Structure et propriétés de l’échelle d’évaluation de la flexibilité du coping : validation en population française

Abstract

ObjectiveCoping strategies moderate the relationship between a stressful situation and health outcomes. A question arises as to the ability of individuals to alternate between different strategies. This capacity refers to the process of coping flexibility which could be defined as the individuals’ ability to effectively modify coping behavior according to the specific nature of stressful situations. Among the different theoretical frameworks of coping flexibility, the dual-process theory considers that coping flexibility is a meta-cognitive ability, which comprises two reciprocal processes: evaluation coping and adaptive coping. In order to measure these two processes, the Coping Flexibility Scale (CFS) has been developed. The objective of the two studies reported in this paper was to examine the stability of the psychometric properties of the CFS in French adult population, because there is no validated French scale to assess coping flexibility and because existing validated French-language scales are primarily dedicated to assess the extent to which individuals are variable in their use of coping strategies but not in how they are flexible in such use. MethodThe CFS is a self-report questionnaire for assessing the two dimensions of coping flexibility, namely evaluation and adaptive coping. Two studies were conducted to test the two-factor structure, reliability and validity of the CFS in several samples. In both studies, coping flexibility was measured with the CFS; coping strategies with the Brief COPE inventory and two indexes of stress adaptation were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. ResultsIn Study 1, extremely poor factor loading led to remove three of the 10 original items. A confirmatory factor analysis evidenced a two-factor structure for the 7-item CFS, which also demonstrate satisfactory construct and criterion validity. The Study 2 replicated the results obtained in Study 1, especially the two-factor structure of the CFS. ConclusionOverall, the results obtained in the two validation studies of the CFS reveal a satisfactory stability of the factorial structure of the scale in its 7-item version. The 7-item French CFS appears as a questionnaire that can capture the two dimensions of coping flexibility defined as a meta-cognitive ability.