Proactive Coping Behavior in Sample of University Students in Helping Professions

Jitka Vaculíková

doi:10.7441/soced.2016.04.02.03

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is twofold. First is to carry out item and scale analysis of the Czech version of the Proactive Coping Inventory (PCI) on a selected sample of university students in helping professions (n = 176). Second is to identify the use of proactive coping strategies by gender, age, specialization and year of study. The PCI scales reached satisfactory item-total correlations, besides the items presented (8, 39 and 48). Internal consistency of the PCI scales ranged from .71 to .8, except low α for Strategic Planning. Students reached the highest use of emotional and instrumental support seeking with no overall socio-demographic differences. Further, interrelationships among the PCI scales and correlations within a subjective well-being, depression and social support are presented.

Highlights

A wide range of research on social cognition, social interaction, stress and coping aims to analyze the processes through which people anticipate or detect potential stressors and act in advance to prevent them or to mitigate their consequences. Aspinwall and Taylor (1997) first used the term for such a behavior called proactive coping and opened a vast area of new research in the stress and Vaculíková / Proactive Coping Behavior in Sample of University Students in Helping Professions 39 coping literature
Prior to describing the scales that represent the construct, an item-total correlation tests was performed to check if any item is inconsistent with the averaged behavior of the others; that is, whether it fits the meaning of the averaged measure
Within the Proactive Coping Scale combining inherent goal setting with selfregulatory goal attainment behavior, the sample scored the highest on Item 48 (“When I apply for a position, I imagine myself filling it”), and Item 37 (“I try to pinpoint what I need to succeed”)

Summary

Introduction

A wide range of research on social cognition, social interaction, stress and coping aims to analyze the processes through which people anticipate or detect potential stressors and act in advance to prevent them or to mitigate their consequences. Aspinwall and Taylor (1997) first used the term for such a behavior called proactive coping and opened a vast area of new research in the stress and Vaculíková / Proactive Coping Behavior in Sample of University Students in Helping Professions 39 coping literature. Schwarzer and Taubert (2002), building upon Lazaruss (1991) cognitive appraisal approach, added a temporal dimension.23 This perspective stems from a time-related classification of coping models and proposes distinctions between reactive coping, anticipatory coping, preventive coping and proactive coping. Closely-related self-regulation is often described as the ability to develop, implement and maintain planned behavior in order to achieve personal goals (Brown, Miller, & Lawendowski, 1999) These self-regulatory skills reveal a great deal about how people anticipate stressful events and manage to avoid them or minimize their impact. Individuals with a sense of self-worth may practice conscientious health habits more, promoting their well-being (Greenglass & Fiksenbaum, 2009) Those who employ coping strategies based on proactivity more often perceive that their lives are going well. In order to provide additional evidence for the construct validity of the PCI scales, these relationships are analyzed in the present study

Aims of the Investigation

Participants

Measures

Procedure

Item Analysis

Scale Analysis

Group differences

Discussion