Understanding the structure of coping strategies in context: a psychometric validation of the Brief-COPE among Colombian adults

Abstract

Background: This study validates the Spanish version of the Brief-COPE in the Colombian context. This tool assesses 14 different coping strategies, including positive coping, planning, emotional support, instrumental support, substance use, and religion, among others. The structural validations of this tool in Latin America, Europe, North America, and Asia yielded heterogeneous results, with validations in Latin America often having limitations in their data analysis methodologies and sample size. This study aims to address these limitations and provide methodologically sound evidence on the structural validity, reliability, and convergent and divergent validity of the instrument for adults in Colombia. Methods: A total of 762 participants completed the Brief-COPE along with the ERQ, the Wellbeing Index, the HSCL-25, the PCL-C, and the Kessler 6. Categorical Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was employed to assess the fit of 12 different theory and data-driven models. After identifying the best-fitting model, reliability, divergent, and convergent validity were assessed for the resulting factors. Results: The best-fitting CFA model for the Brief-COPE had 11 factors: active coping, social support, acceptance, venting, self-distraction, behavioral disengagement, denial, self-blame, humor, religion, and substance use. Substance use, active coping, religion, social support, humor, self-blame, denial, and behavioral disengagement demonstrated good reliability (Omega > =.7), whereas the remaining subscales demonstrated insufficient reliability (Omega >.6 and Omega