigilant strategy and maladaptive strategies (panic, evasion, and complacency), evidence that decision-coping patterns have cross-cultural validity.